Most Dutch municipalities back asylum distribution law but resist implementation
Most municipalities in the Netherlands say they will comply with the national asylum distribution law, but often without enthusiasm and with strict conditions, according to an analysis of the first 212 coalition agreements formed after March municipal elections, NOS reports. Only 11 municipalities announce broader resistance to the obligation to host asylum seekers, though even those generally acknowledge they will ultimately have to comply.
About three months after the elections, nearly two-thirds of the new municipal administrations have been finalized. Many municipalities insist on “appropriate” reception sites, meaning small-scale facilities, and emphasize that residents must first be given the opportunity to participate in discussions about potential locations. Some coalitions also express preferences about who is housed in shelters, at times stating a preference for families with children and excluding single adult men.
In Heerlen, officials say they comply with the law and are “proud” of doing so, but oppose further expansion. The coalition agreement states, "If Heerlen takes even more responsibility on this issue, municipalities within and outside our region that evade their responsibilities are rewarded for their lack of solidarity.”
Resistance is more explicit in several municipalities. In Maassluis, the coalition agreement states: “Maassluis’s offer will be zero asylum reception places.” It adds that the municipality will “not hesitate to push the boundaries of the law” to achieve that outcome.
In Hardenberg, which is in conflict with the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) over the extended opening of an asylum center beyond agreed terms, the new municipal board says it does not want to accept new asylum seekers for now. The coalition intends to apply “maximum pressure” to close the existing asylum center as soon as possible.
Albrandswaard and Borne are taking further steps. Albrandswaard has filed an appeal against the number of asylum seekers it is required to host under the law. The coalition argues the municipality already contributes sufficiently to “special target groups,” citing the presence of a forensic psychiatric (tbs) clinic. Borne is considering legal action.
The distribution law is intended by the national government to ensure asylum seekers are more evenly distributed across municipalities and to increase overall reception capacity. However, some coalition agreements cite the law as justification for reducing rather than expanding capacity.
In Wassenaar, for example, an asylum center currently accommodates about six times the number required under the law. The coalition states: “To improve livability and remove feelings of insecurity, we will aim for a smaller asylum center once current agreements expire in 2028. The spread law figures for Wassenaar are the starting point.”
Ten municipalities do not mention asylum reception at all in their coalition agreements. These are mostly very small municipalities or municipalities that already comply with the law, sometimes with large reception facilities in place.
According to a recent letter sent by Minister Van den Brink (Asylum and Migration), municipalities that provide insufficient or no reception were asked how they intend to implement the law. Ministry figures show 119 municipalities comply with the law, 116 partially comply, and 107 do not comply.
Forty-seven municipalities did not respond at all. “If you look at the debate in society, I find this a surprising way of working,” the minister said during a recent parliamentary debate. “Some are happy with clarity. Others say they are not yet able to do it, but are working hard on it. So many municipalities, so many stories.”
After the summer, the government will begin setting initial enforcement actions and deadlines for municipalities that currently provide no reception. The names of those municipalities will also be made public, according to the ministry.
