Dutch election debates question municipal international cooperation

On Wednesday March 3, permanent residents of the Netherlands will vote in local elections for new city councils. Elections are simultaneously held in about 400 municipalities. So far, the campaign has been dominated by discussions about upcoming budget cuts to offset decreasing revenues from local taxes and reduced contributions from the central government. In response to this challenge, politicians have come to question the use and effectiveness of local development cooperation initiatives.

In The Netherlands, people have become increasingly critical of the Dutch tradition of internationalism and multiculturalism. As a consequence, several local political parties now vie for popular support by promising a drastic overhaul of subsidies for culture, municipal international cooperation and multiculturalism. Mark Rutte, leader of the liberal party VVD, said in a televised debate that he considers local development cooperation a complete waste of money, referring to the fact that even small municipalities spend over € 30.000 annually on international cooperation.  

Over the past years, progressive and conservative political groups in The Netherlands have become entangled in an increasingly polarized debate about the core values and interests that the Dutch government should promote. This polarization is now reflected at the municipal level. Thereby, the elections have the potential to mark a turning point in municipal international cooperation in The Netherlands.

In any case, The Hague Academy for Local Governance remains strongly committed to strengthening local governance worldwide by promoting international cooperation and the exchange of local governance expertise. The Hague Academy is supported in its continued commitment to practical local development cooperation by a recent report from the universities of Utrecht and Amsterdam. Leading researchers from these universities concluded that, in spite of popular criticism and cynicism, municipal international cooperation has proven to be both effective and sustainable.