Laatste nieuws in dutchnews
Dutch Local Parties Challenge National Asylum Policy in Municipal Elections
Netherlands, 18 February 2026
One in six newly formed local political parties across the Netherlands are campaigning against asylum seeker centres ahead of March municipal elections, creating a direct clash with national distribution laws. The EenVandaag survey reveals 24 out of 141 new parties explicitly reject hosting reception facilities, arguing they shouldn’t automatically accept decisions made in The Hague. This grassroots political resistance emerges as municipalities like Rhenen and Bernheze have postponed asylum decisions until after voting, reflecting growing tensions between national obligations and local community concerns about refugee accommodation.