One in six Dutch will keep buying fireworks despite looming national ban

After decades of using fireworks to ring in the New Year, a majority in the Dutch parliament wants to ban consumer fireworks, only allowing a handful of less harmful fireworks like sparklers. 65 percent of Dutch support this ban, but 16 percent say they will ignore it and continue to buy illegal fireworks if necessary, Hart van Nederland reported after surveying its opinion panel on the matter.

The Netherlands has been ringing in the New Year with fireworks since the 1960s. But criticism of the tradition has increased in recent years due to damage caused by fireworks, frightened animals and people, injuries, and the increasing use of fireworks to commit violence against emergency workers.

65 percent of Dutch support the ban, 34 percent are against. Only the far-right parties have a majority against the ban. 53 percent of PVV voters are against banning consumers' fireworks. As are 56 percent of BBB voters, 79 percent of FvD voters, 67 percent of SGP voters, and 52 percent of JA21.

Support for the ban is strongest among GroenLinks-PvdA voters (92 percent), followed by PvdD (89 percent), ChristenUnie (87 percent), and D66 and Volt (both 86 percent). The other two coalition parties’ voters also support the ban - NSC (72 percent) and VVD (69 percent).

78 percent of Dutch say they will comply with the ban. 71 percent said they don’t set off fireworks anyway. 16 percent said that they would buy fireworks illegally from abroad to maintain the fireworks tradition.

Because a ban will have a major impact on the fireworks industry, parliament wants to compensate buyers and sellers. The sector self demanded 895 million euros in compensation, equivalent to about 50 euros per Dutch person. Only 12 percent of voters agree with that plan.

70 percent support State Secretary Chris Jansen’s (Environment, PVV) plan to offer 100 to 150 million euros in compensation if the ban takes effect this year, 50 million euros if it takes effect next year, and no compensation after that. The idea is that the fireworks industry will have time to adapt if the ban takes longer than 2026 to implement.