Amsterdam: Who Represents the Jordaan?

Amsterdam votes with 45 seats at stake

In March 2022, Amsterdam held its Gemeenteraadsverkiezingen — municipal council elections. 586 polling stations across the city recorded votes for 25 parties. But who actually wins seats depends not just on votes, but on where those votes are cast and who lives in each neighborhood.

The Centre: wealthy, educated, Dutch-background

The canal ring and surroundings are among the wealthiest and most highly educated neighborhoods in the Netherlands. Over 80% of residents here have a Dutch or Western migration background, and more than 60% hold a university degree.

GroenLinks and D66dominate here — progressive parties that draw support from highly educated, native-Dutch voters.

Nieuw-West: Amsterdam's most diverse neighborhoods

Cross the A10 ring road westward and the demographics shift dramatically. In Slotervaart and Osdorp, over 60% of residents have a non-Western migration background — predominantly Moroccan, Turkish, and Surinamese origins.

This is where DENK, a party founded by and for voters with migration backgrounds, wins its strongest support. The nearest mosque is often under 500 meters away.

Zuidoost: the Bijlmer and Surinamese Amsterdam

Amsterdam Zuidoost — the Bijlmer — has the highest concentration of residents with Surinamese and Antillean backgrounds in the Netherlands. This is the closest analogue to a “majority-minority” district in Dutch politics.

Bij1, a radical-left party led by Sylvana Simons (of Surinamese descent), draws some of its strongest support from these precincts.

One city, many democracies

Amsterdam uses a single city-wide proportional representation system — every vote counts equally toward the 45 council seats. There are no districts. In theory, geography shouldn't matter.

The “recipe” for representation has geographic ingredients even when the electoral system doesn't.

Where you live shapes which parties are visible, which candidates knock on your door, and which issues dominate local debate. The map tells a story the ballot doesn't.