PURMEREND - In Purmerend, the Stadspartij-Beemster Polder Partij came out on top in the municipal elections. The local merger party received the most votes, according to the preliminary results. The PvdA came in second, followed by the VVD. The elections were held because the municipality of Beemster is merging with Purmerend from 1 January 2022. The turnout was 32.4 percent.

Elections were also held in nine other municipalities on Wednesday due to re-division. Also in Noord-Holland, Heerhugowaard and Langedijk form the new municipality Dijk en Waard. There Dijk&Waardse Onafhankelijke Partij finished on top. Lokaal Dijk en Waard finished in second place and the VVD came in third. The turnout was 35.99 percent.

Two new municipalities are forming in Noord-Brabant. Boxmeer, Cuijk, Grave, Mill en Sint Hubert, and Sint Anthonis will become the municipality Land van Cijk. The CDA became the largest there, followed by Team Lokaal, and Liberaal LVC. The turnout was 49.51 percent.

Uden and Landerd will become the municipality of Maashorst. Jong Maashorst received the most votes there. The CDA finished in second place, followed by Voor de Dorpen. The turnout in Maashorst was 42.38 percent.

Forum voor Democratie participated as a newcomer in all these municipalities and, according to local media, seems to have secured a place in the city council everywhere. In both Land van Cuijk and Maashorst, it concerns one seat. FvD won three seats in Dijk and Waard and two seats in Purmerend.

Residents of the merged municipalities will not have to go to the polls again for the municipal elections in March next year. This also applies to those of the municipalities of Oisterwijk, Boxtel, Vught, and Eemsdelta, which were reclassified in 2020.