The ruling VVD Liberals and Labour party lost considerable support in Wednesday’s local elections, which took place in 16 areas because of boundary changes. The social democratic party D66 and local parties won the most seats.

Opposition party leaders say the results point to major gains for them in next March’s provincial elections, which determine the make up of the senate, or upper house of parliament.

The cabinet does not have a majority in the upper house and relies on the support of the D66 Liberals and minor religious parties to ensure controversial legislation gets voted through.

Oss

The Socialist Party is no longer the biggest party in its traditional heartland of Oss, an industrial town in Noord Brabant province.

In Wednesday’s local election vote, the SP won nine seats but was beaten into second place by local parthy VDG, which won 11. The VVD lost four of its seven seats and the Labour party went from four to two.

In nearby Den Bosch, D66 emerged as the biggest party in vote terms but it, the VVD, CDA and two local parties ended up with five seats on the council.

In Alkmaar, local party OPA was by far the biggest party, followed by Labour. The vote there was necessary because of the incorporation of the nearby villages of Graft-De Rijp and Schermer.