Rotterdam’s municipal elections concluded Thursday with a remarkably tight race between Leefbaar Rotterdam and GroenLinks-PvdA, each securing 11 seats on the city council, according to preliminary results.
The outcome marks a significant shift in the city’s political landscape, with left-leaning GroenLinks-PvdA gaining ground against the traditionally dominant Leefbaar Rotterdam. Initial reports indicate GroenLinks-PvdA edged out Leefbaar Rotterdam by a narrow margin, receiving 22 percent of the vote.
Burgemeester Carola Schouten cautioned that the results remain preliminary, noting that approximately 30% of the votes were still being tallied as of Thursday evening. “I want to emphasize that this is a really provisional result. 70.8% of the votes have been counted, but there are still 67 polling stations counting,” Schouten stated.
Other parties securing representation on the council include D66 with 5 seats, DENK and Volt each with 5 and 1 seat respectively, the VVD with 4, and Forum for Democratie with 2. The Partij voor de Dieren, BIJ1, 50Plus, ChristenUnie, and CDA each gained 1 seat.
Voter turnout in Rotterdam increased compared to the 2022 municipal elections, rising from 38.9% to 40.7%. Turnout for the district councils also saw an increase, moving from 35.3% to 37%.
GroenLinks-PvdA Rotterdam has outlined its priorities as a “green, social and liveable municipality” where “everyone counts,” according to their platform. Recent initiatives highlighted by the party include a housing manifesto focused on affordability and a plan to secure 1 billion euros for the port, known as Project Wilzen. They have also advocated for the development of a green urban district along the Maas river and measures to address homelessness and drug-related issues.
The close election results suggest a potentially complex coalition-building process ahead for Rotterdam’s next city government. The outcome underscores a growing demand for progressive policies within the city.
