All participating parties in the Utrecht debate expressed their support for the construction of the Merwedelijn. Only with this fast tram line can 75,000 homes be built to solve the housing shortage. Additionally, there is an economic interest; the Merwedelijn enables 110,000 new jobs.
‘If we want to build quickly, we must fully invest in good public transport. That requires high investments, but it is worth it many times over.’ The Merwedelijn is for candidate MP Robert van Asten (D66) a ‘no-brainer’. His party has therefore submitted an amendment in the House of Representatives for an additional investment of 565 million euros. ‘However, there is only a signature from the ChristenUnie under it.’
Making Progress with Housing Construction
During the Utrecht debate, the CDA openly supported the D66s proposal. ‘I will encourage my colleagues in the House to embrace this initiative from D66,’ said candidate MP Jantine Zwinkels (CDA). Zwinkels believes it is now important to make progress with housing construction. ‘That also means we need to solve the problems related to grid congestion.’
The Merwedelijn can also count on support from Groenlinks/PvdA. ‘We are not just stacking stones; we are building a society and thus also facilities,’ said candidate MP Ani Zalinyan. Volt believes that besides the government, companies can also invest more in the Merwedelijn. MP Peter de Groot (VVD) supports the Merwedelijn but thinks that the construction of houses is taking too long.
Quick Approach to Hoevelaken Junction
Another important theme during the Utrecht election debate was the Hoevelaken junction, one of the largest traffic bottlenecks in the Netherlands. VVD, D66, GroenLinks/PvdA, and CDA support a quick approach. ‘It is important that we prioritize Hoevelaken and work together with the region. There is consensus on this. Why would we delay this further in The Hague? I really cant understand it,’ said candidate MP Jantine Zwinkels (CDA).
Candidate MP Simone Ritzer (Volt) is critical. ‘You can keep investing in infrastructure, but it ultimately all gets stuck. The Party for the Animals wants to invest in the Hoevelaken junction, but not in extra asphalt. ‘We prefer better facilities for animals. Our party advocates for an ecoduct near Terschuur,’ said candidate MP Anjo Travaille.
House of Representatives Elections
The Utrecht debate in Nieuwspoort was organized by the Metropolitan Region of Utrecht and the Economic Board Utrecht. It was one of the first election debates leading up to the House of Representatives elections on October 29, 2025. Six parties participated in the debate: CDA, VVD, D66, GroenLinks-PvdA, Volt, and the Party for the Animals. The parties debated the solutions to the housing shortage and accessibility issues in the Utrecht region.
More information about the ambitions of the Metropolitan Region of Utrecht and the Economic Board Utrecht can be found in the document Agenda MRU - Collaborating on the Metropolitan Region of Utrecht, the beating heart of a healthy society external link.
