Amsterdam PvdA wants to ban international tourists from Red Light District coffeeshops

The PvdA faction in Amsterdam wants to ban international tourists from coffeeshops in the Red Light District and the rest of the city center, Parool reports based on the party’s election program for the 2026 municipal election.

The PvdA, currently the largest party in the city, also wants to relocate coffeeshops from the crowded city center to other neighborhoods. This should make the center less attractive to tourists and more livable for locals.

GroenLinks, which will form a single party with the PvdA after the election, does not mention banning tourists from coffeehops, but its election program does state that the party is committed to spreading coffeeshops throughout the city. According to Parool, this may offer opportunities to allow specific regulations for coffeeshops in the city center.

Unlike the D66, the PvdA still supports plans for an Erotic Center on Europaboulevard. At least, the Labor Party says it supports safe workplaces for sex workers outside the Red Light District, whether it be an erotic center or small-scale alternatives. The condition is that this actually leads to fewer window brothels and improved livability in the city center.