In the latest episode of “Leeuwarden Stemt,” and ahead of the March 18 local election vote in Leeuwarden, lead candidate Ilse Terheggen discussed what makes MERA25 different.
As she explained, while our name might originate from Greek (“MERA” means “day” in Greek, evoking a new beginning), our mission is deeply rooted in the European and local reality: to fight for a truly democratic system.
The simple difference between Left and Right
“Who still has trust in politics?” was Ilse’s fundamental question, which she answered with a call to redefine our political landscape. She offered a simple breakdown of the political spectrum that is often forgotten:
– Left: The government wants to take care of people
– Right: The government wants the market to solve everything.
For MERA25, the choice is clear. We are not here to cater to billionaires. “If you are a fan of billionaires,” Ilse stated, “don’t vote for us. They are the ones we are going after.” Our movement is built against the neoliberal system that channels wealth upwards.
Our spearhead: Real citizen influence
While many parties talk about representing citizens, MERA25 has a concrete plan. Our main spearhead for the municipality: citizen participation.
“We want to achieve this through citizen assemblies,” she explained. Unlike existing panels where the same people often participate for years, we want a low-threshold, democratic system open to everyone.
Here’s how it would work:
- Citizens can sign up for a citizens’ assemblies, whether based on their neighbourhood or a specific theme.
- If there are enough registrations, participants are chosen by lot, ensuring a diverse and representative group.
- Selected citizens would serve for a set period (e.g., two years) to deliberate on issues.
- The advice they produce would be binding for the municipality.
This is how we bring politics back to the people and ensure that decisions about our lives and neighbourhoods are made by us, not by distant politicians or corporations.
A local economy for local people
Our opposition to the current system is also about where wealth goes. Ilse pointed out the flaw in the “free market” ideology: “All the prosperity we create ends up in the pockets of billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Wall Street investment firms.”
MERA25 is therefore for a strong local economy. We want the people who do the work here to be the ones who reap the benefits for themselves and their communities.
Concrete plans for Leeuwarden
Beyond citizen assemblies, our platform is built on ensuring that all of life’s necessities are accessible:
- Social justice: Guaranteeing that essentials like housing, childcare, healthcare, public transport, and groceries are affordable, public, or free wherever possible.
- Culture as a necessity: Ilse passionately argued that culture is a basic need. “We really want more youth centres, because that is truly necessary.” We also want to expand activities in community centres, making them more accessible through better outreach.”
Conclusion: Waking up the social heart of Leeuwarden
Ilse summed it up as follows: the current system puts power in the hands of the ultra-rich who determine how our lives look. Many people don’t even see that this is a political choice. That is why the citizen assembly is so crucial. It’s a way to create connections and give people real influence over their lives.
MERA25 is here to awaken the social heart of Leeuwarden. We believe that politics should be accessible, enjoyable, and, above all, in the hands of the people. Join us in building a future where democracy is not just an election every four years, but a daily practice.
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