Rutte thanks Aboutaleb for years of service; Other big city mayors will miss him

Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte thanked the retiring mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb, “enormously” for his efforts over the past 15 years. Aboutaleb announced on Tuesday that he wanted to make way for another mayor and would step down in the fall. The mayors of the other three large cities described him as a wonderful colleague and said they would miss working with him.

“Like no other, he knew how to bring the city together with his great commitment, fairness, and a heart for the people in his city,” Rutte wrote on X. The Prime Minister found the collaboration with Aboutaleb “always pleasant” and wished him “all the best” for the future.

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema said through a spokesperson that she always “enjoyed working together” with Aboutaleb. “I know him as an involved and committed administrator and a great colleague. His mayorship was and is impressive. The city of Rotterdam has been in good hands with him for 15 years.”

Mayor Sharon Dijksma of the municipality of Utrecht called Aboutaleb’s retirement as mayor of Rotterdam a “brave choice” and “a great loss for Rotterdam.” Dijksma said that her colleague was committed to his city “with heart and soul” and also put it on the international map. Dijksma also praised the way he acted in times of crisis - as “a real leader and citizen,” the Utrecht mayor said. “I will miss him as a colleague.”

Aboutaleb is “a loyal fellow administrator,” Jan van Zanen, mayor of The Hague, said. Aboutaleb and Van Zanen have a lot of contact with each other as mayors of the second and third largest cities in the country and the largest cities in the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region. Van Zanen knew Aboutaleb was thinking about his future. “I am once again losing a valued colleague.” According to Van Zanen, “public affairs owe him a lot of gratitude.”

Rotterdam politicians and authorities

“The departure of our mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, is a great loss. For the city of Rotterdam and the people of Rotterdam,” the Rotterdam faction of the PvdA said in an initial response. Aboutaleb is a member of the PvdA.

“Under his leadership, Rotterdam has changed in 15 years into an attractive city that is growing and flourishing,” said PvdA councilor Co Engberts. “Not only in the city and in all neighborhoods, but also at a national and international level, he has fulfilled his duties more than excellently. With this, he has put Rotterdam back on the map.”

The faction is saddened by his departure. “Aboutaleb led the city through many crises, such as the financial crisis and, more recently, corona. He guided the city through it skillfully and safely. The departure of our best mayor is sad. However, we can only respect his decision to step down.”

The Rotterdam PvdA wants Rotterdam residents to be involved in the choice of a new mayor. “That starts with determining the profile of the new mayor. Through surveys and residents’ meetings, Rotterdam residents must be able to provide their input on what type of mayor they desire. As far as the PvdA is concerned, this should and must be given sufficient time.”

Leefbaar Rotterdam called Aboutaleb’s retirement “a courageous and sensible” decision. “Aboutaleb has meant a lot to the city,” said Leefbaar faction leader Ingrid Coenradie. “He stood his ground in tackling drug crime. And he also handled the deadly shootings at Erasmus MC, among others, well and showed that he stood by the people.”

Coenradie has a few suitable candidates in mind for Aboutaleb’s successor. “We don’t find the political color of the new mayor very important. As far as we are concerned, someone who takes the lead with a lot of decisiveness, fresh energy, and new impetus. In that respect, Aboutaleb’s decision comes at the right time.”

The Rotterdam faction of the D66 is grateful to Aboutaleb “for what he has meant to the city over the past 15 years,” faction leader Agnes Maasen said. “The mayor has put the city on the map, both nationally and internationally. We thank him very much for that. We have, of course, also had our differences, such as in the areas of catering and safety. But his departure comes as a shock.”

If it is up to the D66, Rotterdam will have a mayor who brings new energy and sees potential in the city. “We are a progressive party, so we would like a progressive candidate,” said Maassen.

Rotterdam police chief Fred Westerbeke will “tremendously miss” the collaboration with Aboutaleb. He always worked “extremely well and pleasantly” with Aboutaleb. “He is critical when necessary, but he also shows that he supports his police officers, even when it is sometimes difficult. I always appreciated that enormously,” said the police chief.

"Because we saw the influence that undermining crime in the port and the city has on the future of youth and the safety of our residents, we worked together to ensure that tackling this became a spearhead," Westerbeke said. According to him, the role of the Rotterdam mayor was essential in this.

Rotterdam’s chief public prosecutor, Hugo Hillenaar, spoke highly of Aboutaleb. "I will miss him, but I am happy that we can still work together for a period before he really leaves. It is characteristic of him that he does not leave suddenly but wants to let his successor make a soft landing."

"I got to know Ahmed as a very skilled administrator who really has a heart for 'his' city. A true citizen who, for example, shows a warm human side during serious incidents and seeks contact with the people of Rotterdam. He is extremely approachable, and that is to his credit. ", said Hillenaar. "He is at the forefront of the fight against crime and injustice in our beautiful city. He wants nothing more than to increase safety."