When did your interest in local politics begin?
“I've actually been interested in politics for a long time. It started in high school when I joined the debate team. We had debates about the number of wind turbines, the capacity of asylum seekers' centres, and many other local topics. Partly because of this interest, I started studying PPE. In PPE you study political topics, but not merely the processes and procedures. You also ask yourself: what do I actually think about this? About a year ago I joined the local D66 department in Almere. I thought about participating in the elections, but it still seemed far away. Eventually I started campaigning and applied. I started off as number 7 on the list but the members voted me up. I ended up in fourth place and D66 got four seats, so it was exciting until the last moment! But it's great that I can do this at such a young age."
What will you be doing in the council?
“I just took my oath and had my first council meeting. The topics we’re dealing with are so interesting. Municipalities are faced with major challenges and a great deal has also shifted from the central government to the municipal level. For instance youth care, many issues surrounding the housing crisis, and compensating minimum wages for high energy prices. I still have a lot to learn, but it's a real privilege to be involved in these topics. My main files are education, economics, finance and the Floriade [an international horticulture exhibition in the Netherlands]. In addition, I am the first spokesperson for the city of Almere, and the second spokesperson for housing and sports. One of my election promises was more housing for students and youth. I really want to work on that. Almere is a young city that too often forgets its young residents. I joined the council as a young person and that is why I also want to represent this group.”
