Why Did the Dutch Vote the Way They Did?

What shaped the Dutch vote in 2025? From AI and algorithm-driven content to shifting media rules, the election was anything but ordinary. Join experts from the University of Amsterdam as they unpack how tech, media, and politics collided — and what it means for democracy today.

Just two years after the last election — and following the collapse of the governing coalition — Dutch voters were once again called to the ballot box. But this time, the political landscape looked quite different. With AI writing content, social media platforms banning political ads in the EU, and voters getting news and political information from sources that didn’t even exist a few years ago, the 2025 elections became a real-time experiment in political communication. Voters are navigating an increasingly complex digital world to form their opinions.

So, what actually influenced this year’s vote? How do technologies like AI and platforms like TikTok or Instagram shape public debate? Can digital tools sway political opinion — or even manipulate voters?

In this event we will explore what has changed — and what hasn’t — in how political parties communicate, how media ecosystems affect polarization, and how digital technologies influence the way voters think, decide, and vote.

Speakers t.b.a.