Politics in the Netherlands
Information
What do municipalities decide on?
The Netherlands has 342 municipalities. A municipality is the administrative body of a town or village. Municipalities are allowed to make their own decisions on many matters, such as housing, healthcare and employment. In this article, you can read about what municipalities decide and what this means for you as a resident.
What is the Dutch government like and what exactly do the national government, provinces, municipalities and water boards do?
The Dutch government consists of different levels of government with their own tasks. In this article we explain how the government is organised in the Netherlands and what the national government, provinces, municipalities and water boards do.
Local parties and national parties: what is the difference?
In the municipal elections, you vote for your municipality. But who do you actually vote for? In this article we explain the difference between local and national parties. You can also read how the municipality cooperates with The Hague and the province, and how you can become active yourself.
How do municipal elections work?
There will be municipal elections on Wednesday, 18 March 2026. If you are allowed to vote, you will go to a polling station in the municipality where you live on that day. Every municipality has several polling stations. Often these are libraries, community centres or other public places. You will receive a list of all polling stations by post. In this article you can read how voting works.
House of Representatives elections in 2025: what do parties say about migration and asylum?
On 29 October 2025, the Netherlands will go to the polls for elections to the House of Representatives. The political parties participating in the elections have made an election programme. This contains the plans they want to implement if elected. In this article you can read about their positions on certain important topics.
Left and right: How do you understand Dutch politics?
When people talk about politics in the Netherlands, they use words like 'left', 'right', 'progressive' and 'conservative'. These words can be difficult, especially if you are still learning the language. In this article, we explain these words in a simple way.
What political parties are there in the Netherlands?
The Netherlands has many political parties. They represent different groups of people. Parties make a list of positions and have a list of people you can vote for during elections. In this article you will read about the biggest political parties in the Netherlands.
What does the House of Representatives do?
On Dutch news sites you often read about the House of Representatives. For example, when there are elections or new laws are made. But what exactly is the House of Representatives? And what are the tasks of the members of parliament? In this article you will get the answers.
What are the 2025 House of Representatives elections about?
On 29 October, the House of Representatives elections will be held in the Netherlands. Political parties have different ideas about how the country should be governed. The election programmes contain many topics that are important. Below you will read about 4 topics that recur a lot: housing, asylum and migration, money and income, and the international, political role of the Netherlands.
What does the government do and what are the duties of the prime minister?
In the Netherlands, the government makes decisions for the country every day. These decisions are about healthcare and education, about security and climate, and also about asylum and migration. But what exactly does the government do? And what role does the prime minister have in the government?
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