Amsterdam Mayor retires
 

Amidst all the chatter about AirBnB and the tourism pressure on Amsterdam, today the news that Mayor Eberhard van der Laan, is leaving office, because he is terminally ill with cancer. Today he announced in a letter to "his" Amsterdam residents that he would be retiring. He was still working, although his adjuncts took on many of his responsibilities. His last big media appearance was in the "Summer Guests" program on VPRO television: an evening long interview with a notable person from culture or politics, who gets to choose TV and film clips that have a special meaning to them. His evening was an ode to a tolerant and compassionate city of Amsterdam.

He is universally loved and will be greatly missed.

https://thecontext.net/news/2017/09/...s-been-di.html

Any implications for tourists? Was this not the mayor bent on reducing the Red-Light District? Reduction in coffeeshops, etc?

It is a sad day. He was a great mayor for Amsterdam. I hope the next person to become mayor does as good a job, and has the same love for the city.
I hope he is able to enjoy his remaining days with his family and friends and has a peaceful passing. He deserves it.

He sounds like a wonderful man.

(leave it to Pal to bring up pot and prostitutes on this sad announcement.)

(leave it to Pal to bring up pot and prostitutes on this sad announcement.)>

Well that was a major initiative I understand and as is the post is of little interest to tourists as posted I was trying to relate it to something that may affect tourists - abolishing the red-light district for example has major implications for tourists - both those who like seeing and those who would like to see it abolished.

ditto to coffeeshops.

Capiche?

It's just it's really tone deaf, Pal.

In Dutch local politics, a mayor heads the executive council and is its spokesperson and has a ceremonial function but does not shape or decide policy. That happens in the city council, by representatives who are elected by popular vote. A mayor is appointed by the Crown.

This is old news for the Dutch, this was news back in Feb 2017.
The appointment of mayor for any Dutch city is a great honour indeed.
They act politically impartiality, (even though they are still part of a political party) and for the good of the city.
Rein Welschen, was a great Burgemeester for Eindhoven.
When such great men step down we have to hope that their work continues, however in the case of Welschen his work was never topped.
Going back to AMS. I see that Ollongren has temporary taken over the roll of Burgemeester . She has a huge job to step into and the two previous Burgemeesters will be a very hard act for her to follow, if she is actually appointed.
The way Dutch parliament and local government is no way similar to that of the English speaking world. A few examples...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgemeester
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleg...rs#Translation

Ollongren is not uncontroversial. I don't think she will be appointed. It's hardly ever the case that adjuncts are appointed to be mayor in the same city. And Amsterdam is a prestigious city. Also, there has been the appointment of Marchouch to Arnhem and Krikke (also not uncontroversial both) to Den Haag. The question is whether there will be a PvdA Mayor or not. This is the time, I think, for VVD to claim one of theirs.

riberaisca, it's not old news. Of course everyone knew what the outcome would be. Tomorrow there's a gathering outside Van der Laan's residence for a communal "round of applause".

Reading about the mayor I understand why Amsterdammers and other Dutch liked him so and it is of course a huge loss - it's always nice for casual tourists to know about things like this.

That's why I posted it. I used to work all over Europe, mainly in capital cities and I've always been grateful for some local insight/insights by locals that I wouldn't have had otherwise.

Yeh me too - and folks would always say take it to the Lounge!

Not possible now and like you say some tourists like to know what's going on and then be knowledgeable when say talking to locals.

And that is also why I asked about ramifications for things some- well many in this case - are interested in - now I know the mayor has little powers whereas before I thought he/she set the agenda and was elected.

Now I see it is an elected council only that has real power.