Interview with DWARSe candidate Suzanne Vrielink #4

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?

My name is Suzanne Vrielink, 28 years old and I have been living in Amersfoort for almost three years.

Why are you running for the Provincial Assembly elections?

In the past, I have been very active for GroenLinks, but in the past two years I started focusing on other things. I came to the conclusion that I actually really miss being involved in politics. When the call to stand as a candidate for the Provincial Council elections came, it started itching for the umpteenth time and I turned everything upside down and wrote.

What do you do in daily life?

Until recently, I was working within a welfare organisation. Since at this organisation they preferred not to have people stand for election, I decided to quit my job. Since early November, I became self-employed within the socio-cultural domain, something I had also wanted to try for some time. So basically, I killed two birds with one stone.

Have you done anything in politics before?

Yes, I became politically active nine years ago:first in the support group of GroenLinks Overijssel and not much later as a committee member. In 2012, I was volunteer coordinator at GroenLinks's National Office during the Lower House elections. After the disappointing election results, I continued to do all sorts of things there for several years. Among other things, I set up a national volunteer team and experienced many campaigns up close.

Have you had a political passion for a long time?

Actually, I do. I almost dare not say it, but in primary school I knew almost the entire House of Representatives by heart. I was always socially involved; I did a lot for charities. Only later in life did I realise that I could become politically active myself. At first, I was quite excited about going to party meetings when I joined GroenLinks, but soon I felt completely at home among all the nice people!

Why is GroenLinks the party for you?

Despite the fact that my parents used to vote a bit differently, I have always known I was a GroenLinkser. Of course because I support the party's green and left-wing views, but also because I find change very interesting and important. For me, GroenLinks is also still the only party that really comes up with good alternative ideas when they disagree with something and always continues to believe in change and improvement. That appeals to me enormously and makes me proud to be part of it.

Who is your great role model?

Bram van Ojik, not only as a politician, but also as a human being. And outside politics, it's Claudia de Breij. She has really inspired me since childhood.

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

For some time now, I have been quite concerned about people's perception of democracy and politics. I think it is very important that we all make sure we regain trust within all political layers. This can be achieved by being as open and transparent as possible and being more at the forefront of change, so that policies stay in tune with what is going on in society. Think sustainable initiatives, but also encouraging new forms of work and new ways of living.

Why are these elections so important?

The Provincial Council deals with very essential things, such as more roads or good public transport, culture, housing, nature and much more; subjects that directly affect your daily life. In addition, of course, the members of the Provincial Council elect the Upper House, so indirectly your vote for the Provincial Council is also a vote for the Upper House elections. If the proportions in the Upper House change, the government could have a pretty tough time.

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

Many things are obviously important for everyone, but what I think is really important for young people is that enough affordable housing is added in the province. This as much as possible within existing towns and villages, to preserve nature and, of course, it is also much nicer to live in the middle of a town or village than in a suburb! Furthermore, I would like to get involved with young people with a distance to the labour market.

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

In the previous campaign in Overijssel, I did that by joining forces with other young candidates from all kinds of parties to get young people to the polls. I would like to do something similar now if others are open to it. Fortunately, we have a large DWARS branch here that is already working very hard on that! Should I end up in the Provincial Council, I would like to get people involved by talking to and visiting initiatives and projects related to the issues we are talking about, to get inspired and get more information.

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

A healthy and tolerant province where there is room for everyone.

What are your plans, should you not get elected?

Then I will invest some extra time in my brand-new business and set up my own projects in addition to assignments I am already doing. And, of course, see what else I could do for GroenLinks.

What is your favourite animal?

A cow, but actually also an elephant. But within the province of Utrecht, it is therefore a cow! 😉

What is your guilty pleasure?

Sesame Street! Especially Tommie!