Just under 13,000 Rotterdammers describe the ideal candidate for their new mayor 

Just under 13,000 Rotterdammers, including 500 children, have considered the type of profile they would like for the next mayor of Rotterdam. The results showed that Ahmed Aboutaleb, who will resign on October 1 after almost 15 years in charge, must be replaced by someone who will be considered "global mayor from a global city."

The application process formally began on Friday, after the Rotterdam City Council gave its final approval to a proposed candidate profile. Council members were joined by Jaap Smit, the King's Commissioner for Zuid-Holland, when the members of the confidential hiring committee were appointed.

Smit expressed his compliments for the content of the profile and praised the Rotterdam residents who contributed to the preparation of the document. "It is a tough job that is not for everyone," Smit said about the position of mayor.

The new mayor should be somebody who does not shy away from the many challenges on social issues. One in six Rotterdammers lives in poverty; five percent are victims of the benefits scandal, and over 15 percent struggle to read or write.

The city also struggles with a rise in homelessness, loneliness, and anonymity. "The aging population also brings big challenges in Rotterdam, for example, in housing and care," the City Council stated, which will eventually appoint the new mayor.

The Council has a large package of demands for candidates. The safety of children and adults is the most crucial file as that must improve. The port needs to become more sustainable and future-proof. According to the Council, the most extensive policy files are about housing, mobility, and transport.

Rotterdammers think the mayor's personality should be "honest and trustworthy, decisive, clear, and somebody who sticks up for Rotterdam and Rotterdammers." Aboutaleb has also advised that the successor pay close attention to the city's finances to deal with significant challenges on the horizon.

The Council did not mention possible names, but rumors are circulating with names like Hugo de Jonge, Mark Harbers, Carola Schouten, who have all served as Cabinet ministers. De Jonge and Harbers both served as aldermen in Rotterdam, while Schouten studied at Erasmus University in the city. Marianne van den Anker, the current ombudsman for the city, has also been rumored as a candidate.

Rotterdam 's new leader should start on October 1. The next mayor is nominated by the current mayor and the coalition government's aldermen. That selection is then submitted to to Smit, who advises the Ministry of the Interior and King Willem-Alexander, who makes the appointment.

One possible complication is the handling of De Jonge as a candidate, who is currently the interior minister. Candidates have until May 13 to express their interest.