Celebration and disappointment for students on the ballot in Rotterdam

EM interviewed five students last week who were running for the Rotterdam municipal council. The day after, we take stock: who makes it into the council and who (just) misses out?

Of the five students who spoke about their campaign last week, only law student Mina Morkoç will take a seat on the municipal council for GroenLinks-PvdA. Morkoç has already represented GroenLinks in the council for the past four years and, with the support of voters, can continue for another four. Her party became the largest in Rotterdam and won 11 seats in total. On her Instagram, she can be seen celebrating exuberantly with the green-red party.

Shattered dream

For Lili Laki, a dream has been shattered. She was third on the SP list, but the socialists secured only one seat. On her Instagram, the 20-year-old history student says she is disappointed. “I would be lying if I said this does not affect me mentally, I am currently devastated.” She is, however, grateful to everyone who voted for her: “The fact that there are people who entrusted their single vote to me makes me very emotional. It is a feeling I cannot describe, thank you.”

SGP lead candidate and master’s student in Economics, Maurits Verhoeven, also failed to secure a seat on the council. It was the first time the SGP participated without the ChristenUnie, but with just over 1,600 votes this proved insufficient for a seat.

The new youth party Rotterdam Next, for which IBA student Finn Kranendonk was listed in eighth place, will not enter the council. The nearly 2,500 votes were not enough for a seat.

Kim Chieuw, a student at the academic primary teacher training programme, who was tenth on the D66 list, will be less disappointed not to have won a seat, as D66 had 5 seats and will retain 5.