Some events fade deep into memory. Almost everyone has forgotten that on July 13, 1994, the city council decided to abolish Amsterdam. The city would merge into a city province together with 12 surrounding municipalities. A referendum on May 17, 1995, stopped this remarkable plan.
The plan was to form a city province including Amstelveen, Aalsmeer, Haarlemmermeer, Diemen, Ouder-Amstel, Zaanstad, Oostzaan, and Purmerend. The 13 Amsterdam city districts would become more or less fully-fledged municipalities to break Amsterdams power relative to the other municipalities. This was an administrative plan devised by the national government.
Strong region
The idea was that the administrative scale no longer fit society. As an economic area, Amsterdam has long been much larger than the city itself. The Municipalities Act of 1852 was outdated. A new administrative layer had to be created between the provinces and the national government: the city province, a regional government. The city province would form an economically strong and attractive unit with Schiphol Airport, the quiet Amstelveen, and the empty Waterland.
The theory was correct: the administrative scale was historically outdated and the city province would be strong in international competition. But dividing Amsterdam into 13 districts proved a difficult part of the plan. The districts would receive many more powers.
Outdated Mokum feeling
The residents opposed the plan. Amsterdammers did not want their city to be abolished. Resistance grew in the city. Opponents of the city province were seen by supporters as people with a romantic and outdated Mokum feeling.
92 percent voted against
Signatures were collected for a corrective referendum. The threshold to organize the referendum was met. On May 17, 1995, 39.8 percent of eligible voters voted. 92 percent voted against abolishing the municipality of Amsterdam. This was a surprise for the city council. The organization of the city province was almost ready. Had they so misjudged the feelings and thoughts of the residents?
Yes, it appeared so. An organically grown city of over 7 centuries old cannot simply be abolished. People also feared administrative uncertainty due to the increasing power of the districts. And Amsterdammers identified as Amsterdammers. Democracy had worked.
Resounding victory
Eberhard van der Laan (1955-2017), then PvdA faction leader and later mayor, was sportsmanlike. When the final result was in, he congratulated the organizers of the referendum on their resounding victory. Our model for city province and division of Amsterdam has taken a heavy beating, he rightly concluded.
Into oblivion
After some administrative dithering, the plan for the city province faded into oblivion. Now Amsterdam cooperates normally with the surrounding municipalities. It shows how easily a gap can arise between administrators and the population. Democracy must bridge that gap. So go vote.
March 18: elections
On Wednesday, March 18, elections will be held for the city council, district committees, and the Weesp administrative committee. We then choose who will decide on important topics such as housing, care, education, and climate in the coming years. As a voter, you help determine how Amsterdam is governed. Read more at https://www.amsterdam.nl/verkiezingen.
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Photo above article: May 17, 1995: poster about the city province referendum, Muntplein. The fence is around the Munttoren.
Photos: Amsterdam City Archives