The rise of cooperatives, neighborhood initiatives, and commons shows that society is bursting with energy to build a fair and sustainable economy together. Think of housing cooperatives with stable rents. Local energy and food initiatives where residents have control. Sharing platforms, neighborhood currencies, and businesses where ownership and decision-making are shared. The community economy shows that the economy is something we can shape together. How we live, work, care, and socialize: it can be different.
But this requires political will. To truly support the local and cooperative economy, commons, and communities, politics must not only actively support them. In March 2026, Amsterdam will elect a new city council. This is an opportunity to shape the city’s future. The City of Amsterdam has been an enthusiastic supporter of the community economy. Now is the time to give the community economy a mature role in our city’s economy.
Approaches like public-civic collaboration (an equal partnership between government and community), Community Wealth Building, and measuring multiple forms of value are essential.
Read the manifesto (only in Dutch) that emerged from the Day of the Community Economy.