As usual, voting for the Dutch parliamentary elections can be done on the TU Delft campus. There are two polling stations in the lobby of the Aula. It is a constant coming and going, mainly of students and staff.
The chairperson of the Aula polling station is pressing the ballot papers. The ballot box is filling up. (Photo: Sam Rentmeester)
The polling stations in the Aula are well attended. All residents of Delft can cast their votes for the Dutch parliamentary elections there, but the voters are primarily TU Delft students and staff.
During the previous elections in 2023, more than 2,700 people voted in the Aula. GroenLinks/PvdA was by far the most popular party, with 35 percent of the votes. D66 was the second most popular party on campus, followed by Volt, VVD and NSC. The PVV remained at 3 percent.
Connection
How different the results were nationally: PVV won 37 of the 150 seats and became by far the largest party. The reactions of the university rectors at the time mainly reflected a fear of nationalism and polarisation.
Rector Tim van der Hagen also responded. In an intranet message, he contrasted the “increasingly inward-looking mentality in parts of Dutch society” with the way in which, in his opinion, TU Delft has turned its differences into its strength. He pointed out that TU Delft does not exclude, but rather seeks connection. ‘Wherever you come from and whoever you voted for, you are and will remain very welcome here.
Problems are piling up
The Schoof cabinet, which was soon outgoing, proved to be unfavourable to education over the past few years. Billions in cuts are in the pipeline, which will also affect universities. It is no coincidence that thousands of staff and students, including the rectors, took to the streets for demonstrations and strikes.
There is also considerable dissatisfaction among students and staff on many other issues. For example, students drew attention to the difficulties that are piling up: pressure to perform, mental and financial problems, and unequal opportunities. In addition, climate scientists, including those from TU Delft, emphasised last week that much more attention needs to be paid to the climate and ecological crisis. In a petition, they wrote that in Europe alone, climate damage has amounted to 43 billion euros in recent years. The bill will skyrocket if nothing is done.
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s.m.bonger@tudelft.nl
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