A second place in the national elections and 25 seats in the House of Representatives for the GroenLinks-PvdA combination list. The party became the largest in the municipality of Tynaarlo. The rest of Drenthe turns PVV blue.
Drenthe prominent figures from GroenLinks and the PvdA are shocked by the victory of Geert Wilders’ party, but are also proud of the growth that their own combination list has experienced. “We have grown eight seats, that confidence is good for us. But of course you are very shocked by the PVV’s big gain,” says Gea Bijkerk, group leader of GroenLinks in the Tynaarlo municipal council.
Bijkerk is satisfied that the left-wing combination in Tynaarlo has become the largest. “That shows that the message has been well received in Tynaarlo. A clear signal from our residents. The local factions have worked well together in the campaign. As far as I am concerned, the national result also shows that this collaboration has been successful,” says Bijkerk.
Tryntsje Slagman, former PvdA mayor of the municipalities of Borger-Odoorn, Westerveld and Oosterhesselen, is still confused about it this afternoon. “This is a very disappointing result for my party. I sat in front of the television last night with great surprise.”
“To be honest, I did not expect GroenLinks-PvdA to become the largest party. I am a real democrat, so let Wilders do it now. He has to show it,” said Slagman.
Although GroenLinkser Bijkerk is proud of her party’s results, the PVV’s victory continues to gnaw at her. “I think that some within our party had taken the growth of the PVV into account, but no one expected that growth would be so great.”
Looking back, she does have an explanation for the rise of Geert Wilders’ party. “This growth has almost everything to do with the asylum policy of recent years. On balance, no more asylum seekers have come, but during corona the good reception places have been closed. As a result, we now no longer have a place to receive people. You can also “Do not explain that a status holder, for example, is given priority for a rental home, while there are already so few homes available. It is a combination of asylum policy and the housing shortage,” she explains.
Bijkerk therefore sympathizes with the PVV voters: “I get it. I really understand the dissatisfaction.” Slagman agrees with this. “Many people are dissatisfied. I can imagine something about it. They then vote for a party as a protest, such as the BBB earlier this year. Now the votes go to the PVV. But whether that is the best protest, I highly doubt it.”
Yet the GroenLinks councilor does not only point to The Hague policy. She sees it as a sum of government policy on the one hand and news provision from the media on the other. “It is a shame that framing has also been decisive. I also think that the press has played a role in this. It is ‘easy’ to only take the bad reports about the asylum problem and delve into them. There is too little positive news, because a lot is going well,” she explains.
Just like Frans Timmermans, national party leader of GroenLinks-PvdA, Bijkerk and Slagman do not see a collaboration with the 37-member PVV faction. They both state that the differences cannot be bridged. “Who wants to join the PVV?” Bijkerk wonders. “I don’t know,” she answers her own question. “I think it will be difficult in both directions. But of course I cannot look into the cards of Pieter Omtzigt’s VVD and NSC.”
When asked whether Slagman would like to collaborate with the PVV, she answers resolutely: “Never, never. Not in a cabinet, although I do think we could find each other on social issues or in the field of healthcare. But I will stick to it.” hold on to Timmermans’ passionate speech, which took a stand against discrimination. Hold on to each other,” the former mayor concludes.