Aggression and intimidation against local government officials has decreased since 2022

Local administrators and politicians dealt with aggression and intimidation slightly less often last year than in 2022. This was shown by research conducted by Ipsos I&O on behalf of the Ministry of Interior Affairs. The trend of sharply increased aggression has not yet been reversed.

Ipsos I&O approached politicians and administrators in municipalities, provinces, and water boards, such as mayors and members of the provincial council. Around 45 percent of the over a thousand “office bearers” that responded said that they had to deal with verbal or physical aggression or intimidation.

This was slightly higher in 2022 when 49 percent had to deal with it, but still significantly higher than in 2014, when only 24 percent had these types of incidents.

A noticeable fact was that the politicians and administrators were insulted less often: from 45 percent in 2022 to 41 percent last year. This could be due to an outlier in the coronavirus pandemic, the researchers believe. "There were great tensions in society, and the government was under a magnifying glass." Threats and physical violence remained more or less at the same level as before.

There were significant differences between various groups of local politicians and administrators, said Ipsos I&O. Women are more often the target of aggression and intimidation and also more often see these incidents as severe. Representatives of the people are relatively less affected by threats than administrators.

The Minister of Interior Affairs, Judith Uitermark, is still pleased with the numbers despite the improvement. “This is not normal, and it can never be seen as normal,” she said during a meeting at her ministry. “If representatives of the people do not feel free to make decisions, then that affects the heart of our democracy.”

Uitermark noticed that local administrators pointed out that the severeness of the national debates in The Hague has been the reason for the incidents. "National polarization is reflected in the council chambers."

Two months ago, a member of the coalition party PVV asked Uitermark to dismiss Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema, but Uitermark does not want to link that event to the aggression against local administrators.