Significant increase in voter turn-out for University Council

The Student Coalition received slightly more votes than the current largest faction, Liberi Erasmi. Both parties will now have four seats each. OUR Erasmus (3) and Erasmus International (1) also secured seats. This means all twelve seats for students in the council have been filled. As was the case last year, no individual candidate surpassed the electoral threshold.

Of all the candidates of the Student Coalition, Deniz Alican received the highest number of votes, which is remarkable for someone in sixth place on the list. “I worked very hard on my campaign. I was on campus five days a week, ten hours a day”, she explains her electoral success. “My aim wasn’t just to secure votes, but to really build a connection with students. Some have even become friends.”

In the council, she aims to advocate for international students, who are under pressure due to the new internationalisation law, particularly in Psychology, her programme. “Erasmus thrives on international students, so I want to be the voice of all of them.”

Last year, Liberi was the largest party with five seats, but they have lost one this time. The Coalition, on the other hand, has grown from three to four seats. Among all EUR students, 15.1 per cent cast their vote, compared to 9.8 per cent last year, which was already a record.

This year’s election results were presented for the first time during a public hearing. In a lecture hall in the Theil Building, the Central Election Office reviewed five complaints about irregularities during the campaign. Candidates can have their campaign budget reduced if they violate the regulations.

None of the complaints were upheld. However, a complaint regarding disruptive campaign actions at study locations may lead to an addition to the campaign regulations, to ban campaigning in study areas.

This year, staff members had limited options in the elections. Only at the faculties of Erasmus School of Law and the Erasmus School of Philosophy were elections held. At both faculties, the incumbent council members retained their seats: Federica Violi in Law and Max Wagenaar in Philosophy.

There was no interest in the seat at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus MC, and Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, leaving three of the twelve seats temporarily vacant. Elections will be held again later this year for these faculties. At five other departments, candidates obtained their seats without elections.

The new council will commence after the summer.