The Dutch Parliament voted to ban people from purchasing and setting up fireworks, but that wasn’t the case until after next year’s Big Ve Day.
The majority of MPs supported the consumer ban, but supported another motion to postpone it due to potentially enormous compensation claims from fireworks suppliers.
Fireworks have been a New Year’s tradition in the Netherlands for decades, but the scale of night injuries and damage has swirled in recent years.
On the Big Ve day last year, two people died, and 1,162 people needed emergency care for injuries such as burns and eye damage.
New Year celebrations have become a sideline to anti-social behavior in many Netherlands cities, and public support for the ban has gradually changed the minds of politicians. Recent opinions indicate that three-quarters of Dutch people support the ban.
The liberal VVD party on the centre right, part of the Dutch government, was swayed behind the ban at the end of March, followed by another Union NSC.
However, the other two ruling parties have opposed, and most of the issues stemming from illegal issues rather than legally acquired fireworks.
Firework displays run locally may withstand the ban, but details have not yet been agreed.
The troublesome compromise of delaying the ban until the Great Ve Day of 2026 led to the horrors of the last night of legalized mayhem.
Mirjam Vicker of the Christian Union Party was worried that the next December 31 would “be yet another kind of Armageddon, everyone will be completely engrossed and come off the rail once more.”
Not only did fireworks depart on the streets of the Netherlands on a daily basis, but cars, scooters and buildings were lit up, causing riots to be thrown into emergency services and riots broke out.
Last year, 200 people were arrested, with the estimated damage caused by fireworks at 16 million euros ($17.5 million, £13.7 million).
Nineteen towns and cities have imposed fireworks bans, while many other areas have created firework-free zones. However, the ban was largely ignored, and the mayor of Amsterdam said it would be hopeless as long as the government did nothing to end commercial sales.
The Netherlands is not alone. Belgium and Germany have also seen firework violence.
The nine couiman, head of the NPB Dutch Police Union, said it felt like the police were working “in the war zone.” Member investigations suggested four out of ten officers who wanted to work on a big ve day due to serious safety risks.
While various Dutch groups support the ban, fireworks suppliers are seeking compensation of around 895 million euros for shares purchased in conjunction with next year.
The government will have to pay compensation from 100-150 million euros if the ban occurs this year, but if it was introduced in 2026 it would be 50 million euros.
