An emotional Dennis Ram bids farewell to city council: “My mission was not yet complete”

Party leader Dennis Ram of PVV bid farewell to the city council on Wednesday evening. Ram continues to be the Member of Parliament for The Hague.

Ram was elected as a councilor in the municipal elections of March 2022. “I would not have dared to dream that it would happen like this,” Ram says in his closing speech. “I did not expect that I would be nominated as an MP, and I also did not expect that we would be the second party in Groningen in last week’s election. And I realize that last week was not a good evening for everyone. But believe me: as a party we have been defeated in eight consecutive elections. We know what it feels like.”

Mayor Koen Schuiling (VVD): “From a small group to a bigger one”
The politician stood at the 26th place in the House of Representatives election. When the list was created, this did not seem to be a worthy position. Mayor Koen Schuiling: “From the smallest group in the council, you are now going to the largest group in the Parliament. Your story reads like a children’s book. Something you could not imagine in your wildest dreams, and now it is happening. And that makes you the third councilor to leave for The Hague in this session of the council (Julian Bushoff, GroenLinks-PvdA, and Jimmy Dijk, SP, preceded Ram in this session, red.) We can say that Groningen is a good breeding ground, a breeding ground, for political talents.

“You were busy in the suburbs and villages”
Schuiling: “When you came to power you told us that we should have warned you if you were speaking openly. That has never been an issue. You have shaped your council membership in your own way. You were very active in the townships and villages, and the many contacts you have with the residents were shown here in the council. You were active on many topics: energy labels, casinos, nuisance in all possible forms, abuses in the world of real estate, advertising taxes. The suggestions you presented were not always successful. The purchase of the nuclear reactor in Emsland did not proceed. But many of the points you helped put forward were passed. And you sign it. You took a constructive stance. You were looking for a partnership. Also in the presidency and in the audit committee.”

“Politics as medicine”
“And you said goodbye to success. During the last council meeting, a motion from you to deal with domestic violence was passed unanimously. Due to the topics on the agenda that evening, this success was somewhat overlooked, which is why I remember it now. We knew you as When you started as a councilor, you said that politics helped you overcome your agoraphobia. red.) However, without much tension, you were able to give a speech to a hundred people. You have shown that personal change is possible. That if you really want something, you can overcome your fear. And that makes you an example to many people.”

Dennis Ram: “I had found my place in the council”
Ram is vocally delighted with the song: “I feel overwhelmed by all the good words. I have experienced the past week as a rollercoaster. It was overwhelming. I would like to thank everyone for the compliments and cooperation over the past few years. I had really found my place here in the city council, and I also have a feeling that my mission is not yet complete. I will be replaced by Kelly Blauw. He has made his mark on the party, and in him I have a worthy successor. I hope he will be received as happily as I was received.”

“thank you”
The politician was emotional: “I would like to thank all the groups for their cooperation. but also the office of clerk and aldermen. In recent years I have often had the opportunity to have cups of coffee with aldermen to propose topics. I would really like to thank the municipal council for the opportunity. That was great.”