Mayor Femke Halsema’s plan to ban foreign tourists from coffee shops will definitely not win a majority in the city council. With this so-called i-criterion, the number of coffee shops in the city would decrease considerably. There seems to be broad support in the council for a ban on smoking on the street.
On Thursday evening, the General Affairs Committee will debate the proposal of the triangle: the mayor, the police and the Public Prosecution Service (OM). It had been hanging above the market for some time that the i-criterion would be defeated in the council. Despite the triangle’s last offensive, most of the factions, including the coalition (PvdA, GroenLinks and D66) are against.
At the start of the debate Claire Martens (VVD) did express support. “I walk through a weed smoke every day. Is this the city I want my daughter to grow up in?” said the party leader who gave birth thirteen weeks ago. “Many residents wonder when we will help them. The i-criterion is not a goal, but a means to achieve the goal of doing something about the nuisance.”
Street dealers
Opponents of the plan are particularly concerned about the increase in street dealers in the inner city. “We oversee a massive shift to street trade. We think it is unwise to opt for millions of illegal drug transactions,” said Rob Hofland (D66).
PvdA member Fatiya Abdi outlined a difficult dilemma for her group. “Politics is about setting priorities. I think vulnerable young people are more important. We have to give them the opportunity not to end up in crime. I know what it’s like to grow up in a vulnerable environment and how thin the line is to get into crime to end up.”
Abdi did suggest doing something about places in the city where there is an overconcentration of coffee shops. D66 also saw something in tackling shops in the city that sell products associated with cannabis.
Hofland also suggested the idea of a strict supervisory framework, which will be included in a covenant with the coffee shops. “This gives us access to the books. We can check coffee shops that refuse more rigorously. We can give advantages to coffee shops that do participate, such as having a larger stock.”
JA21’er Nanninga, a proponent of the plan, took something positive for himself from the debate: “I am happy to see that the left-wing parties can indeed stand up for entrepreneurs. I think the coffee shop owners are happy with that.” She said she did not believe in the fear of other parties that many more young people would end up in crime.
Blow ban
There seems to be a majority in the council for a smoking ban on the street. Coalition party PvdA is in favour, but also the largest opposition party is VVD.
Now that there is definitely no majority, the i-criterion will most likely fail. Halsema already added AT5 not to use its authority to proceed with the plan without the support of the council.
The mayor did pass the council during preventive searches. “That is also different. That is an isolated measure that is being introduced temporarily. This measure has major economic and social consequences – and I hope to find support in this with the council at least temporarily.”
The debate is currently ongoing. This article will be updated throughout the evening. Mayor Femke Halsema will answer questions from committee members later this evening.