The Dutch local elections 2006
What’s happening?
The Netherlands goes to the polls on 7 March to elect members to city, district and town councils across the Netherlands for a four-year term.
Big cities have a central council and smaller district councils. Amsterdam, for instance, has a 45-member city council and several district councils varying in size according to the number of residents in the area.
It will be up to the largest party or parties after the elections to form a coalition to run the council, which is chaired by an unelected mayor. Moves are afoot to introduce direct elections for mayors to replace the current system of appointment by the Queen.
The coalition appoints aldermen (men or women) to the executive council (College van Burgemeester & Wethouders), that runs the city or district with the mayor. Rather like government ministers, aldermen are assigned to one or more portfolio - such as education, public safety or culture.
Read full article: Expatica Netherlands
