Amsterdam only feels like home when you can move freely. During the day and at night. Cycling home without detours. Taking the metro without tension. Letting your child play outside without having to stand watch the whole time. Safety is not just about numbers. Safety is a feeling. And that feeling determines whether you participate or withdraw.
Volt wants an Amsterdam where freedom is a given. Where you can be yourself without intimidation. Where you don't have to choose between a good time and feeling safe. And where we don't pass problems along, but tackle them at the source. With courage, with cooperation, and with results.
A lot of insecurity isn't found in major incidents, but in small spots that just don't feel right. Dark stretches. Blind corners. Cycle paths where you get forced off the road. Streets you'd rather not walk alone at night.
That's why we make safety the default:
● We improve lighting on key walking and cycling routes, especially in places where people currently take detours to avoid
● We make reliable night-time public transport the norm, so you're not dependent on expensive taxis or long walks
● We address dangerous intersections, unclear spots, and well-known hotspots quickly, together with residents and professionals
● We keep public spaces clean, because litter and neglected areas make a neighborhood feel unsafe faster
Feeling safe is also about boundaries. About what you should and shouldn't have to put up with. Street intimidation. Aggression on public transport. Nuisance that simmers on for months. Hate and discrimination that make people feel small. That doesn't belong in Amsterdam.
Volt chooses clarity:
● We invest in a visible presence on the streets and at problem spots, at the times when it's needed
● We make sure reports don't disappear into a drawer, but are followed up on, with feedback to residents
● We protect people who are more frequently targeted by intimidation, and take action against hate and violence
● We work with clear, fair rules and enforcement, so everyone knows where they stand
Some problems are bigger than a single street or a single district. Organized crime undermines neighborhoods, threatens business owners, and lures young people with fast money. And it doesn't stop at a district boundary, let alone a national border.
That's why we choose an approach that is both firm and smart:
● We strengthen cooperation between the municipality, police, care services, schools, and youth workers, so that warning signs are picked up and shared more quickly
● We protect young people from recruitment, with opportunities, guidance, and a clear line: Amsterdam is not a place where you get away with intimidation
● We tackle money laundering and undermining where it happens: in properties, in permits, in networks
● We work with partners outside the city and across Europe, because crime crosses borders and our approach must do the same
Want to know what Volt Amsterdam stands for over the next four years? In our election program you will find all our plans: from more affordable housing and a green, sustainable city to fair opportunities for every Amsterdammer. No empty promises, but concrete ideas that work. Read the full election program.