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Meet the Council group and its support teams.
Council group
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Party leader
Jules Ortjens
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Council Member
Mart Den Heijer
Political assistant
Romy Frijters
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Political assistant
Ryan Wilmes
Political assistant
Danny Janssen
Secretary
Jessica Sleijpen
Public council meeting chair
Rebecca Warren
Support teams
Event & community lead
Robin Them
South Limburg Administration
Director
Luka Severens
Director
Wim Aarts
Director
Marleen Siebelt-Breebaart
Director
Collin Alberts
Maastricht is a unique European city. Together with South Limburg, Maastricht forms the hub of the Meuse-Rhine Euregion: an area the size of the Randstad, with 3.9 million inhabitants. Maastricht stands at a crossroads. Will we become the heart of Europe or a periphery of the Netherlands?
See here our spearheads we want to achieve through 2026 to become the beating heart of Europe.
Spearheads
No housing crisis for students
More text to follow soon!
Housing
Realization Student Campus
More text to follow soon!
Housing
Affordable housing for all
More text to follow soon!
Housing
Realization of flexible zoning plans
More text to follow soon!
Housing
Feeling safe in the Euroregion
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Diverse & safe city
A diverse and inclusive city
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Diverse & safe city
Countering nuisances in the city
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Diverse & safe city
Countering economic inequality
Volt believes that economic inequality is the source of many challenges in our society. Therefore, Volt aspires to always consider strengthening equal opportunity and livelihood security in social and economic policies of our municipality whenever possible.
Equal opportunity
Embracing migrants
Migration remains an issue in politics. With every council proposal, every motion and every other political move within the walls of the municipality, Volt identifies the necessary solutions to welcome non-European migrants, allow them to participate in the region and learn the language - so that Maastricht remains an open, inclusive and dynamic home city for newcomers. Do you have ideas for getting migrants more involved in the city and region? Then contact jessica_sleijpen@volteuropa.org!
Equal opportunity
Increase OZB
Volt wants to have a conversation with experts about a possible increase in the real estate tax, or OZB, in Maastricht. By emphasizing "strongest shoulders, heaviest burdens," we hope that we can move toward a more equal local society that ensures a healthier financial situation, without the most fragile group in the city giving up the most.
Equal opportunity
Traineeship internationals Maastricht
Together with the city council, Volt wants to look at the possibilities of setting up a traineeship for internationals in Maastricht, in cooperation with UM and Zuyd. We want to retain international talent in the city. This is possible, for example, by actively recruiting Flemish graduates and status holders who are learning Dutch as a municipality, or by setting up a Masters program in cooperation with UM and Zuyd.
Knowledge Economy
New employment agency
Volt wants to look into the possibilities of guiding new Maastricht people, whatever their nationality, through a new employment agency. In discussion with the municipality we want to see to what extent this is possible.
Knowledge Economy
Making energy allowance available to internationals
In 2022, Volt managed to make the energy allowance available to international students - including non-European ones! That is unique in the Netherlands and we are very proud of that. We continue to fight for a social system in Maastricht that takes non-Dutch people into account as much as possible. Any ideas of your own? Contact jessica_sleijpen@volteuropa.org!
Social domain
Locally organized informal care
Volt wants to look at the possibility of introducing district-specific budgets for informal care in consultation with the municipality, so that there is less financial pressure on municipal coordination and greater accessibility to informal care.
Social domain
Reduce low literacy
Low literacy is higher in Maastricht (13%) than regionally and nationally (11-12%). We want to engage with local partners, such as Vista municipal executives, to address this problem. Do you have any ideas? Then email jessica_sleijpen@volteuropa.org!
Social domain
True decentralization: financial resources lobbying to Maastricht
Volt is in favor of real decentralization of the social domain: more political space for local politics is good for a democracy close to the people. But then we have to get the money from The Hague for it! The Hague "decentralization" was actually an austerity in disguise. We are trying to counter this at all levels in the country, for example with our October 2023 letter to the Prime Minister. More ideas for good local care? Contact jessica_sleijpen@volteuropa.org!
Social domain
Part-time premium for benefit recipients
Volt wants to look at the financial possibilities of eventually working toward a part-time premium for benefit recipients so that people on benefits are not penalized if they work extra hours.
Social domain
Better prevention policies for care and safety
With every proposal, from Volt or others, that addresses health or safety, we ask the same question: are we just going to fight symptoms, or are we also going to invest in prevention? This is how we ensure long-term solutions in health care and law enforcement.
Social domain
Schools on both sides of the Meuse River
Due to a decline in school attendance, many high schools want to move to shared locations. Volt wants at least two school communities to remain for those schools, ensuring education on both sides of the Meuse River.
Education
More dialogue with secondary and primary education
Volt wants to innovate much more in language education in the border region and actively motivate a healthy lifestyle in elementary school. To realize this, we as an education party must continue to have active discussions with primary and secondary schools: for example, we have already visited St. Martin's College, the Bernard Lievegoed School and have several appointments on the agenda!
Education
Connect Vista, Zuyd and UM to politics
Volt wants to involve South Limburg's educational institutions - Vista, Zuyd and UM - in local politics as much as possible. Therefore, we continue to have active conversations with MBO, HBO and WO so that their concerns, challenges and successes are included in our political decisions.
Education
Connecting to "Healthy Elementary School of the Future"
Volt wants Maastricht to participate in the Limburg "Healthy Primary School of the Future" project, so that more healthy school meals, education and exercise become central to schools. To look at possibilities, we want to start discussions with elementary school and the municipal executives.
Education
Social studies: new elementary school curriculum
Volt wants to actively engage with Maastricht people to create a teaching package for Maastricht schools on topics that concern our "Mestreechter maotsjappij": from democracy to emancipation and from discrimination to inclusiveness. Would you like to participate? Mail: jessica_sleijpen@volteuropa.org.
Education
Dutch for the working international
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Multilingualism
Dutch language courses at university
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Multilingualism
Limburg language education
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Multilingualism
English-language communication from the congregation
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Multilingualism
More French and German in school
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Multilingualism
Affordable French and German language courses
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Multilingualism
More meeting places between non-native speakers
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Connecting language communities
Catching up to green Maastricht
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Greening
Maastricht Aachen Airport to close
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Greening
Expand biking and hiking trails
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Sustainability & Air Quality
More P&R outside the city
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Sustainability & Air Quality
More bike racks
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Sustainability & Air Quality
Establishing a Maastricht "Green Deal"
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Sustainability & Air Quality
Creating car-free downtown
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Sustainability & Air Quality
Establish energy desk
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Sustainability & Air Quality
Bringing water resources up to standard
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Nature
A Maastricht Citizens Council
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Innovative democracy
Establish membership council Volt
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Innovative democracy
Better communication between municipality and migrants
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Communications
Increased municipal focus on transparency
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Transparency
Establishing a lobbying registry
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Transparency
Ensuring security in the city council
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Security in the council
Establish Women for Volt 2026 project
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More women in politics
Implementation program Europe vision realize
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Europe Vision
Testing local policies against the border region
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Europe Vision
Making Tozo available to frontier workers
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Frontiersmen
Fewer obstacles for "Borderlanders"
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Frontiersmen
Realizing tri-country train
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Public transportation
South Limburg intercity trains expand
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Public transportation
Municipal executive Delivering European Affairs
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Municipal executive European Affairs
Volt South Limburg to further connect with Volt Europe
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Volt Europe
Establishment of the Meuse-Rhine Cultural Fund.
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Culture
Introduce Euroregional Museum Card
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Culture
Ensuring internationalization of education
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European education
More police cooperation between neighboring countries
More text to follow soon!
Euroregional Security
No housing crisis for students
Thanks to innovative urban planning and cooperation between universities and municipalities, the housing crisis for students is a thing of the past. Campuses throughout the Netherlands now provide enough affordable housing for every new student.
Housing
Section
Thanks to innovative urban planning and cooperation between universities and municipalities, the housing crisis for students is a thing of the past. Campuses throughout the Netherlands now provide enough affordable housing for every new student.
Housing
Below is a summary of all motions and written questions, including voting information indicating whether Volt Maastricht voted for or against.
Motion
November 7, 2023
For
N/A.
Against
Motion (initiator's motion)
November 7, 2023
For
N/A.
Against
Motion (initiator's motion)
November 7, 2023
For
N/A.
Against
Motion (initiator's motion)
November 7, 2023
For
N/A.
Against
Motion
November 7, 2023
For
N/A.
Against
All good things come from afar they say! So does our European program. This forms the basis for national, provincial and regional policies.
The rest of your life takes place in the future. Wondering how we see it? Then open the program.
Do you want to know how we make Maastricht the beating heart of Europe? Then quickly read the program.
Want to know how we work with other parties? Then check out the council's coalition agreement here.
