On Wednesday 20th March, the Netherlands heads to the polls to elect new provincial representatives and water board. What are the issues that matter to voters in the north? In the days leading up to the elections, The Northern Times will be sharing a guide for international covers in each province.
By Traci White and Thomas Ansell
What is being voted on?
The main election on 20th March is the provincial council. You may remember the gemeente (municipality) elections that took place in late 2018, and a similar array of parties are standing this time. The provinces have large sway and exceptionally large budgets, and so electing someone you feel is representative of your views is important. There are 12 provinces in the Netherlands, and each province has its own council called the provinciale staten. The number of members in each provincial council depends on the local population: more residents, more representatives. The members elected to the provincial council are in turn responsible for appointing the members of the Gedeputeerde Staten – the Provincial Executive – and, as of 2019, the members of the Upper Chamber of the Dutch parliament.
In addition to the provincial council, the 20th March election includes voting on a uniquely Dutch branch of government: the Water Boards. The boards cover the provinces, sometimes spanning one of more, and are the oldest form of democratically elected local government in the Netherlands. Water boards are responsible for:
-Managing dunes, dikes, quays, and levees to keep water levels sustainable
-Management and maintenance of waterways
-Maintenance of water levels in polders
-Treating waste water, including polluted water
| Who can vote?
Anyone can vote for their Water Board. You just need to be registered within the Basisregistratie Personen (which gives you a BSN number). If you need to order a new voting pass (“Stempas”), it can be done from this web page. Only Dutch citizens can vote in the provincial-level elections. |
General party stances
The following party orientations are based on the parties’ stated stances in the provincial kieskompas, although newcomers Forum voor Democratie declined to take part. The Dutch political parties that are standing in the Drenthe provincial elections are spread across the political spectrum. If you consider politics upon two axes: left-right economically, and conservative-progressive socially, the most ‘left-progressive’ party on Drents issues is the Partij voor de Dieren, whilst the most ‘right-conservative’ party is the VVD (of current Dutch PM Mark Rutte).
The following party orientations are based specifically on the Drenthe-relevant issues included in the kieskompas:
- Partij voor de Dieren (Party for the Animals): Hard Left/Very Progressive
- GroenLinks (Green Left): Very Left/Very Progressive
- Onafhankelijke Partij Drenthe (Independent Drenthe Party, OPD): Moderate Left/Moderate Progressive
- 50PLUS (focused on issues for the elderly): Soft Left/Soft Conservative
- Senioren Belang (Senior Interests): Moderate Left/Slight Progressive
- PvdA (Labour Party): Soft Left/Centrist
- Denk (Dutch for “think”, Turkish for “equal”): Soft Left/Slightly Progressive
- Socialistische Partij (Socialist Party, SP): Moderate Left/Moderate Progressive
- SGP (Reformed Political Party): Centrist/Moderate Conservative
- ChristenUnie (Christian Union): Centrist/Centrist
- Democrats 66 (D66): Moderate Right/Moderate Progressive
- CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal): Moderate Right/Moderate Conservative
- Sterk Lokaal (Strong Local): Moderate Right/Moderate Conservative
- PVV (Freedom Party): Hard Right/Hard Conservative
- VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy): Hard Right/Very Conservative
- Forum voor Democratie (Forum for Democracy): Far Right/Very Conservative
Where do the parties stand on:
Government Leadership & Policy Issues
- On providing additional funding to fight poverty
Most pro: Denk, GroenLinks, OPD, PvdA, Partij voor de Dieren, Senioren Belang, SP
Most anti: Sterk Lokaal, VVD
- On whether the province should provide more support to municipalities in receiving asylum seekers
Most pro: D66, GroenLinks, OPD, Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: PVV
- On whether the province should step in to take control of failed hospitals
Most pro: OPD, Partij voor de Dieren, Senioren Belang, SP
Most anti: CDA, ChristenUnie, D66, VVD
- On whether the province should organise binding referenda for big decisions
Most pro: Partij voor de Dieren, PVV, SP
Most anti: CDA, ChristenUnie, SGP, VVD
Nature and the environment
- On whether provincial rules for pesticide use should be stricter than national regulations
Most pro: D66, GroenLinks, OPD; Partij voor de Dieren, SP
Most anti: CDA, ChristenUnie, PVV, VVD
- On being allowed to shoot wild animals that cause a nuisance
Most pro: SGP
Most anti: Partij voor de Dieren
- On the province bringing more solar panel arrays online (even at the cost of agricultural land)
Most pro: D66, Denk, GroenLinks; PvdA, Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: 50 Plus, OPD, PVV, SGP, SP
- On raising water levels to protect nature (even at the cost of agricultural land)
Most pro: Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: PVV
- On connecting all existing natural spaces (even at the cost of agricultural land)
Most pro: Denk, GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren, SP
Most anti: PVV, SGP
Quality of life, housing and working
- On allowing existing intensive farming to expand further
Most pro: PVV, SGP, VVD
Most against: D66, Denk, GroenLinks, OPD, Partij voor de Dieren, SP
- On more provincial spending to provide more cheap housing
Most pro: PvdA
Most anti: D66, SGP, VVD
- On whether the province should provide housing for those who permanently live vacation homes
Most pro: ChristenUnie, D66, Partij voor de Dieren, Senioren Belang
Most anti: CDA, OPD, SGP, VVD
- On new houses being built in existing villages and towns (rather than expanding into the countryside)
Most pro: Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: VVD
- On agricultural businesses in the countryside expanding (even at the cost of biodiversity)
Most pro: VVD
Most anti: D66, GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren
- On new houses being built in existing villages and towns (rather than expanding into the countryside)
Most pro: Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: Groninger Belang
- On building new business parks, when current ones become fully occupied
Most pro: ChristenUnie, Partij voor de Dieren, SP
Most anti: VVD
Recreation and tourism
- On whether to province should campaign to bring a Grand Prix to the Assen TT Circuit
Most pro: PVV, Sterk Lokaal, VVD
Most against: Partij voor de Dieren, SGP
- On whether the province should spend money to try and bring big events to Drenthe
Most pro: CDA, D66, Denk, PvdA, Senioren Belang, Sterk Lokaal, VVD
Most anti: OPD, Partij voor de Dieren, SGP
- On whether the province should make funds available to improve FC Emmen stadium
Most pro: 50 Plus, CDA, OPD, PvdA, Senioren Belang, Sterk Lokaal
Most anti: Partij voor de Dieren, SGP
Traffic and Transport
- On the province making all public transport free for pensioners (even if this costs the province money)
Most pro: 50Plus, Denk, GroenLinks, PvdA, Senioren Belang
Most anti: CDA, ChristenUnie, D66, OPD, PVV
- On the province lowering road taxes, even if this means economising elsewhere
Most pro: 50 Plus, Denk, PVV, SGP, Sterk Lokaal
Most anti: Partij voor de Dieren
- On investing in more cycle expressways, even at the cost of investing in car infrastructure
Most pro: GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: 50 Plus, PVV, VVD
- On doubling the number of lanes on the N34 trunk road (De Punt to Emmen)
Most pro: CDA, PVV, VVD
Most anti: GroenLinks, OPD, Partij voor de Dieren, Senioren Belang
- On widening the N64 to Eemshaven to 4 lanes
Most pro: 50Plus, Groninger Belang, PVV
Most anti: GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren
- On the province paying to keep Groningen Airport Eelde open (if necessary)
Most pro: CDA, ChristenUnie, PvdA, PVV, Sterk Lokaal, VVD
Most anti: GroenLinks, OPD, Partij voor de Dieren, SP
- On closing under-used bus lines
Most pro: D66, PVV, SGP, VVD
Most anti: Denk, GroenLinks, OPD, PvdA, Partij voor de Dieren, Senioren Belang, SP
- On investing in public transport instead of widening the roads in the province
Most pro: ChristenUnie, GroenLinks, OPD, Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: CDA, Denk, PVV, SGP, Sterk Lokaal, VVD
Correction: In the original version of this guide, Forum for Democracy was inaccurately described as a moderate conservative party. They are a far right conservative party. We have updated the party’s description to reflect this.
Photo source: J.M. Luijt/Wikipedia
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