Roelien Kamminga Nominated as New Mayor of Groningen
Groningen-born VVD politician Roelien Kamminga nominated to succeed interim mayor Mirjam van ’t Veld, with installation expected in late June.
Roelien Kamminga (VVD), currently a member of the House of Representatives, has been officially nominated as the new mayor of the municipality of Groningen. She is expected to take office at the end of June, succeeding acting mayor Mirjam van 't Veld, who stepped in after the departure of Koen Schuiling.
Kamminga was born in Groningen and grew up in Zuidbroek, where she still lives. Her career includes roles at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, and as program director for Groningen Versterken en Perspectief, where she dealt directly with the reinforcement efforts related to gas extraction.
During her time in The Hague, Kamminga developed a reputation as a pragmatic and substantive politician. Though she initially had dreams of becoming a sports or political journalist, her career path led her into government service and eventually into national politics. Since 2021, she has been a member of the House of Representatives and served as first vice-chair of the House since 2022.
The nomination was announced by Jeffry van Hoorn (GroenLinks), chair of the confidential committee of the municipal council.
"We are nominating a mayor with love for Groningen and a heart for the region,"
He said, describing Kamminga as a connector with strong experience in public order and safety and someone who can advocate effectively for the interests of Groningen residents.
The selection process followed the municipal council’s development of a candidate profile in January. Sixteen candidates applied, and residents emphasized that the next mayor should be honest, visible, and able to connect with the community. After several interviews, Kamminga emerged as the unanimous choice of the council’s confidential committee.
Reflecting on the nomination, Kamminga said:
“I am very happy and honored. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, especially for someone born and raised in this province. I look forward to this new role and to serving the people of Groningen.”
The recommendation will be sent to the King’s Commissioner in the province of Groningen and then to the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. Once the Royal Decree is signed, Kamminga will officially be installed as mayor of Groningen.
Kamminga is expected to move from Zuidbroek to the municipality of Groningen after her installation. Her deep ties to the province and her wide-ranging experience in national government are expected to serve her well in this new role.
Koen Schuiling, her predecessor, resigned in the fall of 2023, citing a lack of energy and issues related to asylum. It later emerged that he had been fined for indecency, leading to the appointment of Mirjam van 't Veld as interim mayor.
Kamminga has expressed her enthusiasm for being closer to people and bringing more attention to Groningen's strengths and successes.
“We should be prouder of ourselves. There’s so much beauty and innovation happening here, and we need to share that more with the world.”