Municipal Council Elections

Welcome to Groningen!

Did you know that if you are an international living in Groningen, you can vote for the municipality council elections on the 21st of November?

You either need to be an EU-citizen living in the municipality of Groningen, or a non-EU citizen who has been a legal resident of The Netherlands for at least 5 years.

Some people might think that local elections are not as important as the elections for the national parliament, but that could not be farther from the truth! Municipalities wield a substantial amount of power in The Netherlands. The municipality council of Groningen gets to decide what kind of city we all live in!

Do you want a city that is greener, more sustainable, more animal-friendly? A city that puts the needs of ALL its inhabitants, including wildlife, above corporate greed and ambitious building projects? A city that puts the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport above the needs of motorists?

Vote Partij voor de Dieren!

Our party is the first in the world that does not put the short-term interests of humankind in the pivotal position, but the wellbeing of the entire planet and all of her inhabitants instead. First elected into the national parliament in 2006, we now hold seats as well in the senate, provinces, municipality councils, water board and the EU-parliament. And we are growing more and more with every election!

Read more about our views on www.partyfortheanimals.nl, available in twelve languages!

What do we want to accomplish in Groningen?

• Save the trees! The felling of trees in the city must stop. During construction
  works, preservation of nature should be of the highest priority. All animals
  living at a particular site, such as bats, must be accounted for.

• The municipality of Groningen should be climate-neutral by 2030 at the
  latest.

• Groningen earthquake-free! The municipality should ensure that houses,
  buildings and infrastructure are earthquake-proof, and is committed to
  lobby nationally for an accelerated end to gas production in Groningen.
  Hunting animals on municipal lands should be outlawed.

• The nature between Haren and Groningen, called “the Green Lung”, will
  remain a green area. Our housing need will not be met by converting
  vacant buildings into residential dwellings.
• Important public spaces in neighbourhoods and village centres, such as
  sports facilities, will be preserved. Everybody should be able to live within
  cycling distance of a library.
• Groningen should be committed to sustainable, regional and plant-based
  food production, by stimulating organic food forests and urban agriculture.
• The municipality will sell its shares in Groningen Airport Eelde as quickly as
  possible, and is committed to reducing air traffic.

• The new Oosterhamriktrace route for car traffic will not be built: more
  asphalt for more cars is an antiquated approach and will not solve dilemmas
  of urban mobility.
• The municipality should not invest in biogas and biomass as “sustainable”
  options in the energy transition.
• Private use of fireworks will be prohibited. On New Year’s Eve, the municipality
  will organise a professional fireworks display at a central location,
  minimizing the effects on urban nature and wildlife.
• Groningen currently has the highest dog tax in The Netherlands. This dog
  tax should be abolished.
• The municipality will stimulate initiatives that serve to work towards creating
  a circular economy.
• Every student should be able to live in affordable and decent student
  housing.
• The budget for the arts, including our monuments, will be raised.
• The municipality protects the privacy of its citizens and handles personal
  data with great care.
• Groningen will carry out a comprehensive emancipation agenda for all
  minorities. There will be no room for discrimination, as all humans have
  equal rights.
• The municipality will increase the amount of urban nature and connect
  separate green areas, to give more room to wildlife.

Click here for more information