Local government moves left.

Amsterdam is to be governed by a centre-left coalition of the social democratic Labour Party (PvdA) and the Green Party (Groenlinks) for the next four years after recent local government elections registered voters discontent with the social and immigration policies of the right-wing federal government led by prime minister Jan-Peter Balkenende. A study by the University of Amsterdams Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies has shown that 80 per cent of the Dutch capitals large migrant population voted for Labour. The new Amsterdam city council has promised to fight poverty and to invest in education, safety on the streets and the environment, particularly improving air quality.