Mayors and local councillors in the Netherlands are facing rising levels of violence. According to a new report, 61% of Dutch mayors have been the victims of violence or aggression. More than half of the Netherlands’ local councillors have had similar experiences.

The threats, intimidation and violence perpetrated by disgruntled citizens and criminals are designed to influence local politicians’ decisions. Over a fifth of local politicians say they find it hard to make a decision if they’ve been threatened. A senior Dutch official has said that if the rates of violence continue to rise, “democracy in the Netherlands could be under threat”.

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RNW