Image: WOS

Time to win a battle in the fight for democratisation

As campaign signs colour the streets for the 18 March municipal elections, local democracy is under pressure. Not only because of aggression and intimidation, but also because of national politics throwing oil on the fire and abandoning administrators. The new government says it values democracy and the rule of law. That's fine: then add now the act.

For whom the NOS investigation not yet found convincing enough, in Buitenhof Mayor Hans van der Pas, of Maashorst, joined us to talk about the undermining of local government, which he himself has experienced first-hand. It is a frightening picture: councillors being threatened, mayors having to be secured, and local councillors resigning because they are no longer safe. Aggression and intimidation against councillors have more than doubled since the last municipal elections.

How do you explain that? Because opponents of democratic decisions who want to go that far see that it is successful, Van der Pas argues. “People think at some point: you have to be almost at those poles if you want to make something clear.” And not without consequences: in Venlo, the mayor had to be secured. In Terneuzen, the mayor stepped down because, according to him, councillors had voted under pressure against the arrival of an asylum seekers' centre.

But the threat does not only come from outside, however. National politics also adds to the pressure on local administrators. Van der Pas cites statements made by members of parliament on the spreading bill: “You don't have to implement that if you are just all against it, it just won't get there.” Research also shows that the tone at the top makes the social debate influenced and further polarised.

Thus, a major problem is emerging with this negative spiral: local democracy is being eroded, while The Hague looks on.

What to do?

Fortunately, there are many who are already trying to tackle this problem in practice. As a steering committee member of the Dutch Democracy Coalition, we have the Local Democracy Coalition getting to know. People who show how to well is doing local democracy. Citizens' councils, neighbourhood dialogues, budgeting in collaboration with residents, you name it. We need to show that it is not intimidation, but constructive involvement that pays off.

Politically, a lot is also possible: From FMS, we recently organised a political café in Nijmegen on the role of international affairs and politics in the municipal elections. The democratic rule of law was also discussed there. Because the right to demonstrate is under pressure and civil society is under verbal attack and largely financially drained. Speak out as a municipality and stand alongside citizens and NGOs.

On Sunday 22 February, we heard Amsterdam alderman Groot Wassink address the crowd at the demonstration to mark 4 years of full-scale war in Ukraine, with the example of the municipality of Amsterdam donating half a million euros to Kyiv, for energy supplies. Look at what you well can do and not just what the national government should do.

Van der Pas also cited higher-level examples in Buitenhof: Germany has a law tackling political stalking, and France has harsher penalties for threats. “There they tackle intimidation and threats much more firmly,” he said.”

No time to waste

Municipal elections are on 18 March. This is the time to put local democracy centre stage. The new government has promised to strengthen democracy and the rule of law. Nice. Then take the concrete measures: better protection for administrators, giving civil society and citizens space, enforcing clear rules and facilitating fast-track justice in case of intimidation, and a national policy that does not abandon municipalities, but rather supports them.

Foundation Max van der Stoel is a steering committee member of the Dutch Democracy Coalition. Read more about our plans to strengthen and renew democracy on our website: https://democratiecoalitie.nl/

Ahead of the municipal elections, we also wrote this article: https://foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl/waarom-nederlandse-gemeenten-zich-internationaal-opnieuw-moeten-uitvinden-in-gesprek-met-dion-van-den-berg-over-het-gemeentelijk-internationaal-beleid/; and organised this political café: https://foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl/terugblik-politiek-cafe-lokaal-gaat-internationaal/