The experiment to sell legally produced cannabis in coffeeshops in ten municipalities is meeting with a lot of resistance in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament. The experiment started at the end of last year, after it had been postponed several times and had been discussed in The Hague for over ten years. There is little enthusiasm for the trial in the new Kamer. The largest party, PVV, even wants to pause it until a coalition agreement is reached.
The police and Public Prosecution Service will react quicker and more directly against protestors who break the law. That could mean issuing immediate fines. If they cannot act directly, they will be fined and prosecuted afterward.
The PVV, NSC, BBB, and VVD are not enthusiastic about the plea from over 30 municipalities for a national fireworks ban. These four parties are currently in preliminary discussions with the aim of possibly forming a coalition, although the VVD insists that it only wants to be a tolerating partner. The VVD believes that the fireworks rules have already been tightened sufficiently when firecrackers and fireworks rockets were banned in 2020. NSC and BBB believe a total ban is impossible to enforce.
Most parties high in the polls for the November 22 elections oppose a total ban on fireworks. GroenLinks-PvdA is the only party in the top five of the Peilingwijzer that supports replacing consumer fireworks with, for example, professional fireworks shows. The popular newcomer party NSC from Pieter Omtzigt opposes a ban, favoring better enforcement of current rules, a spokesperson said. VVD, PVV, and BBB have long been outspoken opponents.