A number of parties are beginning their campaigns today for municipal elections due to be held on 3 March.

Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende is launching the campaign for the Christian Democrats in the southern town of Breda. Labour leader Wouter Bos will hit the campaign trail in an eastern suburb of Amsterdam. Green Left will hold a meeting in Utrecht and the democrat party D66 will kick off their campaign in parliament in The Hague. Other parties, including the Christian Union, launched their campaign earlier. The conservative VVD will begin its campaign in a month's time.

(Photo: Flickr/martijn)