From student to alderman: “I ensure political decisions reflect residents’ needs.”

Dynamic and interesting.

I look back with a smile, knowing I made the most of my time as a student. The university offers so many opportunities if you are willing to get involved. For example, I joined my study association, Sirius, and the diving club. And the master’s introduction period was a highlight: it was a fantastic way to discover what the university and the city of Enschede have to offer to students.

My Master’s was dynamic also because my political career had already begun. I was a candidate for the House of Representatives, and then I became an alderman in the city of Losser while I was still writing my master’s thesis. I will never forget how my lecturers and study advisor understood I couldn’t put politics on hold in order to finish my thesis. I am very grateful to them for their support during that hectic time.

I wear two hats: I am a deputy mayor, so I assist the mayor and step in when he is absent, and I am also responsible for the energy, economy, and city centre portfolios. My role is to make policies and ensure the goals we have set in Deventer are achieved. For that, I work with different groups: the government employees, who need to understand and carry out the policies, and the municipal councillors, whom I need to persuade to back my proposals. I am also in direct contact with the residents, whose lives are affected by these decisions. Sometimes I feel like I am playing chess on three boards at once.

For example, we need more wind turbines along the motorway. Some residents aren’t keen on this prospect, but we have European climate and energy targets we need to meet. My role is to talk with residents – what do they want, what do they think of these plans? –, convince the municipal council, and work with the government employees to execute the policy.

I can see the results of my work directly on the streets and in people’s lives. I also like the political dimension: working with people from different political parties and trying to find common ground and one solution we all agree on. That is challenging, but it is what makes my work exciting.

I chose this Master’s because I wanted to learn more about the link between the European and local levels. For example, what do major EU decisions on energy transition, agriculture, or housing mean for municipalities and residents? My master’s thesis gave me a solid foundation, too. I explored a question that hadn’t been studied before: municipalities often work together regionally to meet EU goals, but is that more effective than acting locally? My research showed that some decisions should be made on a regional level and others on a local level, involving residents. In addition to all that knowledge, the skills I developed during my Master’s, such as presenting and defending my ideas in front of a room full of people, are valuable in my work.

I became an alderman at 27, which is young for that role, so I was surrounded by senior government employees and deputy mayors with decades of experience. That was challenging, but it taught me to be confident, especially as I speak in front of 39 municipal councillors about major decisions or answer questions from national media. I also learned to talk in simple, clear terms so that everyone can understand me.

I would like to have made progress on the energy transition. That could be through a green energy heating network and using hydrogen in the local economy. I also hope that in ten years we will be less polarised around climate and the energy transition.

Build your network and follow your interests. In my case, that was joining a political party, but for others, that might be connecting with private firms, non-governmental organisations, or something else. Also, see your master’s thesis as a kind of kick-starter for your career: choose a topic you want to learn more about and that connects you to the direction you would like to take. That can open doors later on.