Elections for the provincial councils

The big issues in Groningen

The Dutch are going to the polls on March 2 to elect their provincial representatives. Voting is often done with an eye on the national elections – those voted in will in their turn choose the new senate – but local issues will also make up minds. This is the eighth in a Volkskrant series on the most pressing provincial headaches.

In the old days the province of Groningen was all about peat. Later Groningen became synonymous with gas (Slochteren) and now its main energy related issues are the new nuclear power station at the Eemshaven, CO2 storage and gas drilling in the Waddenzee. The big energy providers are location hunting in the province for their projects. Nuon is building a gas fired power station at the Eemshaven and is considering adding a coal fired unit.

Under Balkenende the Eemshaven became the third designated site after Borssele and the Maasvlakte, for nuclear plants. But the biggest provincial parties PvdA (12 seats) and CDA (10 seats) are opposed to the idea, as is the SP (6 seats). The VVD in Groningen thinks nuclear energy has possibilities but will have to be part of a green energy strategy. Coal fired stations are not the answer, the VVD thinks.

Plug and hub

The PvdA would like Groningen to lead a move towards sustainable and green energy. It is betting its money on building an off shore wind turbine park. The party is dreaming of ‘a plug’ in the sea: a maintenance station on a new island off Schiermonnikoog where the energy would be collected.

The Christian Democrats also want sustainable energy and want to turn Groningen into ‘the energy hub of Western Europe.’ It is noteworthy that the present energy minister, Christian Democrat Maxime Verhagen, is an advocate of nuclear energy.

Verhagen has been at loggerheads with the province before, over the issue of underground CO2 storage. A lack of support (i.e. vehement protests from the local population and politicians) made the cabinet change its mind.

Poll

The Christian Democrats are not doing very well, according to a poll by local television station RTV Noord. They may be looking at losing nearly half of their seats.

The VVD is predicted to increase its number of seats from 5 to 8. The PvdA may gain one seat and will remain the biggest party in Groningen. The PVV is thought to be on target to win 3 seats.

This is an unofficial translation

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