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
UPDATE: 1:24 p.m., Tuesday, 12 March
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 Groningen 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 Groningen’s issues is the Partij voor de Dieren (Party for the Animals) whilst the most right/conservative party is the VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy) of current Dutch PM Mark Rutte.
- Partij voor de Dieren (Party for the Animals): Hard Left/ Very Progressive
- Democrats 66 (D66): Centrist/Very Progressive
- GroenLinks (Green Left): Mid Left/Very Progressive
- Socialistische Partij (Socialist Party, SP): Hard Left/ Mid Progressive
- Denk (Dutch for “think”, Turkish for “equal”): Soft Left/Quite Progressive
- PvdA (Labour Party): Soft Left/Quite Progressive
- 50Plus (focused on issues for the elderly): Soft Left/Quite Progressive
- Christen Unie (Christian Union): Soft Left/Neither progressive nor conservative
- Partij voor het Noorden (Party for the North): Centrist/Centrist
- CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal): Centrist/Quite Conservative
- Groninger Belang (Groninger Interest): Soft Right/Very Conservative
- PVV (Freedom Party): Soft Right/Very Conservative
- VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy): Far Right/Very Conservative
- Forum voor Democratie (Forum for Democracy): Far right/Very Conservative
(Source: Kieskompas)
Where do the parties stand on:
Government Leadership & Policy Issues
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- Opposing national government policy regarding gas-extraction, with the end goal of stopping gas extraction
Most pro: Groninger Belang, GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren; Partij voor het Noorden, SP
Most anti: VVD, Denk
- On whether the province should provide more support to municipalities in receiving asylum seekers:
Most pro: ChristenUnie, D66, Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: VVD, PVV
- On whether the province should collaborate more closely with Groningen and Drenthe
Most pro: D66, GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren, 50Plus,
Most anti: CDA, VVD, FNP, ChristenUnie, Natuurlijk Fryslân, SGP
- On whether the province should prioritise sustainable suppliers, even if it costs more:
Most pro: ChristenUnie, GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren, SP
Most anti: VVD, PVV
- On whether the province should provide money to homeowners who have suffered earthquake damage:
Most pro: ChristenUnie, Denk, Groninger Belang, Partij voor de Dieren, PVV, SP
Most anti: VVD
Nature and the environment
- On there being more windmills (for energy production) in the province
Most pro: Christen Unie, D66, Denk, GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: 50Plus, Groninger Belang, Partij voor het Noorden, PVV, VVD
- On there being more natural spaces in the province (even at the cost of more farming land)
Most pro: D66, Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: PVV, VVD
- On the province having stronger air-quality rules than the national guidelines:
Most pro: Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: CDA, Partij voor het Noorden, PVV, VVD
- On opening a provincial energy provider that prioritises sustainability
Most pro: SP
Most anti: VVD
- On opening more sites for solar panels (even at the cost of more agricultural land)
Most pro: Denk
Most anti: PVV
- On allowing people to shoot wolves
Most pro: CDA, VVD
Most anti: GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren, Denk
Livability
- On the province giving more money to maintain the liveability of smaller towns
Most pro: ChristenUnie, Groninger Belang, PVV, SP
Most against: VVD
- On more money being diverted to (specifically) Gronings culture
Most pro: none
Most anti: VVD
- On the province spending more money bringing big events to Groningen
Most pro: VVD
Most anti: Partij voor de Dieren, SP
Quality of life and working
- On rolling back existing intensive farming
Most pro: D66, Denk, GroenLinks, PvdA, Partij voor de Dieren, SP
Most against: PVV, VVD
- On freeing up building regulations for small developments
Most pro: Groninger Belang
Most anti: Denk, Partij voor de Dieren
- On barring polluting businesses from the province (even at the expense of more jobs)
Most pro: Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: VVD, PVV
- On the province providing a subsidy for homeowners affected by ongoing gas extraction
Most pro: Christen Unie, D66, Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: PVV, 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
Traffic and Transport
- On expanding entrances to the southern ring road of the city
Most pro: VVD
Most anti: Groninger Belang, Partij voor de Dieren, PVV
- On the province funding more cycle super highways (at the cost of more car-related development)
Most pro: ChristenUnie, D66, GroenLinks; Partij voor de Dieren
Most anti: Groninger Belang
- On reducing road tax
Most pro: D66, Groninger Belang, Partij voor het Noorden, PVV, VVD
Most anti: Partij voor de Dieren
- On reducing/cancelling service of under-used bus lines
Most pro: VVD
Most anti: ChristenUnie, D66, Partij voor de Dieren, Natuurlijk Fryslân
- 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: 50Plus, Groninger Belang, VVD
Most anti: GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren, SP
- On Groningen investing in widening rural roads (even at the cost of sustainability)
Most pro: Groninger Belang, VVD
Most anti: D66, GroenLinks, Partij voor de Dieren
- On making public transport for over-65s free (outside of rush hour)
Most pro: 50Plus, Partij voor de Dieren, SP
Most anti: VVD
Photo source: J.M. Luijt/Wikipedia
- Opposing national government policy regarding gas-extraction, with the end goal of stopping gas extraction
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