Decision to Keep Air Raid Siren Supported by Majority in Dutch House of Representatives

Following a recent vote, the majority of the House of Representatives has decided to maintain the air raid siren in place. Outgoing Minister Yeşilgöz of Justice and Security had proposed replacing the air raid siren with NL-Alert by the end of 2025.

The motion supporting the retention of the air raid siren was backed by a significant portion of the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The motion highlighted that eight percent of Dutch citizens do not own a mobile phone, making the air raid siren more inclusive. Additionally, it pointed out the vulnerability of the mobile network to cyber attacks, making the siren a more reliable option in such situations.

In the motion, the House urges the outgoing cabinet to preserve the air raid siren for future use. The NOS reports that the motion, proposed by JA21 MP Joost Eerdmans and supported by members of BBB, Volt, SP, GroenLinks-PvdA, CDA, ChristenUnie, and SGP, calls for Minister Yeşilgöz to develop a plan to ensure the continuity of the system.

The government had previously announced plans to replace the air raid siren with NL-Alert by the end of 2025, citing increasing maintenance costs. Minister Yeşilgöz estimated that post-2026, maintaining the siren would cost around 160 million euros. He also argued that NL-Alert had a wider reach compared to the current air raid siren.

Concerns have been raised by several security regions, including Rotterdam-Rijnmond, about the potential elimination of the air raid siren. Arjen Littooij, the director of that region, expressed to NOS that such plans were 'irresponsible' for a region with a high-risk profile. He advocated for the retention of both the air raid siren and NL-Alert to ensure prompt communication during emergencies.