More than a month after his sudden departure as deputy, Egbert van Dijk (BBB) tells his story in detail for the first time. He paints a picture of rising tensions within his own party, stalled decision-making and intimidation. “I always want to be able to look at myself straight in the mirror. At a certain point, that was no longer possible.”
Van Dijk resigned as deputy on December 1, a position he has held since July 2023. In a short statement he said at the time that he experienced too much opposition from his own faction and also had to deal with threats. Now he explains that decision.
According to Van Dijk, the problems started after Gert-Jan Schuinder, then party leader of the BBB, joined the board as Jisse Otter’s successor. “In the beginning the collaboration went fantastic,” he says in the Radio Drenthe program Cassata. “But we found ourselves pitted against each other more and more often. It started to chafe.”
“He has to take control, I once told him. You can’t sit at every kitchen table. That’s what we have civil servants for,” said Van Dijk. “You obviously have to listen to your residents, but we are there to ensure that things ultimately happen.”
Van Dijk was particularly stuck on files within his nature portfolio. “I have regularly had to say: let me do my job. There is a coalition agreement, it has the signature of the BBB. Then you have to let me do my thing.” According to Van Dijk, this led to endless questions, delays and sometimes even negative votes from his own group.
A concrete example is the fauna tunnels under provincial roads. “That didn’t cost us a cent, the money was earmarked. A no-brainer,” says Van Dijk. The fauna tunnels were also built, but the BBB faction still voted against. “That scared me.”
Van Dijk started to want to leave, but after discussions with the faction, fellow directors and then King’s Commissioner Jetta Klijnsma, he stayed. “Jetta really did her very best to keep things together. But I felt like it didn’t get any better. At a certain point I said: this far and no further.”
Van Dijk emphasizes that not the entire BBB faction was against him. “There are also quite a few who have supported me on all sides, I would like to say that.” Yet, according to him, a small group left a heavy mark on the party’s sound.
In addition to the political tensions, Van Dijk had to deal with intimidation, including around the wolf dossier. “I have had letters sent to my private address. So they know exactly where you live.”
The threats prompted a security scan by the Center for Crime Prevention and Security. “My wife works from home, with small children. You simply cannot take that risk.” The scaled-up security is still in effect. “That will remain,” he sighs.
Van Dijk calls his eventual departure as deputy ‘bizarre’. “You go from one hundred to zero in one day. That’s really kicking.” Still, he stands behind his decision. “They didn’t throw me under the bus. I made my own decision.”
He is positive about his successor Henk Emmens. His advice is clear: “Make sure you implement the council agreement. We have to get rid of the nitrogen lock, otherwise Drenthe will be locked down.”
Van Dijk does not yet know what the future will bring. “I have a lot of cups of coffee and walks coming up.” One thing is clear: he has no regrets. “I could no longer remain seated on behalf of that club.”