Marco has been calling for years that things must be different and now wants to start with himself. Nicole wants to tackle intensive livestock farming and Bert wants to let his common sense speak. They are three of the sixteen participants in the Politically Active course for people who want to run for a place on the plush in Den Bosch in the elections for Provincial Council next year.
In March 2023, the cards will be shuffled again in the Provincial Council, but who will provide fresh blood in the Statenzaal?
The sixteen of them attended the course of the independent organization ProDemos on Monday evening. But who are those students and why do they see a future in provincial politics?
“I don’t really know what the province is doing.”
Marco from Lage Zwaluwe is still a student, works on an arable farm and has been interested in politics for a few years now. “A lot is happening in politics. I have been saying for years that things should be different and now I thought: why don’t I just start with myself? I have already joined a political party and now I want to see if there is anything wrong with that. something more in it.”
Marco really needs the course, he says. “The province is in between the central government and the municipalities, but I don’t really know what is really being decided here. If I know that well, then I can see myself sitting here in the end. Then you can really do something like representative of the people.”
“I’m motivated to tackle big issues.”
Almost all students are members of a political party. A few have already sat on a city council or have stood for election. Nicole is a veterinarian and member of the Party for the Animals. Despite her busy job, she wants to be able to make a difference in politics. And the province may be the best place for her, she says.
“It’s about where you can exert influence. I think it’s important to tackle the big issues, the intensive livestock farms. Then you have to go to the province and not to the city council.”
“Measuring is knowing, also in politics.”
Bert from Willemstad also sees a place in the Provincial Council. He is already active for the party Independent Moerdijk in the city council. He would like to secure a place for the BoerBurgerBeweging. “But you first have to understand how it works before you can do something with your ideas,” he says. He comes from the hospital world: “To measure is to know. It’s that simple. That applies in the hospital world, but also in life. Call it common sense.”
Five evening courses are planned. After this first, especially a lesson on Constitutional Law, there are a lot of important things on the program in the coming period. From decision-making within the province to a lesson in provincial finance. The students also receive lessons in debating.
The question is how many students after these evenings think they have enough meat to get through those Provincial Council meetings. We will know that after June 27. And then they might be on their party’s list in March 2023.