All children between the ages of two and four should have the opportunity to go to a playgroup (‘peuterspeelzaal’) for at least 12 hours a week. There, children can develop and practice their social and language skills. This prevents them from falling behind even before they enter primary school.
Leiden is becoming increasingly international. One can see this in the many diverse groups of internationals and the many different nationalities in our city. 12% of the population in Leiden has a foreign nationality and therefore the municipality needs to take into account that not every citizen is fluent in Dutch. As many internationals are eligible to vote, the Labour Party (PvdA) also translated their plans in English and you can read them below. If you have any further questions or would like to hear our views on certain topics, you can send us a message.
The Labour Party is a socialdemocratic party that is currently represented in the Leiden coalition government. We want to create a city where every inhabitant of Leiden feels at home. Where houses are meant to live in and not for making big money with. Where we help people find a job and invest in equal opportunities for every child. Our programme focuses on six challenges: good and affordable housing, better jobs and better work, a fit and healthy city, equal opportunities for every child, a green future, and safe and secure communities.
Good and affordable housing
It is becoming increasingly difficult to find affordable homes in Leiden. People pay high rents, are on the waiting list for a long time or are being outbid by hedge funds. International students are often victim to accommodation scams. That is why we are going to build many affordable houses. We will also provide more social housing in the city. And we will prevent investors from buying up houses to make money.
This is what we want:
More affordable homes
In the coming years we will build more than 10,000 houses and student rooms. We will also make it easier for the elderly who want to live in a smaller house, to find a suitable home.
More social housing
Fight against landlords
We tackle investors and landlords. Houses are not meant to make money. If you buy a house, you will have to live in it yourself. This way we ensure that first-time buyers have an affordable roof over their heads and we protect students from unreliable landlords. Tenants in trouble are supported by the municipal rent team.
At home in your neighbourhood
Everyone deserves a place where you feel at home and safe. We make sure that local police officers are easy to reach and that everyone can walk the streets safely. We help young people to make sure they do not end up in crime. We want there to be enough facilities in every neighbourhood. These include schools, shops, playgrounds, green areas, sports and culture.
Better jobs and better work
We want as many Leiden citizens as possible to find a good job. If this is not possible, the municipality must support them. We help people to solve their debts, because these are often the cause of many problems. We support entrepreneurs who are struggling due to COVID.
This is what we want:
A good job and a fair wage
The municipality must help people who cannot find a job. For example, we can help people get an education and train them so that they have a chance of finding another job. We want the municipality to pay a living wage (a minimum of 14 euros per hour). People who have difficulty finding a regular job can work for the municipality in a social job as a caretaker or sports park manager.
We fight poverty and debts
Too many children grow up in poverty. Every child should be able to take part in sports or have music lessons. The municipality helps people who are in debt to get out of it. People on welfare are better supported and are allowed to earn some extra money. The municipality helps people who have difficulty reading or working with computers.
Proud of our city centre and local shops
We are happy with our shopping centres and make them even nicer, for example the ‘Kopermolen’ (Merenwijk) or ‘Diamantplein’ (Mors). We are also proud of our beautiful city centre. Due to the COVID-crisis, many shopkeepers and entrepreneurs in Leiden have lost a lot of money. We continue to support them and offer them more space to save their shops.
We love Leiden’s art and culture
We want all Leiden citizens to be able to enjoy culture in Leiden. That is why we provide a culture pass with which citizens with low incomes can enjoy culture. We also want artists to be better paid. We want the libraries to do even more to ensure that everyone learns to read well and we will provide a more attractive location for the library in the centre and more libraries in our neighbourhoods.
A fit and healthy city
We want a city where children grow up healthy, adults live healthy and the elderly stay vital for as long as possible. We ensure that everyone can sport, we help sports clubs and improve our community centres. They are the social heart of every neighbourhood and we stimulate social interaction and community building.
This is what we want:
Everyone has the right to a healthy life
It should be easy and affordable for everyone to live a healthy life. We want no child to go to school without having had breakfast, we want free fruit and vegetables in schools and we want more outdoor water taps. We will make the surroundings of schools smoke-free and encourage children to exercise more. We also fight loneliness among young and old.
Loving care and support
Leiden is and will remain a social city. That is why in the coming years we will continue to support people who need it, so that they can stand on their own feet again. Every neighbourhood has a social team to which people can turn when they need care or support. We prevent healthcare institutions from making huge profits with the money of the municipality.
Good youth care is available to all children
We want children to be helped properly when they need care. Sometimes they have to wait too long for good care. We therefore help young people who are struggling as quickly as possible, with a focus on help and guidance towards school or work.
Growing old in Leiden
More and more people in Leiden are over 65 years of age. That is why there must be more housing where older people can live together and receive care. The doctor, pharmacy, supermarket and public transport must be close by. We are also expanding the number of neighbourhood centres in our city. In this way, we also combat loneliness among the elderly.
Everyone can play sports
We make it easier for children to try out sports and we make sure that people with a low income can play sports for free. There should also be more sports options for the elderly and people with disabilities. We provide more local sports fields and ensure that they are well used. As the amount of citizens of Leiden will increase, there also has to be more space for playing sports.
Equal opportunities for every child
Good education is the best way to make a fair start in life. School should be a place where all children have equal opportunities. The neighbourhood you live in, your background or who your parents are should never determine who you become later in life.
This is what we want:
A fair start for every child
Primary school as an indispensable basis
There are not enough teachers. That is why we want to make it easier for teachers to come work in Leiden and we want to make it easier for people to become teachers. We make sure that there is free help with homework and we help children who do not yet speak the language well or who have less help at home.
More recognition and appreciation for vocational education (mbo)
Young people with a vocational education are very important to our city. That is why we have to make sure that their courses fit in well with the jobs that are available. We help students to prevent them dropping out of school. We want more study places and traineeships for vocational students.
Tackling illiteracy
One in ten people in Leiden have difficulty reading, writing and with digital skills. We want everyone to be able to participate in our city. That is why we are tackling illiteracy. We want the municipality to communicate in a clear and understandable way and in several languages. We also want an accessible information desk where letters are explained and we are improving the municipal website.
A green future
Leiden is becoming more and more beautiful and green. But a lot still needs to be done to make our city more sustainable. The PvdA helps people who cannot afford the rising energy bills or who have no money to insulate their homes. In addition, we offer more space to cyclists and pedestrians and we make sure that cars can get in and out of the city faster.
This is what we want:
Better houses and lower energy bills
Homes that are poorly insulated and where people’s energy bills are getting higher and higher, are the first to be made energy efficient. This is not only good for the climate, it also means that people will live in healthier homes and have lower energy bills. The municipality’s own buildings must become more sustainable over the next ten years, for example by insulating them well and putting more solar panels on the roofs.
A green and clean Leiden
We believe that more trees, bushes and flowers should be planted in Leiden. We want to see more greenery throughout the city and make sure that parks are well maintained and remain clean. In doing so, we pay close attention to the different species of plants and animals that live here.
A safe and accessible Leiden
In the inner city of Leiden, we think it is important that cyclists, pedestrians and public transport get more space than cars. Cyclists should be able to ride around more safely and important places in the city should be easily accessible by train and bus. The roads around Leiden should be better for cars, so that fewer exhaust fumes remain.
Safe and secure communities
No one is the same and everyone is allowed to be who they want to be. All inhabitants of Leiden should be treated equally and given equal opportunities. Whoever you are, whoever you love or whatever you believe. Leiden is a city for everyone.
This is what we want:
A city where everyone feels safe
In Leiden you should feel safe, regardless of your sexual orientation or gender. We will provide an easy reporting point for undesirable behaviour. This is the place to go in case of (sexual) harassment and other unpleasant experiences. We also make sure that people with a migration or refugee background are helped and feel at home here. We welcome Ukrainian refugees and support the building of temporary housing for them.
A city where everyone can participate
We invest in mixed neighbourhoods with housing for various groups and community centres where residents can meet each other. We are delighted that Leiden residents actively help to make the city even more beautiful and we therefore listen carefully to the ideas of our residents. We also ensure that women in our city can participate as much as possible and earn as much as men. The municipality takes into account people who do not yet speak Dutch.
No room for racism and discrimination
For a long time, racism and discrimination were not given enough attention in Leiden. That is why we engage with the people of Leiden to hear where discrimination still occurs. We fight discrimination in the nightlife, with employers and landlords. The abolition of slavery (Keti Koti) will be celebrated in Leiden on July 1st. Our street names reflect the city’s diversity.
An accessible city
Facilities in Leiden must be accessible to everyone. In the design of streets, in construction projects and on the municipality’s website, attention is paid to ensuring that everyone can use them. People who are visually impaired should be able to walk through the city free of obstacles, buses and the station should be wheelchair accessible and there should be a bike shed accessible to everyone. Information from the municipality must also be accessible to the visually impaired.