The Dutch House of Representatives has voted with a nearly three-quarter majority to continue the wietexperiment, the Netherlands' Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment. A motion filed by ChristenUnie leader Mirjam Bikker and SGP's Diederik van Dijk to stop the experiment entirely was defeated decisively on March 24, 2026.
The motion received support from only 39 out of 150 seats in the Tweede Kamer. PVV (together with splinter group Groep Markuszower), BBB (together with splinter member Mona Keijzer), and DENK were the only parties to vote in favor of ending the experiment. The remaining 111 seats voted to continue.
Even the CDA Voted to Continue
Perhaps the most notable aspect of the vote was the position of the CDA. The party has repeatedly expressed its opposition to the wietexperiment, but voted against the motion to stop it. CDA member Tijs van den Brink explained the party's position during the earlier debate: "We are not fans of the wietexperiment, but we have put our signature on the coalition agreement." The CDA's 18 seats proved critical in keeping the experiment alive.
Equally significant was the stance of right-wing parties JA21 and Forum voor Democratie. Together holding 16 seats on the right flank of Dutch politics, both parties voted against the Bikker-Van Dijk motion. Had those 16 seats combined with the CDA's 18 to support the motion, the outcome would have been much closer.
PVV Losing Ground on Cannabis
The vote also highlighted a shift within the PVV. The party has historically been one of the strongest opponents of the wietexperiment, but it has lost influence on the issue since the last elections. Former PVV member Rene Claassen, who left the party, said during the debate two weeks earlier: "I would prefer to close all coffeeshops, but that is not feasible. Let us at least make sure no new coffeeshops are added."
ChristenUnie leader Mirjam Bikker expressed her disappointment on Instagram after the vote: "Disappointing that my proposal to stop the wietexperiment did not pass." The response from her followers was telling. One commenter wrote: "Fortunately it was rejected. Otherwise the black market would supply the demand for cannabis again, and we would get more nuisance from dealers. Hopefully the experiment will become policy one day, and we can take away the entire criminal business model."
What the Wietexperiment Means
The wietexperiment is the Netherlands' pilot program for creating a fully legal cannabis supply chain. Ten licensed producers grow cannabis under strict government oversight and supply it to 72 coffeeshops in 10 participating municipalities: Tilburg, Breda, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Groningen, Zaanstad, Almere, Maastricht, Hellevoetsluis, and Voorne aan Zee.
The experiment was designed to solve the "backdoor problem" that has defined Dutch cannabis policy for decades. While coffeeshops have been legally allowed to sell small quantities of cannabis since 1976, the production and wholesale supply of cannabis has remained illegal. This means every gram of cannabis sold over the counter in a Dutch coffeeshop arrived there through criminal channels. The wietexperiment aims to close that gap by creating a regulated, legal alternative.
What Comes Next
The experiment is set to run until 2029. The first meaningful assessment of its results is expected in mid-2026, when researchers will evaluate the impact on public health, crime, and the illegal market in the participating municipalities. If the results are positive, pressure will grow substantially to expand the regulated supply chain beyond the 10 pilot cities to cover all 562 coffeeshops in the Netherlands.
This vote removes any doubt about where Dutch parliament stands. With nearly three-quarters of the Tweede Kamer supporting the continuation of the experiment, the political foundation for regulated cannabis production in the Netherlands is stronger than it has ever been. The backdoor problem may finally have an expiration date.
