Amsterdam, Whitmark's Capital Mayoral Race

[Whitmark]

Beautiful Amsterdam celebrated a heated election for mayor, for the first time in it's history the newly established party Citizens got to participate in it's first local elections. Amsterdam is one of the most populated cities in the country and the most important one, it's one of the most important political positions.

The election was polarized by promises to lower taxes of several candidates, especially between the candidate of Citizens, and the current mayor of Whitmark Insoumise that decided to raise taxes. The high favorability of the president of Whitmark Albert Van Der Berg makes his party Citizens benefit in local elections. The collapse in the local elections of Whitmark Insoumise and Groenlinks is due to the fact that Citizens is a new, center-based party, focused on reforming Whitmark and Amsterdam politics, anti-corruption, lowering taxes, creating jobs and improving the economy for entrepreneurs. Despite being a center party, Citizens is a liberal party so it is a party that has a good prospect in the liberal Amsterdam.

Exit polls reveal a tie in the first three places, who will pass the second round?

Marianne Thieme - Whitmark Insoumise - 23,5%
Julia Ackerman - Citizens - 23,4%
Femke Halsema - Groenlinks - 22,2%
Anne-Marie Spierings - People's Party - 12%
Willem Bettel - Socialist Party - 10,9%
Wallerand De Saint-Just - Party for Freedom - 7,1%
Emile Kant - Christian Democratic - 0,9%

Results:

 

[Whitmark]

The campaign for the run off between Julia Ackerman (Citizens - Center) and current mayor Marianne Thieme (Whitmark Insoumise - Far Left) was heated.

The Alliances:

Groenlinks (Center) Halsema endorsed Ackerman as well as the People's Party (Right Wing) Spierings, that gave a huge boost in the polls for the Citizens candidate against the current mayor. The current mayor got endorsed by the Socialist(Left Wing) candidate Bettel. The Far Right candidate Saint-Just didn't endorse anyone.

Debates:

During the debates Ackerman favored reducing taxes while mayor Thieme favored increasing them. Ackerman called Thieme a "populist mayor who doesn't deserve to be re-elected". Ackerman proposed to ban cars in Centrum by 2022 and in the rest of Amsterdam by 2030. According to Ackerman the city will become self-sustainable in energy because all energy will be renewable. Another proposal of Ackerman was that public transportation has to be powered by renewable sources so that Amsterdam becomes a zero emission city. Mayor Thieme accused Ackerman of having the support of the extreme right and that if elected Ackerman will ban marijuana and LGBT parades in Amsterdam, Ackerman denied the allegation. The next day Citizens candidates in The Hague and Rotterdam endorsed legalizing marijuana in their cities and promoting LGBT rights.

Results:

Exit Polls began on the news at 6:00 pm with Ackerman leading 59% to 41%, the millennial vote was crucial to her victory having secured over 65% of the vote on this segment. Other important segment that broke in favor of Ackerman was people with a degree with over 67%.

At 7:00 pm Thieme conceded the race and called Ackerman to congratulate her. Minutes later Ackerman gave her victory speech at the Hyatt hotel in Amsterdam.