Country’s longest-serving mayor steps down after 20 years leading Leiden

Henri Lenferink, the longest-serving mayor in the history of the Netherlands, will stop as of September 1. Thursday marked his final day in office as the mayor of Leiden, concluding 20 years of dedicated service. A member of the PvdA, Lenferink was the longest-serving mayor in the country since 2020.

Born in the town of Delden in Twente, the 66-year-old man assumed the mayorship of Leiden in 2003. "I have faced both difficult and happy periods. In the end, I feel a great sense of gratitude for having had the chance to hold this office for 20 years,” he told NOS

Lenferink's tenure was not without challenges. The city was for example shaken in 2021 when 14-year-old Esmee was murdered by her gymnastics teacher and found dead in a local park. "You sit with a knot in your stomach," he said to Omroep West. "The best you can do is be present. You also don't want to be too much in the foreground as mayor."

Another critical moment in Lenferink's career as mayor was in 2014 when Benno L., a former swimming instructor convicted of pedophilia with dozens of children, received permission to come and live in Leiden after serving his sentence. Other municipalities refused, but Lenferink agreed. The decision met with much criticism.

“I think we made the right decision. At that time, it was extremely difficult for the Public Prosecution Service to find housing for people with this background. Since then, it has actually all been much easier,” he explained. “Nothing happened in retrospect to indicate that it was the wrong choice,” he added.

The mayor has been praised for bringing stability to the city. “Since he took office, it has been fairly quiet in Leiden politics,” said Antoine Theeuwen to Omroep West. The SP member joined the Leiden city council in 2006 and is now its longest-serving member. “He is a solid and committed man, and I also think he is well-loved in the city,” he said.

Carel Stolker, former chairman of the University of Leiden, echoed this sentiment. "He brought stability back to Leiden for the first time in a long time. That may be his most important accomplishment," Stolker said.

PvdA member Peter van der Velden will serve as acting mayor, temporarily taking over Lenferink's responsibilities. A new mayor for Leiden is expected to be appointed within the following year.