Residents largely unhappy with local politicians ahead of municipal elections
With just over a month until municipal elections, Dutch residents are expressing widespread dissatisfaction with local politicians, according to a survey of nearly 35,000 readers conducted by Panel Inzicht, a polling organization. The average score for local officials—including mayors, aldermen, and council members—was 4.7 on a 10-point scale, AD reports.
The survey covered communities from Almelo to Zundert, including Rotterdam and Meierijstad. Only thirteen of over 100 municipalities where enough responses were collected received a passing grade. Rijssen-Holten in Overijssel received a 7, the highest, while Amersfoort scored a 2.6, the lowest.
Hans Vollaard, a political scientist at Utrecht University, said the results were not surprising. “In our own voter research four years ago, council members received a 5.5, mayors slightly higher,” he told AD.
Respondents cited a lack of responsiveness as the main reason. Common complaints included “behind-closed-doors politics” and the belief that officials “only argue among themselves.”
Other criticisms were more specific. A resident of Utrecht asked, “Where is the attention for the local villages in our municipality?” A person from Zuid-Holland wrote, “Decisions are made without those who make them ever coming to our village or having been here.” In Overijssel, one resident described their community as “the sewer of the municipality.”
The survey also found that citizens’ opinions of local officials are closely tied to their views of national politicians. “The score moves along with judgments about national politics. During the COVID-19 period, people were very positive about national politics, and local scores rose as well. Now that dissatisfaction with The Hague has increased, appreciation for local politicians has also decreased,” Vollaard said.
In the survey, national politicians scored even worse than local leaders. Sixty-four percent of respondents said they had little or no confidence in national politics, compared with 52 percent for local politics.
In Noord-Brabant, one respondent described a personal encounter with municipal services as “very unpleasant” after “the only time I needed help in 55 years. It was not taken seriously,” followed by an appeal: “Listen to your residents!”
Despite criticism of local politics, Vollaard noted that many residents still appreciate their municipalities. Four in five respondents said their community is a pleasant place to live, with half of that group giving a rating of 8 or higher. “Municipalities face difficult financial situations, including cuts to services like youth care. Politics may get low marks, but generally, people find their communities a good place to live, which is encouraging,” he said.
Vollaard emphasized that the next generation of council members, to be elected on March 18, should prioritize transparency and citizen engagement. “Make it visible that everyone’s interest has been considered,” he said. “This can be done through local newspapers, but where they no longer exist, other methods are needed. Think of key figures in society, like the pub owner who knows what’s happening or the school principal. If you are making a zoning decision, go to the location and speak with people first.”
