Municipal elections 2026

Source: https://www.uva.nl/en/news-events/press-office/uva-experts/municipal-elections-2026/municipal-elections-2026.html Parent: https://www.uva.nl/en/news-events/press-office/uva-experts/uva-experts.html

The municipal elections on 18 March will focus on local issues such as housing, mobility, healthcare, safety and security. At the same time, the state of local democracy is at stake: who feels represented, what roles will polarisation and disinformation play, and what will influence voting behaviour? UvA experts can address these questions from various disciplines and perspectives.

Are you a journalist with a specific question, or would you like to contact a researcher not listed on this page? Please contact the Press Office at +31 (0)20 525 2695 or persvoorlichting@uva.nl.

Political processes

[Electoral politics, the Dutch electoral system and local elections, aldermen, coalition formation, local political parties, dynamics between national and local politics | h.vanderkolk@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/k/o/h.van-der-kolk/h.van-der-kolk.html) - [Changing voting behaviour, political trust, political participation, political preferences, opinion polls, party systems | t.w.g.vandermeer@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/m/e/t.w.g.vandermeer/t.w.g.vandermeer.html) - [Political trust, political participation, voting behaviour, democratic citizenship | c.r.a.vanalebeek@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/a/l/c.r.a.vanalebeek/c.r.a.van-alebeek.html)

Political representation

[Diversity in politics, political equality, women, citizens with a migration background, violence and hatred, gender, feminism, masculinity | l.m.mugge@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/m/u/l.m.mugge/l.m.mugge.html) - [Political participation, Dutch people with a migration background, exclusion in politics | f.f.vermeulen@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/v/e/f.f.vermeulen/f.f.vermeulen.html) - [Diversity in local politics, political representation of women and citizens with a migration background, female political leadership| z.a.runderkamp@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/r/u/z.a.runderkamp/z.a.runderkamp.html) - [Media and politics, political underrepresentation, political leadership, gender in politics | d.j.vanderpas@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/p/a/d.j.vanderpas/d.j.vanderpas.html) - [Urban–rural, political representation, political attitudes, political trust, regional discontent | t.m.huijsmans@uva.nl

Profielpagina](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/h/u/t.m.huijsmans/t.m.huijsmans.html)

Polarisation & populism

[Polarisation, social cohesion, the changing welfare state, social policy, citizenship, diversity| w.g.j.duyvendak@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/d/u/w.g.j.duyvendak/w.g.j.duyvendak.html) - [Parties, voters, voting behaviour, public opinion, populism, democracy, the radical right| m.rooduijn@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/r/o/m.rooduijn/m.rooduijn.html) - [Emotions in politics, polarisation, populism | g.schumacher@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/s/c/g.schumacher/g.schumacher.html) - [Polarisation, voting behaviour, elections | e.harteveld@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/h/a/e.harteveld/e.harteveld.html)

Political communication

[Political conflict, coarsening of political debate, online hate, misinformation, relationship between politics and media| e.s.vandergoot@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/g/o/e.s.vandergoot/e.s.van-der-goot.html) - [Polarisation, voting behaviour, new political parties, attitudes towards immigrants, public opinion, media effects | r.azrout@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/a/z/r.azrout/r.azrout.html) - [Framing of political issues, the media and populism, populist rhetoric, disinformation | m.hameleers@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/h/a/m.hameleers/m.hameleers.html) - [Framing election results , media & politics , accountability of politics | k.gattermann@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/g/a/k.gattermann/k.gattermann.html) - [Political psychology, emotions, personality, polarisation| b.n.bakker@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/b/a/b.n.bakker/b.n.bakker.html)

Campaigns

[Disinformation, influencers, use of technology in political campaigns (microtargeting, deepfakes and generative AI)| t.dobber@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/d/o/t.dobber/t.dobber.html) - [Election campaigns, social media campaigns, use of AI in campaigns, targeting methods, campaign spending| f.a.votta@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/v/o/f.a.votta/f.a.votta.html) - [Campaigns, political advertising, influence of opinion polls and election debates, role of (social) media, use of AI in politics | c.h.devreese@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/v/r/c.h.devreese/c.h.devreese.html) - [Effects of journalism and entertainment on public opinion, role of the media in public debate, campaigns, media effects | m.boukes@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/b/o/m.boukes/m.boukes.html)

Citizenship, participation & inequality

[Citizen-government conflict, urban issues, citizen participation, protest, citizenship, democratic renewal, local government, neighbourhood approach | n.verloo@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/v/e/n.verloo/n.verloo.html) - [Urban planning, public administration, citizen-government relations, urban development, administrative functioning, democratic decision-making | m.c.smit@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/s/m/m.c.smit/m.c.smit.html) - [Livelihood security, social security and inequality, the role of municipalities in work and participation | m.kremer@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/k/r/m.kremer/m.kremer.html) - [Urban inequality, poverty, Amsterdam, local political participation | l.b.michon@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/m/i/l.b.michon/l.b.michon.html)

Urban life: Well-being and public safety

[Urban geography of crime and safety, crime and nuisance, insecurity of streets and neighbourhoods | w.bernasco@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/b/e/w.bernasco/w.bernasco.html) - [Poverty, crime, urban problems, urban inequality | r.k.jaffe@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/j/a/r.k.jaffe/r.k.jaffe.html) - [Health law, effect of law and policy on health, (un)healthy food supply, right to health | a.deruijter@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/r/u/a.deruijter/a.de-ruijter.html)

Housing, urban development & mobility

[Mobility, mobility transition, bicycle policy, parking policy, accessibility, public space design, public resistance | m.c.g.tebrommelstroet@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/b/r/m.c.g.tebrommelstroet/m.c.g.te-brommelstroet.html) - [Housing market, housing rights, gentrification, social and spatial inequality | c.hochstenbach@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/h/o/c.hochstenbach/c.hochstenbach.html) - [Sustainable urban development, green spaces in cities, climate-resilient cities, transport infrastructure, political planning, circularity, energy transition | m.giezen@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/g/i/m.giezen/m.giezen.html) - [Urban geography, neighborhood change, housing, spatial inequality, urban life, feelings of belonging, residents' perspectives | f.m.pinkster@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/p/i/f.m.pinkster/f.m.pinkster.html) - [Housing market, house prices, wind turbines, energy transition, urban economy | m.i.droes@uva.nl

Profile page](https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/d/r/m.i.droes/m.i.droes.html)