Groningen votes! Election debate for internationals

In municipal elections (Gemeenteraad), expats have the right* to participate as long as they are registered with their municipality. According to the results of a survey on the city council elections, residents of Groningen called ‘students’ one of the most important themes for the next council elections which will be held on 16 March 2022. Undeniably, Groningen doesn’t exist without students and it is famous for its international character. However, there are numerous issues that the next city council will face. How to approach the housing crisis which has been escalating especially over the last half-year? Is Groningen still city-friendly for internationals?

After a short introduction to municipal elections, party candidates will deliver pitches about their propositions on how to make Groningen a better place to live. The candidates will then take part in the town hall round, where they will answer questions from the participants about different topics. In the last round, politicians will have 1 minute each to convince the audience to vote for them. 

This election debate is a collaboration between SIB Groningen and Forum Groningen. You can sign up for free for the debate here.

*Who can vote in municipal elections:

• EU citizens of at least 18 years of age who are registered with their muni­cipality on January 31st 2022.
• Non-EU-citizens of at least 18 years of age, living in the Netherlands legally and uninterruptedly for at least 5 years and in possession of a valid residence permit.