Tonight is the installation of the new councilors. Although the city councils mainly consist of older white men, new talent is rattling at the gate. Because the two youngest councilors in Drenthe, both only nineteen years old, want to shake things up considerably.
“I think it’s very important that people, no matter how young or old they are, engage in politics,” says Patricia Lauffer. “I can imagine that young people find politics boring, but I don’t think that at all. So I really want to be a voice for people who have nothing to do with politics.”
dusty image
Lauffer is nineteen years old and comes from Beilen. With 253 preferential votes she flew into the council of Central Drenthe. She ended up in third place in the PvdA and thus obtains a council seat. Her mission is clear. “You can really make a difference in politics,” she says. “All my life I’ve been angry about the inequalities in the world and in politics you can really do something about that.”
She also hopes to dust off the ‘dusty image’ of her party. “The PvdA has the image that there are many old people,” she says. “But I hope to change that. We now have a very nice young club, so that image has already improved.”
From home
Liselot Raat from Meppel also faces a new adventure. The nineteen-year-old represents the VVD and was surprised that she was elected. “I was in fifth place, but the VVD only got four seats,” she says. “In the first instance, I was left out. But then it turned out that I still got a seat with preferential votes.”
Raat was born with politics, because her mother Annigje Udinga is a Member of Parliament for the VVD. But that influence is limited, she believes. “Without her I would also have had political interests,” Raat thinks. “And we also disagree with each other,” she laughs. “It’s good if it clashes every now and then and we can form our own opinion.”
Minister of Health
Although both women are only at the beginning of their political careers, they have a clear ambition. “Become Minister of Health”, Raat shouts bluntly. “I am now studying medicine and trying to use that knowledge. My goal is to stimulate prevention instead of cure. I am already trying to do that in Meppel.”
Lauffer also sees a future in The Hague. “I hope to strengthen the position of women, but also, for example, reduce the wage differences between men and women. There is plenty of work to do,” she concludes.