2026 The Hague municipal election

2026 The Hague municipal election
18 March 2026
All 45 seats to The Hague municipal council
23 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
HvDH Richard de Mos 31.1 16 +7
D66 Yousef Assad 15.6 8 0
GL/PvdA Mariëlle Vavier 15.5 7 −1
VVD Lotte van Basten Batenburg 7.4 3 −4
Denk Nur Icar 6.4 3 +1
PvdD Robert Barker 4.8 2 −1
CDA Kavish Partiman 4.3 2 −1
SP Tijmen van Wijngaarden 2.2 1 0
FvD Robbert van der Meijden 2.1 1 0
Volt Mylène Tabernal 2.0 1 +1
CU–SGP Judith Klokkenburg 2.0 1 0
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Executive before
D66–GL–PvdD–PvdA–CDA–Denk

An election for the municipal council of The Hague in the Netherlands was held on 18 March 2026, as part of the 2026 Dutch municipal elections. 45 municipal councillors were elected for a four-year term using party-list proportional representation. The local populist party Heart for The Hague, led by former alderman Richard de Mos, expanded its plurality in the municipal council. The party won sixteen seats, an increase of seven compared to the previous election.

Background

In the 2022 municipal election, the local populist party Heart for The Hague (HvDH) led by Richard de Mos became the largest party. Because of an ongoing investigation into De Mos and fellow HvDH politician Rachid Guernaoui, other parties were unwilling to cooperate with HvDH, and a broad five-party municipal executive was formed comprising the Democrats 66 (D66), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), GroenLinks, the Labour Party (PvdA) and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA).

In April 2023, De Mos and Guernaoui were acquitted, and sought to return to the municipal executive, of which they had previously been a part between 2018 and 2019. While D66, VVD and CDA were open to start talks with De Mos, GroenLinks and PvdA were not, stating that they would not provide support to a right-wing coalition. This prompted the VVD to leave the executive on 29 June, which then lost its majority and fell.[1] Nevertheless, no majority could be found for a coalition with HvDH, and the four remaining parties established a new executive along with the Party for the Animals (PvdD) and Denk. After two councillors left the PvdA and CDA groups to join HvDH in November 2024, the coalition lost its majority again, but remained in office as a minority executive.[2]

Two members of the executive left office in 2025: Martijn Balster (PvdA) resigned in March after losing the confidence of caravan residents in his handling of the municipality's caravan policy,[3] while Robert van Asten (D66) resigned in November after being elected to the House of Representatives in the 2025 general election. Important political issues in that year included the extension of the city's zero-emission zone, which was agreed upon in February despite the CDA's scepticism,[4] and the municipality's policy on hotels, which D66 sought to extend, but which was met with criticism from other coalition parties.[5][6]

Electoral system

The 45 members of the municipal council are elected through semi-open lists under proportional representation in a single constituency. The number of seats per list is determined using the D'Hondt method.[7] The seats won by a list are first allocated to the candidates who, in preferential votes, have received at least 25% of the Hare quota, regardless of their placement on the electoral list. If multiple candidates from a list pass this threshold, their ordering is determined based on the number of votes received. Any remaining seats are allocated to candidates according to their position on the electoral list.[8]

Contesting parties

On 6 February 2026, the central polling station announced that twenty candidate lists would be on the ballot.[9] The table below shows parties that won seats in the previous municipal election.

Name Ideology Lead candidate 2022 result Outgoing
seats
Votes (%) Seats
Heart for The Hague HvDH Right-wing populism Richard de Mos 17.0%
GroenLinks–PvdA GL–PvdA Social democracy, green politics Mariëlle Vavier 16.4%
Democrats 66 D66 Social liberalism Yousef Assad 15.3%
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy VVD Conservative liberalism Lotte van Basten Batenburg 13.3%
Party for the Animals PvdD Animal rights Robert Barker[10] 6.8%
Christian Democratic Appeal CDA Christian democracy Kavish Partiman[11] 6.3%
Denk Denk Minority rights Nur Icar[12] 5.6%
The Hague City Party HSP Progressivism Fatima Faïd 3.5%
Socialist Party SP Democratic socialism Tijmen van Wijngaarden[13] 2.9%
Party for Freedom PVV Right-wing populism Chris Faddegon[14] 2.9%
Christian Union–SGP CU–SGP Judith Klokkenburg[15] 2.7%
Forum for Democracy FvD Right-wing populism Robbert van der Meijden 2.7%

Other parties contesting the election include Volt Netherlands, New Social Contract and 50PLUS.[9]

Campaign

Richard de Mos led Heart for The Hague into the election. Rita Verdonk, who was placed second on the candidate list in the 2022 election, will not seek re-election. Football player Tom Beugelsdijk was placed 15th on the candidate list.[16] In its election platform, the party advocated giving current residents priority for allocating housing, doubling the number of enforcement officers, and scrapping all asylum accommodation except for Ukrainian women and children.[17] De Mos stated he is open to cooperating with any other party after the election.[18]

GroenLinks and the Labour Party (PvdA) contested the election with a joint GroenLinks–PvdA list for the first time, mirroring the national parties' merger process. Alderwoman Mariëlle Vavier served as their lead candidate, while alderman Arjen Kapteijns was not on the candidate list for the municipal council, but is open to another term as alderman.[19]

The Democrats 66 contested the election with a list led by Yousef Assad. The party's election platform emphasised public housing, calling the topic its "absolute top priority". The party also called for the extension of the city's tram tunnel, and placed less emphasis on reducing car traffic than it did in the 2022 election.[20] The party hoped to repeat its national success in the 2025 general election and become the city's largest party.[21] On 24 January 2026, Assad ruled out cooperating with Heart for The Hague after election.[22]

The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy was led by Lotte van Basten Batenburg.[23] Its election platform called for the lowering of municipal taxes, increasing the number of enforcement officers, and boosting housing construction. The party wanted to pay for these investments by cutting 5% of the municipal civil service, which it said would save 50 million euros.[24] Although the party left the municipal executive in 2023 in order to reopen talks with Heart for The Hague, Van Basten Batenburg criticised De Mos' political style in December 2025, and expressed scepticism about the prospect of cooperating after the election.[25]

The Hague City Party suffered a leadership crisis in January 2026, when two party representatives openly criticised Fatima Faïd's leadership of the party. A majority of the party's membership voted to retain Faïd as lead candidate, but several other candidates subsequently withdrew their candidacy.[26]

The Forum for Democracy candidate list was led by 25-year-old student Robbert van der Meijden. The party's third-placed candidate, Timon Busscher, had previously praised Anders Breivik and Brenton Tarrant, made antisemitic remarks, and was recorded singing the Horst-Wessel-Lied.[27] On 5 February 2026, nine parties in the municipal council released a joint statement denouncing Busscher, and ruling out cooperation with Forum for Democracy as long as the party does not distance itself from his remarks.[28]

Opinion polling

Polling firm/Commissioner Fieldwork date Sample size HvDH GL–PvdA D66 VVD PvdD CDA Denk HSP SP PVV CU–SGP FvD Volt
Ipsos I&O/NOS[29] 18 Mar 2026 17 8 8 3 2 2 2 0 1 0 0 1 1
Ipsos I&O/Municipality of The Hague[30] 9–22 Feb 2026 1,270 14 9 8 4 3 1 2 0 0 2 1 1 0
Ipsos I&O/Municipality of The Hague[31] 12–25 Jan 2026 1,462 12 8 8 3 2 2 4 0 0 3 1 1 1
No Ties/Omroep West[32] 15–29 Dec 2025 1,011 12 7 8 6 2 2 3 0 1 3 0 1 —
No Ties/Omroep West[33] 14 Feb–4 Mar 2025 1,064 11 9 5 5 3 3 2 1 1 4 0 1 —
2022 election 16 Mar 2022 — 9 8[N 1] 8 7 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 —
  1. ^ As GroenLinks (5 seats) and PvdA (3 seats).

Preliminary results

According to preliminary results, Heart for The Hague became the largest party, winning sixteen seats, seven more than the previous election. The Democrats 66 retained its eight seats, while GroenLinks–PvdA won seven, losing one seat compared to the two parties' previous results. The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy lost four seats, retaining just three. Volt Netherlands won its first seat in the municipal council, while The Hague City Party and the Party for Freedom both failed to get reelected.

A number of candidates, all of whom are women, were elected as a result of preference votes. This includes two candidates from the GroenLinks–PvdA list, one from the Party for the Animals list and one from the Denk list. The second-placed candidate of the Democrats, Marije Mostert, received more preference votes than the party's lead candidate Yousef Assad.[34]

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Heart for The Hague62,87831.1016+7
Democrats 6631,64615.6580
GroenLinks–PvdA31,31115.487–1
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy14,9757.413–4
Denk12,9886.423+1
Party for the Animals9,8054.852–1
Christian Democratic Appeal8,7714.342–1
Socialist Party4,3972.1710
Forum for Democracy4,1642.0610
Volt Netherlands4,0151.991New
Christian Union – Reformed Political Party3,9841.9710
Drerrie voor Den Haag2,9071.440New
Party for Freedom2,7121.340–1
50Plus2,2781.1300
Blank list (Çetinkaya)1,9540.970New
The Hague City Party1,7580.870–1
INL Den Haag6690.3300
New Social Contract6460.320New
Partij voor de Rechtsstaat2370.120New
Blank list (Ramdhani)1080.050New
Total202,203100.0045–
Valid votes202,20399.35
Invalid votes9690.48
Blank votes3610.18
Total votes203,533100.00
Registered voters/turnout438,89546.37
Source: [35]

References

  1. ^ "Coalitie Den Haag gevallen over positie De Mos, VVD uit college". NOS (in Dutch). 29 June 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  2. ^ "Mairan Sewtahal (PvdA) en Ismet Bingöl (CDA) stappen over naar Hart voor Den Haag". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 27 November 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  3. ^ "Wethouder Martijn Balster (PvdA) stapt op: 'Aantijgingen hebben mij gekwetst'". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 27 March 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  4. ^ "Witte rook stijgt op uit stadhuis: coalitie op een lijn over uitbreiding zero-emissiezone". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 13 February 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Ruzie in coalitie over hotelbeleid: 'Dit zal mijn partij niet vergeten'". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 9 July 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  6. ^ "Terugblik 2025 - Na onstuimig jaar bereidt de politiek zich voor op gemeenteraadsverkiezingen". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 5 January 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  7. ^ "Zetelverdeling over partijen". Kiesraad (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Zetelverdeling over kandidaten". Kiesraad (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  9. ^ a b "20 partijen op stembiljet in Den Haag". Den Haag (in Dutch). 6 February 2026. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  10. ^ "Verkiezingsprogramma Partij voor de Dieren: samenleven met dieren, Scheveningen op de schop". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 28 January 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  11. ^ "CDA Den Haag komt met kandidatenlijst: 'De ambitie is vijf zetels'". Omroep West (in Dutch). 10 November 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  12. ^ Verkiezingsprogramma DENK: verhuisbonus, Haags Prijzenpact en afschaffen pollergebied
  13. ^ "SP Den Haag maakt haar kandidatenlijst bekend". Socialistische Partij (in Dutch). 21 November 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  14. ^ "Haagse PVV gaat met maar drie kandidaten de gemeenteraadsverkiezingen in: 'Precies genoeg'". Omroep West (in Dutch). 24 January 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  15. ^ "ChristenUnie-SGP trapt campagne af: 'Geloven in de kracht van de samenleving'". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 11 January 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  16. ^ "Richard de Mos gaat verkiezingsstrijd in met ervaren raadsleden en vertrouwde namen". Omroep West (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  17. ^ "Verkiezingsprogramma Hart voor Den Haag: Bouwen voor Hagenaren, meer handhavers en asielstop". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 16 January 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  18. ^ "Richard de Mos zoekt verbinding op in aanloop naar gemeenteraadsverkiezingen: 'Samen front vormen'". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 10 January 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  19. ^ Ook in Haagse politiek komen GroenLinks en PvdA met gezamenlijke lijst, wethouder niet verkiesbaar
  20. ^ Wonen 'absolute topprioriteit' voor D66: 'Mooi uitzicht minder belangrijk dan recht op wonen'
  21. ^ "'Het is een grote verantwoordelijkheid', Yousef Assad (30) leidt D66 in hectisch Den Haag". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 3 January 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  22. ^ "D66 gooit de deur dicht voor Hart voor Den Haag: 'Met deze plannen stap ik niet in een coalitie'". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 24 January 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  23. ^ Ervaring voert boventoon bij voorlopige kandidatenlijst VVD Den Haag
  24. ^ "Haagse VVD wil fors bezuinigen op gemeentelijke organisatie: 'Doen wat werkt voor de Hagenaar'". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 13 January 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  25. ^ "VVD heeft buik vol van 'circus-Richard de Mos', samenwerking in coalitie twijfelachtig" (in Dutch). 22 December 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  26. ^ "Chaos bij Haagse Stadspartij: na leiderschapsstrijd rond Faïd haken kandidaten af". Omroep West (in Dutch). 1 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  27. ^ "Kandidaat-raadslid Forum voor Democratie roemde rechts-extremistische terroristen". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  28. ^ "Haagse partijen keren zich tegen FVD-kandidaat na omstreden uitlatingen: 'Grens bereikt'". Den Haag FM (in Dutch). 5 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  29. ^ Exitpoll: partij Richard de Mos grote winnaar in Den Haag (in Dutch)
  30. ^ Wat stemt Den Haag in maart 2026? Tweede verkiezingspeiling in opdracht van gemeenteraad Den Haag (in Dutch)
  31. ^ Den Haag richting de gemeenteraadsverkiezingen van 2026 (in Dutch)
  32. ^ Onderzoek gemeenteraadsverkiezingen: Najaar 2025 (in Dutch)
  33. ^ Onderzoek gemeenteraadsverkiezingen (in Dutch)
  34. ^ "Bijna 2000 stemmen meer voor vrouwelijke nummer twee bij gemeenteraadsverkiezingen dan lijsttrekker". Omroep West (in Dutch). 20 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  35. ^ 0518 's-Gravenhage Gemeentelijk stembureau - De verkiezing van de leden van de gemeenteraad 18 maart 2026 - Verslag en telresultaten per lijst en kandidaat - Model Na 31-2 (in Dutch)
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