Earlier than expected, the Netherlands has 18 million inhabitants. Where should all those new households live, work and recreate? How many newcomers can the Netherlands actually handle? Politicians should not close their eyes to this discussion.
The Netherlands is becoming increasingly crowded. In the first nine months of this year, the population of our country of only 41,543 square kilometers grew by 190,000 people. That is more than twice as many as in the same period last year, demographers say. If growth continues like this, our country will probably have 18 million inhabitants by the end of next year, much earlier than expected. The expanding population is mainly the result of immigration. And that in turn is a reaction to war, poverty and lack of perspective in other parts of the world.
This turbulent growth is leading to more pressure on facilities and available space. The Netherlands is already struggling with a significant housing shortage. New construction is stagnating due to nitrogen problems, lack of materials and construction workers. New infrastructure such as the electricity and water supply network is reaching its limits. Moreover, many newcomers need care, while this sector has been plagued for years by a lack of personnel.
The Hague can do little to slow down the flow of asylum seekers and immigrants. The rules for the admission of newcomers are established at European level. At the most, the government can try to manage the arrival of newcomers in the right direction, so that they integrate smoothly and find their own way. Unfortunately, this turns out to be difficult in practice, rules and regulations often cause problems here too. But the cabinet can do more to control the arrival of labor migrants, for example by raising the minimum wage. The Netherlands now has 850,000. The benefits of their labor are for companies, while the burdens are passed on to society.
Remarkably enough, politicians and administrators hardly speak about the rapid population growth and the consequences that this has. The subject seems taboo. Perhaps this is due to the fact that some parties on the right-hand side of the political spectrum have actually focused on restricting immigration and are profiling themselves with it. As a result, most other political groups distance themselves even more.
That’s too bad. Even the government sees that. Last summer, the State Commission for Demographic Developments 2050 was established. Unfortunately, a report is not expected until the end of next year. This wastes precious time.