Voter turnout higher among Dutch citizens with migration background

Voter turnout among Dutch citizens with a migration background was relatively higher in the latest parliamentary elections than among voters without a migration background.

That marks a change from earlier elections, when turnout was usually higher among voters without a migration background.

The findings come from the National Voter Study, which has tracked Dutch voting behaviour since 1971. More than 6,000 people took part in the latest edition.

Researchers say the strong focus on integration, migration and Islam during election campaigns may have mobilised voters with a migration background. When political debates directly touch identity, religion, belonging or migration policy, people who feel addressed by those debates may become more politically active.

More than 10 percent of eligible voters who voted in the 2025 parliamentary election were born outside the Netherlands.

The research also shows differences in party preference. Voters with a migration background were less likely on average to vote for the VVD, PVV and Christian parties. They were more likely to vote for GroenLinks PvdA, Denk and left leaning parties.

Denk has strong support among Dutch voters with Turkish and Moroccan backgrounds. GroenLinks PvdA scores relatively well among voters from Asian backgrounds. The CDA performs relatively well among voters from the Caribbean Netherlands.

The researchers did not find a clear difference for D66 and Volt compared with voters without a migration background.

The study also looked at how voters choose parties. Most people do not switch randomly across the political spectrum. They usually move within a political direction, such as centre left, centre right or radical right.

This means voters may change parties, but often stay within a broader political bloc. Many decisions are also made late in the campaign.

Issues such as housing and healthcare were important for many voters. But researchers found that voters often struggled to identify which party had the clearest or best plan on those topics.

The findings matter because they challenge a simple idea that people with a migration background are less politically engaged. In the latest election, the opposite was true.

The result also shows how campaign themes can shape participation. When migration, integration and Islam dominate political debate, the groups most affected by those subjects may become more motivated to vote.

The next question is whether this was a one time effect, or whether Dutch citizens with a migration background will remain more active in future elections.