House of cards scenes in Amsterdam South
Stijn Nijssen (33) would have imagined Wednesday evening differently. The young and talented VVD member was obliged to be suitable as a new director in the South district. The evening was bad for him when he heard that nine of the fifteen members did not want to see him as a driver here.
The vote was anonymous, but it was clear that GroenLinks, the PvdA and his own VVD were not at all interested in his coming to implement the coalition policy in the Zuid district. Give them a go. Why should a VVD member want plans that are at odds with the VVD ideology? Nijssen also acknowledged that it was a choice between two evils – standing on the sidelines or putting ‘accents’ on the agreement as a VVD member.
It was not surprising that GroenLinksers turned against Nijssen that evening. Members were already displeased that they had to give up their board position in South to the VVD because of ‘couleur locale’, which has even grown. In addition, GroenLinks district committee members can decide for themselves whether they agree with a director.
That is slightly different with the PvdA – the members have given their blessing in advance to the coalition agreement and therefore also to a VVD board seat. That they are now to strangers after all: you would expect that the PvdA had agreed with the members in advance to agree to the appointment in order to prevent a false start of the new city council.
Still politically amateurish: the VVD initially thinks it will get the Public and Security portfolio in South. According to party chairman of the VVD Paul Luijten, this was promised by the party chairman of the PvdA, Toon Geenen. According to Geenen, there was ‘undoubtedly’ some contact, but he says he had no role in it ‘formally’. A strange situation, because the negotiations at the PvdA were done by Moorman and Mbarki. Has Geenen passed them by?
the entire House of cards-The situation in South is beginning to take on embarrassing forms. VVD members are angry, the PvdA fails, GroenLinks is angry, but could unexpectedly be the winner if it is allowed to deliver a director to South, resulting in D66 being angry because it is the only coalition party to deliver one less director. Free shooting in the city council.
The soap can become complete if the municipal council decision to appoint Nijssen ‘just’. More realistic is that he withdraws. Does he still feel like doing this if there is resistance and does he want the years as one muppet of the central city be seen? With its withdrawal, the VVD can again focus on its important task: conducting good opposition.
Amsterdam deserves that.
Political reporter David Hielkema In ‘Republic of Amsterdam’ highlights a political topic from the city.
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