Martine van der Velde

Biography

“Putting Dutch people first”

I want Dutch people to be put first again – we need positive change. My political interest was sparked by our country’s backslide. Whenever my mother told me stories about the past, I could not help but notice the big differences from how things are now. Our high-trust society of yore has disappeared, and I would love to restore it.

Everyone wants to be heard

In the past, I volunteered with the PVV in Utrecht and briefly served as a committee member. I am also the group leader of the PVV in the Utrecht provincial council. Whenever I get the chance to change things for the better, I grab it with both hands. As a provincial councillor, I got the valuable opportunity of speaking to many different people. Everyone wants to tell their own story, which is why engaging with people is very important to me.

Poverty

The Netherlands is awash with problems. Our housing market, for example, is in a desperate state. In Utrecht, refugees with a temporary asylum residence permit habitually get prioritised over locals who have been waiting for a home for years. I myself spent 13 years waiting for a new home. When will it stop? Something has to be done. And what about all those people who rely on food banks? The Netherlands is an incredibly rich country, and yet the number of people living in poverty has shot up in recent years. Something has to change.

Leisure

In my spare time, I enjoy playing video games and flexing my creative muscles. I love paining minis for tabletop RPGs such as D&D or Pathfinder.