One explanation that Vollaard sees is that local parties often lack a strong ideology. “That is of course a kind of glue that binds a party. Within local parties, people agree on a number of points, but they are not on the same page everywhere. Then you have less reason to stay together.”
Whether these splits also disrupt a municipal council depends mainly on what role a party plays in the council. Splits from the PVV in Assen and FvD in Hoogeveen are not making any progress for the time being, because they are not part of the coalition. Vollaard: “That doesn’t really matter to the majority that makes the policy, because it continues to function.”
The cards have been shuffled slightly differently for Municipal Interests in Borger-Odoorn. “For them, a split could be a bigger problem,” Van der Kolk explains. “As the largest party, they are important for forming a majority.”
After Gemeentebelangen lost a seat, the party remained the largest, with five seats. Although the party still has a major say, the coalition has thinned out in terms of seats.
Another danger of a fragmented municipal council is a sticky policy. With many one-man factions, as a municipality you also need more parties to make decisions, while speed is required on topics such as youth care and nitrogen. “That is also quite worrying,” says Theisens. Because although parties may agree on the main points, they often have a different path in mind to achieve shared goals.
Once parties are allowed to outline their policies, these policies are likely to be questioned less critically. Because one-man factions often have less time to delve into difficult files, questions become more superficial. “If a college is confronted with many loners, it can more easily play people off against each other,” Van der Kolk fears.
Yet split parties and one-man factions do not necessarily have to be disastrous for Drenthe. “Whether this ultimately leads to more bickering in the municipal council depends very much on mutual relations,” says Vollaard. “If they have become sour, it can continue to fester, because you continue to encounter each other in the council.”
Those parties that can park their personal differences outside the municipal council usually get more done. Vollaard: “It requires some talk and consultation, but the parties in Assen, Borger-Odoorn and Hoogeveen can also work together to ensure that their municipality becomes a more pleasant place.”
