Anti-Refugee Sentiment Drives Election Gains Across Key Dutch Regions
Far-right and anti-refugee parties have made significant gains in Dutch local elections, particularly in areas where refugee centres remain a contentious issue, despite the government maintaining its commitment to refugee distribution laws.
The three coalition parties confirmed they will not withdraw legislation requiring all municipalities to share responsibility for housing refugees. D66 leader Jan Paternotte (يان باترنوتّه) acknowledged public frustration, stating that previous national policies had mishandled the refugee system, but emphasized that the law must still be enforced.
The far-right Forum voor Democratie (Forum for Democracy) saw major success, expanding from 55 seats in 2022 to 299 seats across 104 municipalities. The party became the largest in Velsen and Epe, while significantly increasing support in cities such as Purmerend, Doetinchem, Eindhoven, Haarlem, and Alphen aan den Rijn, strengthening its influence in local governance.
Geert Wilders (خيرت فيلدرز) and his PVV (Partij voor de Vrijheid – Party for Freedom) also nearly doubled their representation, rising from 56 to 98 councillors. In Terneuzen, the party became the largest following tensions over refugee centres, though support declined in Wilders’ hometown of Venlo, where a local anti-refugee group gained prominence.
In The Hague, Hart voor Den Haag increased its presence, with leader Richard de Mos (ريتشارد دي موس) pledging strong resistance to the refugee distribution law. Similar gains for far-right and anti-refugee parties were seen in multiple municipalities, including Hoorn, Zwijndrecht, Maassluis, Oldebroek, Rhenen, and Hardenberg, where opposition to refugee centres drove electoral success.
Despite political pressure, the government intends to proceed with the law requiring a fair distribution of refugees. The refugee agency COA estimates that 38,000 accommodation places will be needed over the next 18 months. Asylum minister Bart van den Brink (بارت فان دن برينك) said he plans to work closely with local councils to implement the policy, stressing cooperation despite growing resistance.
Recent data also shows a shift in asylum trends. The Dutch immigration service IND reported a sharp increase in rejected asylum applications in 2025, while the total number of new applications dropped by 8,000 compared to the previous year, indicating both stricter decisions and declining arrivals.