Asylum Debate Reaches Ballot Box in Twente Municipality
Residents of Haaksbergen are voting in both municipal elections and a separate referendum on asylum center conditions, marking a first for the town and drawing national attention.
The referendum concerns the development of an asylum seekers center (AZC) in the municipality of Twente. While residents cannot decide whether the AZC will be built, as national law requires Haaksbergen to host at least 129 asylum seekers under the Distribution Act, they can express opinions on how it should be organized. Key questions include whether the center should be one large facility or multiple smaller sites, and where it should be located.
According to the municipality, this is the first citizens’ referendum ever held in Haaksbergen. The initiative was launched by the Vereniging Belanghebbenden AZC Haaksbergen, which gathered enough signatures to bring the issue to a public vote. The municipal council had initially opposed the referendum, stating that such votes cannot override national law and are typically held only when a final decision is near.
The referendum was eventually approved after a proposal by ويسلي أولدريكس of Nieuw Haaksbergen, supported by CDA. An independent committee drafted four questions for the ballot, designed to gather public input without conflicting with legal requirements. Officials described the questions as the most appropriate way to involve residents while staying within the law.
The situation in Haaksbergen is being closely monitored by other municipalities, as debates over asylum centers have previously led to protests in places like Uden, Houten, and Uithoorn. Ongoing uncertainty about the Distribution Act, which the national cabinet had planned to repeal but has not, has increased public concern. Meanwhile, COA, the national asylum organization, has temporarily paused around 6,000 reception placements ahead of the elections.