Senators have voted in favour of banning the sale of fireworks to consumers, a measure the cabinet hopes to introduce in time for New Year 2026/27.
The decision brings to a close a long-running campaign by doctors, emergency service workers and others to end the traditional New Year fireworks frenzy, which regularly causes hundreds of injuries and millions of euros in damage to private property.
A majority of MPs approved the ban in April, after the right-wing VVD changed its position and supported the proposal. Only far-right parties and the Socialist Party opposed it.
Esther Ouwehand, leader of the pro-animal PvdD and one of the bill’s sponsors, described the senate vote as “great news for man and animal”. “We have been campaigning for this since the foundation of our party more than 20 years ago,” she said.
Although 19 cities have already introduced local firework bans, these are largely ignored.
A survey by Ipsos at the end of last year showed that 57% of the population would vote in favour of a ban in a referendum. Some 60% of respondents to the RTL panel also supported a ban, along with 64% of participants in the EenVandaag survey.
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