Politics

In Veldhoven, 8,688 eligible voters used the StemWijzer tool to help them navigate party platforms. This accounts for approximately 23.5 per cent of the municipality's 36,900 eligible voters.

Newly released data reveals that thousands of voters across the Brainport region turned to digital guides to prepare for today's local elections.

With municipal elections taking place across the Netherlands, researchers and regulators are raising fresh concerns about AI-generated disinformation, biased voting chatbots, and foreign interference targeting local politics for the first time. The tactics are new, but the goal is familiar: to shape what voters see, feel, and ultimately decide. Whether this digital pressure changes the result remains to be seen, but the infrastructure behind it is already in place.

Eindhoven residents should prepare their voting passes and ID documents for tomorrow’s municipal elections. Polling stations across the city will remain open until 9:00 pm, allowing all eligible residents to have their say in the local government.

Research by the Open State Foundation shows that many municipal election manifestos contain text copied directly from lobbyists. In dozens of cases, these texts were used without attribution. The organisation is now calling for greater transparency and local lobby registers.

Dutch Interior Minister Pieter Heerma says he personally contacts local politicians who face threats, calling for stronger support for councillors dealing with intimidation. Reports show aggression against municipal councillors has doubled in recent years, highlighting growing pressure on local representatives.

The Dutch government is fast-tracking a bill for mandatory disability insurance for the self-employed, despite heavy criticism from the Council of State and the CPB. Under the new proposal, self-employed workers without private cover will pay a monthly premium of up to €171, but will only receive payouts after a two-year waiting period. While experts warn that this long gap leaves many workers vulnerable, Minister Thierry Aartsen defended the plan as a necessary "basic social safety net" that balances poverty prevention with affordable costs. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, even as concerns remain over whether tax and insurance agencies can handle the massive administrative burden.

Eindhoven is changing at high speed. It has transformed into the engine of the Brainport region, one of Europe’s most innovative tech hubs. The...