National government fuelling social unrest, aldermen say

Almost all aldermen (95 percent) think the central government is causing social unrest with “unworlkable legislation and regulations,” referring specifically to asylum legislation and changes to energy transition plans. 74 percent also think municipalities are partly to blame, according to a new study commissioned by the Aldermen’s Association.

Director Jeroen van Gool said that aldermen “have to pull out all the stops” to stand firm in the face of changes in policy and “unworkable legislation and regulations.” As an example, he points to asylum and refugee legislation and developments in the energy transition. Aldermen need budget and policy freedom from the national government to fulfill their tasks, said Van Gool. “Both are currently lacking.”

The study among aldermen was conducted by the Center of Expertise Safety & Resilience. A large proportion of the more than two hundred aldermen interviewed have had to deal with social urnest at some point. Confidence in politics is declining, and “the alderman is at the center of this playing field,” said Van Gool.

Over half of the aldermen indicated that the unrest has consequences for their private lives. According to Van Gool, the disproportionate workload of aldermen must also be reduced to make the work more attractive. “The dilemma in which aldermen find themselves must be brought to an end quickly.”

The researchers conducted a literature study and a media analysis for this study. They also interviewed 209 aldermen with a survey. In total, the Netherlands has approximately 1,400 aldermen. The Center of Expertise Safety & Resilience also held two focus groups and various interviews and case studies.