Interview with DWARSe candidate Stijn Rombouts #32

You have decided: This time you are going to vote for a young person. One who can bring change to the province of Utrecht with a fresh perspective. (Or you're just interested of course ;)) But for whom? Don't panic! In the coming period, we will be interviewing all DWARSe candidates (=young candidates on GroenLinks's list) in the province of Utrecht. In this interview, you can read more about Suzanne Vrielink and why she is a candidate.

Who are you and where are you from?

I am Stijn Rombouts, 25 years old and born in beautiful Brabant in Breda. I did my bachelor's in Middelburg and have now been in Utrecht for a few years because of my master's. In the meantime, I have lost my heart to the Dom city.

Why are you running for the Provincial Assembly elections?

I applied for the Provincial Council elections because I really enjoy being a member of the Provincial Council and engaging with different civil society organisations. Alternating around the table with, for example, environmental organisations or citizens seems very interesting to me.

What do you do in daily life?

I am currently working on the final piece of my thesis about people arguing robustly about windmills in Drenthe. I am also the director of a film team and write songs in all genres of the rainbow. I have a love for video games and also enjoy extensive cooking immensely. If there is any time left, I can also be caught for an opinion piece on OverDWARS, TPO or Joop. My ambition for this year is to write more. My favourite topics are sustainability, freedom, veganism and answering the question "why is 'The Beatles' the best band ever?".

Have you done anything in politics before?

I worked for GroenLinks in the public service department at the national office during the year of the last parliamentary elections. There, I took care of people who knocked on GroenLinks's door with personal problems and really needed some extra love. It gave me a good feeling to help those people.I was also a board member for the province during that time, but I found out that my heart is more in politics than in the administrative side. For GroenLinks Utrecht, I chaired the local environmental working group for a while.

Have you had a political passion for a long time?

I have had an interest in green and left-wing thought since secondary school, but during my undergraduate studies I never found an outlet for it. In Middelburg, I felt little drawn to local politics. That changed enormously when I came to Utrecht. When I became active at GroenLinks, the little hobby of politics quickly got out of hand. Before I knew it, I was spending more than 30 hours a week at the national office.

Why is GroenLinks the party for you?

As far as I am concerned, the eco-crisis ahead is the biggest challenge for our generation. In my view, GroenLinks, besides being a party with a strong sustainable character, is also a party that is always willing to sit at the table to talk about that sustainability. Furthermore, GroenLinks's liberal character really appeals to me.

Who is your great role model?

A current role model for me is Lisa Westerveld. She is always engaged and both on social media and in real life, she always enters the conversation. To me, she is an example of someone who has not developed some kind of hard shell in The Hague, but has stayed very close to herself (or, at least it seems that way).

In terms of content, political philosopher John Rawls is a great inspiration for my way of thinking. His thought experiment where you could have been born as anyone makes me want to champion equality of opportunity; for now and also for future generations. His idea of justice applies well to sustainability issues. Would you consider it fair if you were born 50 years from now in a less livable world?

Which issues do you think are most important in this election?

The province deals with many important issues, especially with regard to infrastructure and the environment. All provinces also have a task when it comes to facilitating a transition to a sustainable Netherlands. I think it is very important for the province to involve as many people as possible in this transition. Going green is not a one-size-fits-all model, but requires a democratic approach from the bottom up. In shaping that approach lies an important role for the province.

Why are these elections so important?

We have about 18 years left to prevent the major impacts of climate change. So it is five past twelve and time for action. More clout for green parties in the province is key here.

What do you want to do for young people this election?

My generation is going to face serious consequences of climate change if we are not able to get the switch to green within 18 years. I want to be part of that switch to green and thus represent the interests of all young people.

How do you plan to reach/engage citizens/young people more in provincial politics?

As I mentioned above, a bottom-up democratic approach is important in making the province of Utrecht more sustainable. It is important that young people play a role in this. My generation understands the importance of sustainable development, but often feels powerless about it. It can be very difficult if even small choices lack participation. Think of a student in rented accommodation with little say in where his, her or them electricity comes from. Giving this group a seat at the negotiating table in local, regional as well as national politics is therefore of great importance.

If you had to sum up all your plans in one sentence, what would that sentence be?

Basket!

What are your plans, should you not get elected?

If I'm honest, I don't exactly know yet. I have almost finished my studies now and I don't yet have a clear picture of what I see myself doing in the coming years. I think it would be nice to work for a green organisation with a political character as well, but maybe I will also become a musician. In the next few weeks, I will explore this more.

What is your favourite animal?

I actually really like people, although my answer to this question varies from week to week.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Singing along with Jens Bosman (our DWARSe candidate number #16) rock hard to Marco Borsato - Ik leef niet meer voor jou.