Supporters of the right-wing Liberal party VVD are more likely than anyone else to apply for mayoral jobs  – and to get them, according to research by local government news website Binnenlands Bestuur.

Since the beginning of this year, 826 people have applied for 40 different mayoral jobs and, of those whose political preference could be identified, 87 were VVD supporters. The Christian Democrats had at least 65 applicants and the Labour party (PvdA) 48.

Of the 35 mayors who have been appointed, 14 were members of the VVD, nine were CDA backers and five from the Labour party, the website said.

Prominent VVD appointments include Koen Schuiling, who has taken over the helm in Groningen and Peter Snijders who got the job in Zwolle.

Men are also more than twice as likely as women to apply for a mayoral job. In total, 596 of the applicants were male.

Currently mayors in the Netherlands are technically crown appointees and nominated by the local authority they will represent after behind-the-scenes meetings.

However, last November, the Dutch senate voted in favour of a plan to remove the way mayors are named from the constitution, a measure which clears the way for the introduction of elected mayors.