The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) has issued a warning to voters ahead of the country’s October 29 national election, cautioning that AI chatbots provide unreliable and biased voting advice. In a recent review of four major chatbots, the agency found that they steered users toward two dominant political parties — the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) and the Labour-Green Left coalition — in over half of all cases.
Even when users input the campaign platform of smaller parties, the chatbots often still recommended one of the two major factions. “As a voting aid, they consistently fail,” said AP vice-chair Monique Verdier, criticizing the opaque and unverifiable way in which chatbots operate.
The findings come as AI tools gain popularity among Dutch voters, though the regulator declined to estimate how many people use them for political guidance. The watchdog’s report warns that such systems could distort public opinion and reinforce political polarization, especially in a multiparty democracy where 15 parties currently hold parliamentary seats.
With the Freedom Party and Labour-Green Left coalition projected to win 20% and 16% of votes respectively, the Dutch election could decide whether the next government leans conservative or centrist. The AP’s warning adds to growing European scrutiny of AI’s role in shaping political behavior as the EU races to finalize regulations on AI transparency and election integrity.
