Jouke Spoelstra (CDA) will be allowed to wear the chain of office in the municipality of Westerveld from May. Tonight he was told that he will be the new mayor of the municipality.
34-year-old Spoelstra lives in the Frisian municipality of Achtkarspelen, where he has been an alderman since 2016. Before that he was a councilor. He moves with his family to the municipality of Westerveld.
“We knew I could be called, so we sat on the couch waiting,” says Spoelstra, laughing, when asked about an initial reaction to his nomination as mayor. “I am very happy, but at the same time I also find it very exciting.”
He must succeed mayor Rikus Jager in Westerveld, who will retire in mid-May. Jager has been mayor of the municipality of Westerveld since 2010, making him one of the longest-serving mayors in Drenthe.
Spoelstra was chosen from 27 candidates. Eight of the applicants are members of the VVD, six of the CDA, four of the PvdA, one is a member of the Christian Union and one applicant is a member of a local party. Seven people interested in running for mayor are not members of a political party or have not mentioned one.
According to the confidential committee, which is composed by the municipal council, Spoelstra is the best candidate because he is enthusiastic, approachable and communicative. “Spoelstra is someone who sees the power of villages and knows how to use them,” says the committee.
Spoelstra is further described as “a real countryman who, as a born and bred Frisian, has announced that he wants to speak Drenthe within a year.” He also acknowledges that the regional character is of paramount importance to the Frisians.
“The countryside is very important to me and my wife. We both grew up in the countryside and the down-to-earth and common sense appeal to me. Looking after each other also plays a role. After all, you want your children to grow up in a safe environment. “, said the new mayor.
The appointment of Spoelstra, who was eleventh on the CDA’s electoral list at the last House of Representatives elections, must still be approved by the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. If that happens, Spoelstra is expected to be sworn in in May.