Information for political parties – municipal council elections 2026

The next municipal council elections will take place on 18 March 2026.

Political parties

To take part in the municipal council elections, your political party must register its party name. Registration takes place with the Central Electoral Committee (Centraal Stembureau) in Maastricht. Below you can read how this process works. If you wish to take part in the municipal council elections on 18 March 2026, your party name must be registered no later than 22 December 2025.

Registration is not required if your party name is already registered with:

  • the Electoral Council (Kiesraad) for House of Representatives elections;
  • the Central Electoral Committee (Centraal Stembureau) of the Province of Limburg; or
  • the Central Electoral Committee (Centraal Stembureau) of the Municipality of Maastricht.

Support software for political parties

From 15 December 2025, the Election Support Software for Political Parties (OSV2020-PP) will be available. Political parties use OSV2020-PP to prepare candidate lists and the required documentation. It is therefore important to be familiar with how the software works. More information can be found on the Kiesraad website.

Registering a party name

Only groups that are formally established as an association with full legal capacity may register a party name (designation) with the Central Electoral Committee.

To register a party name, you will need the following:

  • a completed application form for registration of a party designation, Model G 1-1;
  • a copy of the notarial deed containing the association’s statutes;
  • proof of payment of the deposit;
  • a statement from the political group appointing an authorised representative and a deputy representative;
  • a valid identity document.

The deposit (€112.50) should be transferred to bank account NL68 BNGH 0285 1301 45, in the name of Gemeente Maastricht, stating: “deposit registration political party (party name)”.

Registration documents must be submitted to the Central Electoral Committee. You can make an appointment for this by calling 14 043.

The register of political party designations can be found below.

  • Registered party nameDate of registration
    LOKAAL-LIMBURG24-11-2014
    Limburgse Senioren Partij (LSP)30-11-2022
    Omzien!12-12-2022
    AWP voor water, klimaat en natuur12-12-2022
    Oos Limburg (veur gans Limburg)14-8-2024
  • Registered party nameDate of registration
    Senioren Stadspartij Maastricht (SPM)22-12-1989
    Liberale Partij Maastricht (LPM)02-11-2006
    Partij Veilig Maastricht (PVM)15-03-2013
    SAB Sociaal Actieve Burgerpartij01-12-2017
    M:OED22-12-2017
    GROEP GUNTHER MAASTRICHT02-12-2021
    RE:SET02-12-2021
    Maastricht Vooruit21-12-2021
    Maastrichtse Ondernemers Partij21-12-2021
    MAASTRICHT van NU14-08-2024

Declarations of support

A declaration of support (ondersteuningsveklaring) is a written statement in which residents indicate that they support a party’s participation in the elections.

Learn more about declarations of support.

Candidate nomination

Monday 2 February 2026 is the day of candidate nomination. Political parties wishing to take part in the municipal council elections must submit the required documents on that day.

Learn more about candidate nomination.

Timeline for political parties

  • 22 December 2025 – deadline for registering a party designation for the municipal council elections
  • 19 January 2026 – latest date by which the deposit (€225.00) for candidate nomination must be received by the Municipality of Maastricht
  • Up to and including 2 February 2026 – submission of declarations of support for parties not currently represented on the municipal council
  • 26–30 January 2026 – advance submission of candidate lists
  • 2 February 2026 – nomination day: submission of candidate lists