Soap box debate on the street in Heemstede: “Cool initiative, they should have done it sooner”

At 2:45 pm someone shouts through a microphone again that a soapbox debate is about to take place. Although, they are officially not soap boxes, but auction boxes. “Picked up at a bulb company in Lisserbroek and reinforced by my father-in-law,” said a VVD politician. “Otherwise they will fall through,” laughs the father-in-law. Quiet jazz sounds from a speaker. The first interested people take a seat on the folding chairs. Soon some more uptempo music is played to make it all a bit more energetic.

It debate is organized by the Facebook group ‘Politiek Café Heemstede’, a group of politically involved Heemsteden residents. Since the last debate had to continue without an audience due to a number of corona infections, they thought an alternative had to be found.

At 3 p.m. it’s time. The seven parties present themselves on their boxes. They have all put on their club colours, now there are about sixty interested parties waiting for what is to come. The parties will all be given thirty seconds to introduce themselves and share their main priorities for the next four years. Housing, participation, healthcare and 30 km/h zones, for example. And then it’s the audience’s turn to ask questions.

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“What has been your greatest achievement in the past four years?” a lady asks first. Moments later it is Brannagh’s turn. He is 20 years old and has lived in Heemstede since 2009. He is the youngest in the audience. His family is also involved in local politics, but he would like to hear from all parties what they can do for the young people in the village.

“It’s good and safe here, but also really boring. And that’s what all my friends think,” says Brannagh. He would like it to become more sparkling in the village for him and his peers. “Look at the shops here. They are just old-fashioned brands. It really needs to become more attractive for young starters, also in terms of selling homes.”

A swimming pool, youth council and affordable housing

GroenLinks tells Brannagh about the plans to build an ecological swimming pool for young people. “Because now they’re all jumping into ditches.” Or what about the new skating rink at the sports park. D66 talks about starting a youth council. Heemsteeds Burger Belang refers Brannagh to the eligible youngsters on their list. The young residents of Heemsteden can convey their wishes there. And there must be more affordable housing for first-time buyers, on that most parties agree. “Where on earth are you going to build them?”, an elderly resident of Heemstede wonders aloud.

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Brannagh hears it all. “I think this is a cool initiative, they should have done this last weekends among the shopping public. I think the turnout among young people is shameful. I do hope that they will vote in the coming days.”

‘Focus more on the future than on monuments’

Unfortunately, Brannagh has not heard the answer to his question today. “Same shit, different day”, he laughs. “I notice that many people prefer to leave it a little more old-fashioned here, which is a shame.” He gives the politicians one last personal advice through the microphone. “Stimulate the young people to come here. Heemstede is often at the bottom of their list. They are now more likely to go to Haarlem, Amsterdam or Zandvoort. Perhaps you should be a little more concerned with the future than with the monuments.”