Turnout for next week’s Dutch local elections is expected to be low – with 50 percent of voters saying they’ll stay away. Politicians in Amsterdam took to the streets on Thursday to try and stir up some publicity, but is the current drama on the national stage overshadowing the efforts of local campaigners?

There aren’t many people willing to erect tents in the city centre at 7 o'clock on a rainy morning, but representatives from all the main Dutch political parties took part in a PR stunt to create a 15 minute mini-festival in Amsterdam’s Leidseplein. Armed with ‘two minute tents’ – which pretty much put themselves up – they set about showing undecided voters what their options are on 3 March.

Political flashmob
A recent poll showed voter apathy is running at an all-time high this year and many of those at the event agreed that last weekend’s fall of the cabinet has put people off engaging with politics. The Netherlands is currently without a functioning government and it’s not certain whether caretaker Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende will gain enough support to create a fifth cabinet.

Event organiser Marjolein Kampschreur says the row between the Labour Party and the Christian Democrats over pulling troops out of Afghanistan has given people the wrong impression of the local elections:

“I really think there’s a lot of people who just don’t care anymore, they only see fighting politicians on the news. But I do think it’s very important that people know what these elections are about – they’re not about fighting politicians, they’re about their own neighbourhoods and real issues that affect them.”

The hard sell
Both the Green Left party and Labour sent their Amsterdam representatives to the event to try and win over young voters with free cups of coffee. Green Left candidate Marieke van Doorninck says: “It’s very important for people to go and vote and have your voice heard, especially in these times of crisis, both economic and climate crisis, it’s very important that we find solutions that suit this world.”

Despite predictions that turnout will be low on 3 March, Van Doorninck believes her party will benefit from the current political instability:

“I think it’s more likely people will vote, because politics is very much in the news at this moment. I just hope the national politics don’t have too much influence because we have really important decisions to make here in Amsterdam to make the city greener and sustainable for the future.”

Voters 'undeterred'
Her Labour colleague Lodewijk Asscher lists homelessness, housing and education as three of the top issues in his party’s campaign. And he hopes the spat between Labour leader Wouter Bos and Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende won’t deter people from making their voice heard:

“I’m sure it’s going to affect us but we don’t know how yet. It’s a strange feeling that now national politics is the main theme, I hope of course it’s positive for the Labour party but it’s too soon to say. This is a very Labour-minded city and (people) have maybe been waiting for a signal that we still stand up for our principles, so hopefully it’s positive.”