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With Dutch voters heading to the polls Wednesday, a severe shortage of affordable homes — felt most acutely by younger people — dominates the race. Demand far outstrips supply, leaving renters and first-time buyers shut out; gap is roughly 400,000 homes, about 5 percent of stock. Experts cite faster-than-expected population growth, more single-person households, and years of slow building under tight local and environmental rules. Parties pitch fixes: D66 touts 10 new cities; Labor-Green prioritizes public housing and a vacancy tax; Geert Wilders’s PVV urges a crisis plan and fewer rules. For many, the search brings constant stress.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.