Amsterdam alderman Reinier van Dantzig stepping down after MS diagnosis

Amsterdam Alderman Reinier van Dantzig (39) is quitting his position immediately. After being diagnosed with MS, he said that he does not feel fit enough to “fill the position of alderman as I deem necessary,” he wrote to the city council on Tuesday. At first, the alderman of Housing and Spatial Planning felt well enough to finish his term. A few weeks and an initial hearing later, he has to conclude that he cannot "give his all every day for Mokum and its residents.”

Van Dantzig was a part of the Amsterdam city council since 2014. He was a council member at first before becoming the party chairman of D66 and becoming an alderman in 2022.

“It was an honor and a privilege to dedicate so much of my life to Amsterdam,” he wrote about his time in the city’s politics. Van Dantzig will now focus on his recovery. “To hopefully be able to once again contribute to Amsterdam or society at some stage.”

As a bar owner with three catering establishments in the capital city, Van Dantzig often fought for the Amsterdam catering sector during his time as member of the city council and chairman of D66. As an alderman he often pushed for more affordable housing and expansion of mid-range rental homes.

He announced his MS diagnosis in January. “This is a serious diagnosis that brings uncertainty. There is a good chance that I will no longer be able to walk independently in ten years," he said at the time.

In his farewell letter, he made an appeal to Amsterdammers to fight against nonsense, injustice and intolerance. “Amsterdam is a dream, an idea. If you make a contribution then you are an Amsterdammer,” said Van Dantzig. “Let’s do everything in our power to ensure that our DNA remains in these times of rising xenophobia and rising fascism.”

Amsterdam’s Mayor, Femke Halsema, has said that she thinks it is very sad that the alderman has had to quit his position. “We will miss him greatly in the municipal executive.”

Halsema added that Van Dantzig has used his “typical Amsterdam intelligence” to help the city. “In his characteristic way- fast, sharp, and with a large sense of humor- he made his mark on the urban development of Amsterdam."