Mattias Gijsbertsen, a member of GroenLinks, has been selected to serve as the formateur for the left wing coalition at the municipality of Groningen.
Translation by Traci White
The Groninger Internet Courant reports that Gijsbertsen, who is currently an alderperson in Groningen, will get to work on the creation of the firmly left wing coalition. Glimina Chakor, the GroenLinks faction leader in Groningen, announced that Gijsbertsen would serve as the formateur on Wednesday.
Ineke van Gent had served as the informateur for the parties in recent weeks and advised the formation of a coalition between GroenLinks and ChristenUnie, D66 and the PvdA. Gijsberten will now oversee the next phase of the formal realisation of the coalition. The new municipal council members will begin their term on 2 January.
GroenLinks were the big winners in the November municipal elections, securing eleven seats out of 45 in the newly formed municipal council for Groningen, Haren and Ten Boer. Democrats 66 had previously been the largest party, but they went from nine seats to five.
VVD and SP
The current coalition consists of D66 (Democrats 66), GroenLinks (Green Left), the VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy) and PvdA (Labour). The VVD was informed earlier this week that they would not be included in the new coalition government. VVD alderperson and top candidate Joost van Keulen called the decision to exclude the VVD as “unwise and disappointing.”
Members of the SP (Socialist Party) also expressed their disappointment at being excluded from the coalition formation talks. Informateur Van Gent recommended the four party coalition would be the most stable option.
Gijsbertsen has been an alderperson for GroenLinks in Groningen since 2014. His portfolio includes sustainability, public health, youth care, sustainability, ecology, integration and animal welfare.
