Jeroen Dijsselbloem (56) was officially installed as the new mayor of Eindhoven on Tuesday evening. He thus succeeds John Jorritsma, who hung the mayor’s chain on the willows after six years on Monday evening. For the new mayor, the evening was extra special because his mother was there.
Dijsselbloem is very much looking forward to his new challenge. “For me, Eindhoven is past and future. It all feels very familiar. I’m looking forward to it.”
Jeroen Dijsselbloem was welcomed in the council chamber together with his wife, two sons and mother to loud applause. The installation evening was filled with a lot of humor, speeches, tips and here and there an entertaining blunder.
Very special for the brand new mayor was that his mother was there. “That’s fantastic. She has always been very important to the family, and still is. She is still super sharp and involved and she still follows it all closely.”
“I am the first to congratulate the municipality of Helmond.”
His predecessors Jorritsma and Van Gijzel were also present at his installation, as were his fellow mayors Depla van Breda and Blanksma van Helmond. The evening was filled with speeches, with Blanksma inadvertently making the entire council chamber laugh. “I would like to first congratulate the municipality of Helmond,” the vice-chairman of the Eindhoven Metropolitan Area said wrongly. She quickly corrected: “I mean the council.”
Blanksma also explained something about Dijsselbloem, which she could not share before: “You received tutoring in Helmond. Maths lessons, that is, at the Carolus. mayor.
“A lot of things are still recognizable, but many places have also changed beyond recognition.”
Dijsselbloem is born and raised in Eindhoven. He is very excited about his new job. “That’s great fun. A lot of things are still recognizable, but many places have also changed beyond recognition, such as the nightlife street Stratumseind.”
The municipality of Eindhoven seems to have to get used to the name of the new mayor. During his speech his name was misspelled: J. Dijselbloem, an s was missing. But Dijsselbloem did not let himself be disturbed.
“I’m looking forward to it, let’s get started.”
At the end of the evening he gets the chain of office hung. With the chain around his neck, the mayor walks back to his seat in the middle of the room with a broad smile and full of pride.
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Dijsselbloem closes the evening: “I’m looking forward to it, let’s get to work.” On Wednesday morning, the new mayor can start immediately. He has not yet found a house in ‘his’ city. The mayor is still busy house hunting on Funda.
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