Politics in the Netherlands
Do you want to know more about the Senate and House of Representatives, or about political elections in the Netherlands? Or do you want to know how laws are made? On this page you will find all information about Dutch politics.
Information
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.
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.
What are the elections in the Netherlands?
There are several political elections in the Netherlands. Not everyone is always allowed to vote. Below you can read which elections there are, when they are and who is allowed to vote.
How can you vote in the Netherlands?
In the Netherlands, you can vote if you have the right to vote. This means that you can participate in elections. For example, elections to the House of Representatives, the municipal council or the European Parliament. In this article you will read step by step how voting works.
What does the polling station do and who works there?
When you go to vote in the Netherlands, you do this at a polling station. There are polling stations in the Netherlands on election day. But what exactly happens there and who works there? You can read about it in this article.
Election day explained: from polls to exit polls and results
'Opinion polls' are conducted in the final weeks before the House of Representatives elections. Researchers and journalists start predicting what people will vote on election day. On election day people are also asked what they voted, the polls based on this are called the 'exit polls'. In this article you can read more about polls, exit polls and election night results.