Groningen’s provincial politicians have taken a stand to officially promote the beloved eierbal under the name “Groninger Eierbal,” RTV Noord reports. The initiative, spearheaded by GroenLinks, aims to preserve the snack’s unique regional identity following an unexpected name change in another city.
GroenLinks member Hendri Meendering led the effort after the eierbal was rebranded as the “Keierbal” in Amersfoort, named after the city’s nickname, Keistad. Meendering found that unacceptable, comparing it to the idea of renaming iconic regional treats like the Bossche Bol or Limburgse Vlaai in other parts of the country.
A snackrifice for tradition: Groningen politician’s eierbal advocacy
In a provincial meeting, Meendering’s party proposed a motion to promote the eierbal exclusively as the Groninger Eierbal. While some parties, including ChristenUnie, SP, Partij voor de Dieren, PVV, Forum voor Democratie, VVD, and Partij voor het Noorden, did not see the necessity, a political majority still supported the motion.
“I didn’t enter politics to defend the eierbal, but it is part of Groningen’s pride and culture,” said Meendering after the vote. The action, though lighthearted, underscores the importance of regional identity and cultural pride, Meendering suggests.
Despite its undertones, the campaign is meant to be playful. Meendering emphasizes that provincial politicians should always associate the eierbal with Groningen but won’t act as language police if they don’t. “No, we won’t do that,” he promises. “It should be clear to everyone that the eierbal is the Groninger Eierbal.”
Bite-sized politics: The Groninger Eierbal gets its moment
Coincidentally, this year’s provincial congress will be held in Amersfoort, the city of the Keierbal. Meendering has lobbied for the Groninger Eierbal to be served at the event, though it is still uncertain if this will happen. Regardless of the outcome, his dedication to the cause is evident.
While Meendering hopes the political debate over the snack is now settled, he leaves room for future lighthearted engagements. “I think we’ll let it rest for now. We’ll approach it in a fun way if it comes up again.”
