Young and on the candidate list: Julia Matser #6

On 15 March are the Provincial Council elections. What is there to choose? Ahead of the elections, we talk to some of GroenLinks's young candidates and explain why they are standing as candidates. In this interview, you can read more about Julia Matser, number 6 on the list.

Who are you, where are you from and what do you do in daily life?

Julia Matser. I grew up in Amsterdam, and have been living in Utrecht for almost 11 years now. I work at the municipality of Den Bosch on youth aid to ensure that young people, if there are problems, can still continue to live at home or in a family situation as much as possible. I find it very important in my work not to talk about young people, but with young people!

Which celebrity, dead or alive, would you like to have another coffee with?

AOC and Fresku

What is your most controversial opinion?

How Russia/Ukraine is now being talked about in the Netherlands further inflames the conflict. In doing so, we are not bringing the end of the conflict any closer.

I also oppose a GL-PvdA merger.

Why are you running for provincial elections and why for GroenLinks?

I have been a political junky, enthusiastic debater and climate activist/anti-racist/feminist for years. GroenLinks is the party that not only wants change, but also takes power and gets to work making change happen. In the province, we can make sure there are enough windmills, green agriculture and work with municipalities to make room for asylum seekers and newcomers. I would like to contribute to that.

What themes do you want to work for in the province?

Climate justice! No more big companies making all the profits, but windmills owned by groups of local citizens. Cutting down on making profits on necessities like energy anyway, seems nice.

Why is it important to vote in this election?

Climate! Nitrogen! Housing! Asylum seekers! All the crisis is there, and this moment you can do something kneiter concrete about it. So don't just go and vote, talk to people in your neighbourhood. Go along door-to-door or flyer at the train station. It's fun, super effective and you get karma points!

What do you want to do for young people in these elections and how do you plan to engage them more?

I try my best to be accessible on socials and physically. I want to join the DWARS campaign activities, I like to do debates for student associations and stick around after debates to continue talking. After the elections, I want to continue to seek out young people by visiting schools and youth interest groups.

On March 15th, the elections for the Provincial States take place in the Netherlands. What is there to choose from? Leading up to the elections, we speak with some young candidates from GroenLinks and they tell us why they are a candidate. In this interview, you will learn more about Julia Matser, number 6 on the list.

Who are you, where are you from, and what do you do in your daily life?

My name is Julia Matser. I grew up in Amsterdam and have been living in Utrecht for almost 11 years now. I work for the municipality of Den Bosch in youth care to ensure that young people can stay at home or in a family situation as much as possible when there are problems. I think it is very important that we not only talk about young people in my work, but also with them!

With which celebrity, dead or alive, would you like to have coffee with again?

AOC and Fresku.

What is your most controversial opinion?

The way the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is being talked about in the Netherlands is further escalating the conflict. This does not bring us closer to the end of the conflict. I am also against a merger between GL-PvdA.

Why are you a candidate for the Provincial States elections and why for GroenLinks?

I have been a political junkie, enthusiastic debater, and climate activist/anti-racist/feminist for years. GroenLinks is the party that not only wants change but also takes power and gets to work on realizing change. In the province, we can ensure that there are enough wind turbines, agriculture becomes more sustainable, and we make room with municipalities for asylum seekers and newcomers. I want to contribute to that.

For which themes do you want to make a difference in the Province?

Climate justice! No more big companies making all the profit, but wind turbines owned by groups of local citizens. In any case, stop making a profit on basic needs such as energy, sounds like fun.

Why is it important to vote in these elections?

Climate! Nitrogen! Housing! Asylum seekers! All crises are there, and at this moment, you can do something about it. So not only vote, but also talk to people in your environment. Join door-to-door campaigns or flyering at the station. It's fun, super effective, and you get karma points!

What do you want to mean for young people in these elections and how do you want to involve them more?

I'm doing my best to be accessible on social media and in person. I want to join in on the DWARS campaign activities, I'm happy to participate in debates for student associations and stick around after debates to chat. After the elections, I want to continue to reach out to young people by visiting schools and youth interest groups.