Criminal Records Among Brabant Candidates Raise Concerns Ahead of Municipal Elections

Several candidates running in the upcoming municipal elections in the province of North Brabant have criminal records, ranging from assault and fraud to participation in a criminal organization, according to reports from RTL Nieuws and Omroep Brabant. While a criminal record doesn’t automatically disqualify a candidate, the revelations have sparked debate about candidate vetting and integrity in local politics.

Fraud and Assault Cases Surface

Gidion Tunders, a councilor for the party Uit de Kern in Steenbergen, was convicted of fraud and stole €82,000 from his former employer over four years Omroep Brabant. Ramon van Asch, the party leader of Forum for Democratie (FVD) in Den Bosch, has been convicted of assault three times, including punching a security guard in 2022 and injuring someone with a glass in 2017 RTL Nieuws.

Other Candidates Face Allegations and Convictions

A VVD candidate in Hilvarenbeek was convicted of forgery related to manure administration, but the party intends to preserve the candidate on the list due to their low ranking Omroep Brabant. In Gemert-Bakel, a CDA candidate previously convicted of money laundering and participation in a criminal organization will remain on the list, with the local party arguing that everyone deserves a second chance Omroep Brabant. Other cases involve a candidate in Deurne suspected of public violence and candidates in Moerdijk and Reusel-De Mierden with prior convictions for assault and making death threats, respectively Omroep Brabant.

Legal Requirements and Party Screening Processes

Legally, candidates for municipal elections in the Netherlands must be at least 18 years traditional, reside in the municipality, and not be disenfranchised. A Declaration of Good Conduct (VOG) is required for positions like aldermen, but not for council members Omroep Brabant. Parties are responsible for screening candidates and deciding whether to include individuals with criminal records on their lists.

Recent Coalition Developments in Brabant

The province of North Brabant has seen recent coalition shifts. In 2020, a coalition was formed between FvD, CDA, VVD, and Lokaal Brabant RTL Nieuws. More recently, in 2026, the new administrators of Brabant are from VVD, GroenLinks, PvdA, SP, D66 and Lokaal Brabant Omroep Brabant.