CDA and Progressive Combination (PK) in Bergen want the VVD to join the new municipal council. This would give the municipality the same coalition as in the past four years.
CDA and PK will enter into talks with the VVD in the near future. According to CDA party leader and party leader Jacob Knoops, joining the VVD will lead to a more stable coalition. With the one seat of the VVD, it can count on 9 of the 15 seats in the city council. CDA and PK each have 4 seats.
Experiences
Knoops explains the choice for the VVD on the basis of the good experiences in the previous term of office. “You know what they’re getting. And we also agree very well in terms of content,” says Knoops.
Also read: CDA and PK core new coalition Bergen
New party
The fact that CDA and PK did not opt for Dorpsbelangen (3 seats) has to do with the fact that it is a new party with new people, which arose just before the elections, says Knoops. Some of them have also resigned from opposition party KERN. The CDA leader believes that Dorpsbelangen should first show what they can do.
Conversations
Party leader and councilor Pepijn van Rijen of the VVD says in a response that he is certainly open to discussions with CDA and PK. But there must also be something in it for the VVD. “We are not going to sign at the cross of the draft coalition program of CDA and PK. Our most important point is the construction of 600 homes in the coming years. Because too little has happened in that area recently,” says Van Rijen.
Also read: Newcomer doing well in Bergen, CDA remains largest
Alderman
CDA-member Knoops assumes that his party, PK and VVD each provide one alderman. At the CDA that will be sitting alderman Antoon Splinter, at PK sitting alderman Claudia Ponjee. The VVD also has a candidate, but does not want to announce it yet. The party will only do this if an agreement has been reached.
The coalition agreement is expected to be approved by the city council by the beginning of July at the latest. Then the councilors are also installed.