Geldrop-Mierlo coalition and opposition diametrically at odds

The opposition submitted a motion of censure during the budget debate. Furthermore, the opposition decided last week to temporarily no longer participate in the political debates. “We already felt that we were not really being taken seriously,” says Monica Leenders, party leader of Wij zijn Geldrop-Mierlo/VVD, “and this feeling has only become stronger.

Leenders believes that during the budget debate there was hardly any substantive response to the questions from the opposition parties. “We clearly felt unheard. I understand that the coalition finds our action ‘childish’, but if our opinion does not count, we might as well remain silent.”

Silent protest

By not responding to anything during committee meetings in the first term, the five factions staged a kind of silent protest. Leenders: “We knew in advance that the relationships in the municipal council were a bit off. The coalition has – provided the ranks are closed – more votes than the opposition.”

So according to Leenders it is very simple: “As long as they all support their alderman and agree with everything the board comes up with, we can respond as we please, but we will never be ‘right’. This became painfully clear again during the last council meeting.”

Signal

According to CDA faction leader Mark van Schaijk, the opposition has sent a clear signal by not participating in the debates. Although he does not have the idea that there is no good cooperation in the council.

“The situation between the coalition and the opposition was of course also an issue in the previous council period, so in my opinion we have to do something with this criticism. Incidentally, as the CDA we sometimes think very differently about certain matters than DGG and DPM and we certainly do not always form a united front. As the opposition claims.”

Conversation

But what next? “I do have the idea that the coalition parties have picked up our signal,” Leenders notes. “During the last committee meeting, the input from the coalition parties was at least greater.” And then with a wink: “It seemed that they were aware of our criticism.”

The CDA has invited the opposition parties for a meeting. An extra meeting with all party leaders has been scheduled for early December anyway. Mayor Jos van Bree intends to get the parties on the same page (again). Leenders: “After this meeting, we will see how we will proceed as opposition.”