Student leaders want to have a say in coalition talks (and are looking for successors)

The two student leaders had only just taken office when the Dutch cabinet fell for the second time: after the PVV, the NSC also left the cabinet. Education Minister Eppo Bruins resigned and BBB Minister Gouke Moes took over. ‘Suddenly, it became very complicated,’ says Maaike Krom, chair of the National Student Union (LSVb).

“I knew it was going to be an interesting year”, says Sarah Evink, chair of the Interstedelijk Overleg (ISO), “but I really didn’t see the cabinet falling for a second time coming.”

It’s a different kind of board year than usual, but no less enjoyable, they say. Evink: “Suddenly you’re at the table with the minister and all kinds of civil servants who all want to know what you have to say. It’s an environment where you can and are allowed to do a lot.”

What was a special moment during your administrative year up to now?

Krom: “For me, last December’s strike was very special. Eight thousand of us took to the streets because we all believe that more should be invested in education. Standing on a platform and shouting slogans together with other people. I loved that sense of community.”

Evink: “The moment Minister Moes announced in the Dutch House of Representatives that he would ‘simply’ arrange internship allowances was very special to me. We actually cheered. Many administrators before me had worked towards this goal. Of course, it has not yet been legally established, but the fact that people now really want to get started on this is a great step in the right direction.”

Do ISO and LSVb work together a lot? And do you ever clash?

Evink: “I have much more contact with Maaike than I had expected beforehand. We are colleagues, but also friends. You fight for the same things and stand up for the same people. Of course, you sometimes disagree, but in general we work very well together.”

‘The LSVb focuses more on taking action, while the ISO is more involved in lobbying’

Krom: “We have our own way of doing things. The LSVb focuses more on taking action, while the ISO is more involved in lobbying. But there’s little point in fighting each other; we have so much to gain. Where we can, we are happy to help each other.”

Evink: “We talk to each other several times a week, almost every day in fact.”

Krom: “We get on well personally, which also helps.”

What was it like suddenly having to negotiate with a new, outgoing education minister?

Krom: “Difficult and chaotic. It’s best to have a minister who is experienced. And this minister has a very complicated task: he can only stay in office for a short time, and there were elections in between.”

Evink: “For us, a new minister also takes some getting used to. And without a majority in Parliament, it becomes difficult to get new laws passed. That complicates things. Of course, there are long-term issues that we can continue to work on, but some things are more difficult now. On the other hand, the formation of a new government also offers opportunities.”

What is the next step?

Krom: “As ISO and LSVb, we would like to work on that together. We are currently in the middle of the cabinet formation process and it is important that students also have a say. Countless studies have been published on the mental well-being of students, the financial pressure they experience and their mounting debts. We want to work hard on this, but we need to be heard by politicians.”

Evink: “I completely agree. Students experience a lot of financial pressure, which also causes mental stress. The simplest solution is to increase the basic grant. Higher professional education and university education are becoming less accessible, while we desperately need all the talent we can get. Education is the foundation for the Netherlands’ future, so please take that into account in the formation.”

Do you think it will happen?

Krom: “We are ready for it, so give us a call. I really regret that it hasn’t happened yet. D66 and the CDA have already taken some good steps to improve student housing. But there is still a lot more to be done.”

‘Standing up for yourself and others really helps, I’ve seen it’

Evink: “According to the parties forming the coalition, innovation is desperately needed to solve all kinds of problems in the areas of healthcare, technology and climate. That cannot be done without good education. So substantial investment is needed.”

Would you recommend a year on the board?

Krom: “Absolutely! My year on the LSVb board has made me hopeful. I’ve seen that standing up for yourself and others really helps. I can recommend everyone to get involved, whether that’s with a trade union, your institution or your study association. It doesn’t have to slow down your studies; it just depends on how crazy you want to make it.”

Evink: “Every position within the ISO or the LSVb is important in its own way. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the new ISO board will work and I’m happy that I can be a small part of that when we do the handover.”

HOP, Naomi Bergshoeff