Netherlands Opens Local Voting to Foreign Residents

Thousands of people who call the Netherlands home are about to get a powerful new voice in shaping their communities.

On March 18, the Netherlands will hold elections for 342 local councils across the country. Unlike national elections that restrict voting to Dutch citizens, these local races welcome EU nationals and any non-EU residents who have lived in the Netherlands for at least five years.

The shift represents a meaningful expansion of democratic participation. While these residents pay local taxes and send their kids to neighborhood schools, many have never been able to vote for the officials who make decisions about parks, housing, public services, and community development.

Local councils handle the issues closest to daily life. They decide everything from bike lane placement to library hours, from playground maintenance to small business permits.

For international residents who have built lives in Dutch cities and towns, March 18 marks their first chance to formally weigh in on these decisions. The elections will determine representation in communities ranging from major cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam to smaller towns throughout the country.

The Ripple Effect

Opening local voting to long-term residents strengthens the entire democratic process. When more voices participate in civic decisions, elected officials get a fuller picture of community needs and priorities.

The policy also recognizes a simple truth: the people most affected by local decisions should help make them. Someone who has lived in a Dutch neighborhood for five years, paid taxes, and contributed to the community has real stakes in how that community is governed.

Other communities watching this election may find inspiration in the Netherlands' inclusive approach. As populations become more mobile globally, giving long-term residents a say in local governance creates more responsive and representative democracy.

The March elections offer a reminder that citizenship and community membership can take different forms, and that democracy grows stronger when it includes the people who actually live in and care about a place.