Asylum distribution law effective: Most municipalities planning shelters

The Asylum Distribution Law, with which the government can force municipalities to take in their fair share of asylum seekers, seems to be effective. Almost all Dutch municipalities are making plans to open asylum shelters, despite the new government’s intention to scrap the law, RTL Nieuws found when surveying 342 Dutch municipalities.

In January, a study by RTV Noord showed that 111 of the 342 Dutch municipalities had not sheltered a single asylum seeker in the past 12 years. RTL found that 84 percent of Dutch municipalities now have asylum shelters or are working on opening one.

The Schoof I Cabinet intends to scrap the asylum distribution law, which took effect in July this year, but this seems to have little effect on its implementation for the time being. Many municipalities that previously refused to open a shelter are now doing so, even municipalities where the coalition got many votes.

For example, Venlo, which accommodated no asylum seekers between 2012 and 2024, purchased an old monastery to house 600 asylum seekers from May 2025. “We believe it is important to contribute sufficient humane shelters for asylum seekers and balance the distribution of shelters across the Netherlands,” Mayor Antoin Scholten of Venlo told the broadcaster.

Simpelveld, where the PVV received 37 percent of the votes in last year’s parliamentary election, opened an asylum shelter with 300 places. The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) told RTL that it is in talks with over 160 municipalities about new reception locations.

Several municipalities indicated that they would continue working on opening asylum shelters, even if the law is withdrawn. Heiloo told the broadcaster that it “takes responsibility” to house asylum seekers “independent of the implementation of the distribution law by the government.”

A handful of municipalities refuse to cooperate with the law. Zandvoort stopped looking for a location to house asylum seekers after the coalition said they’d withdraw the law.

The law states that 96,000 shelter places must be ready by next summer. Despite the goodwill of many municipalities, that target is still out of reach. 60 percent of municipalities don’t think they’ll meet the deadline.