Cornelis Wilson, a retired Aruban professional and development planner, shared his experiences and concerns following the latest elections in Leiden, the Netherlands. Wilson, who actively participated with the local party ‘Partij Sleutelstad’, emphasizes the need to break away from traditional coalition management in order to achieve changes that truly benefit the people.
Wilson, who was born in Aruba and lived in Bonaire for a long time before settling in the Netherlands in 1999, views his party’s results as a historic achievement. ‘Partij Sleutelstad’ managed to double its representation, growing from 3 to 6 seats in the city council. However, the satisfaction with this growth is overshadowed by the political reality of forming a new coalition.
The Challenge of Traditional Coalitions
According to Wilson, the main problem remains the coalition that governed previously, which managed to maintain the necessary majority to stay in power. He expressed his regret that he did not succeed in convincing the larger parties to seek new alliances and break away from traditional structures prior to the election campaign.
“The traditional parties in the current coalition include D66, PvdA, GroenLinks, and CDA,” Wilson explained. For the development planner, this system often serves the interests of what he called “schaduwmachten” (shadow powers), where development is driven by private interests rather than necessarily those of the general population.
A Different Vision for Local Politics
Wilson underscores that ‘Partij Sleutelstad’ and ‘Studenten voor Leiden’ are the only two parties in Leiden that are not dominated by national structures like the VVD or D66. His main goal is to introduce a way of doing politics that is not based solely on traditional methods, but rather on creating alliances of trust and mutual aid that put the interest of the people first.
Continuous Commitment
Despite not holding a salaried position in the new administration, Wilson affirms that his commitment to the city of Leiden and its development remains firm. “I remain active in the concept of working for the community, even though I live off my pension,” he declared, adding with subtle humor that he could live much better if Aruba paid his full pension.
Cornelis Wilson remains an example of how the Aruban diaspora in the Netherlands continues to contribute their knowledge and experience to improve the quality of life in their new communities, without forgetting their roots and the need for transparency in governance.
