Elections huge success for parties, Aeffix wins

When the new University Council starts in September, Aeffix will be the largest party. The party of list leader Patryk Jarmakowicz obtained five of the twelve student seats during the elections. Erasmus Alliance and Liberi Erasmi each won three seats.

In a first reaction by telephone, Jarmakowicz says he is ‘very proud’ of his team. “I am very curious how the system of parties will turn out and whether we will form a coalition, for example.” Jarmakowicz extends a hand to the other two parties: “We invite them for a dialogue, because we want to avoid spending a lot of time on party politics instead of bringing about change at the university.”

Erin van Gestel is the only individual candidate who secured a seat. She obtained 261 votes, more than the 144 required for the electoral threshold and almost twice as many as the second independent candidate. That candidate was exactly six votes short of a seat.

Poor turnout

Parties participated in the University Council elections for the first time. Seven candidates were listed as independent candidates. Only if an electoral threshold was reached (75 per cent of the votes required for a seat) a list was eligible for a residual seat. As a result, Aeffix, Erasmus Alliance and Liberi Erasmi gained two, two and one residual seats respectively.

Despite the new electoral system, the turnout for the elections wasn’t exactly overwhelming. Only 5.4 per cent of the 43,000 students entitled to vote casted it, more than one percentage point lower than last year. In previous years, the turnout usually hovered around 10 percent.

Van Wel retires

On behalf of Aeffix, Sandra Constantinou, Friso Roos, Tom van Dijken and Veerle Bakker will join the council alongside Jarmakowicz. For the first three students it will be their second year in the council. Two familiar faces also return for Erasmus Alliance, namely Simo Azzarhouni and Cagla Altin. Wesley Hennep completes the trio. Liberi Erasmi also provides three council members, all new faces: Nawin Ramcharan, Wincey Randoe and Iwany Alberts.

Among the staff seats, only the seat of General Administration, Professional Services and IT was up for grabs this year, due to the upcoming retirement of long-serving councillor John van Wel. Jaap Cornelese was the only candidate and will succeed him. The other eleven members of the council will continue for another year.