The four successful candidates are Michelle van Doorn (Party for the Animals) in Nijmegen, Lilian Haak (VVD, conservative liberals) in Apeldoorn, and Corine van Dun (D66, social liberals) and Sophie Schers (GroenLinks, greens) in Utrecht.

This marks the first time that such a large number of transgender individuals have been elected for municipal councils.

Until recently, transgender politicians were still very exceptional in the Netherlands. As of 21 March, this has changed. Never before have such a large number of openly transgender persons applied as candidates. The four below are assured of a place in the municipal council in their place of residence.

"I am very pleased that so many transgender people are represented in local municipal councils. The presence of openly transgender people in political offices contributes to our struggle for emancipation," says Transgender Network Netherlands (TNN) chairman Brand Berghouwer. TNN wishes the recently elected municipal councilors good luck with their new tasks in the municipalities.

Utrecht

"It is high time that visible transgender people were elected," Corine van Dun told TransVote about her motivation to apply for D66. She had been active within D66 for years and worked tirelessly for transgender emancipation at TNN. Last autumn she exchanged the TNN chairmanship for Utrecht politics.

TNN policy officer Sophie Schers managed to secure a council seat in Utrecht for GroenLinks. She was elected to the council with preferential votes. In TransVote, Schers explained that she wants to advocate, among other things, for a safe meeting place for LGBTI youth, especially for bi-cultural trans youth in Utrecht.

Apeldoorn

Lilian Haak, a police cybersecurity specialist and single mother, is pleased that she can be a role model as a VVD council member in Apeldoorn, she told TransVote. "From my professional perspective, public order and safety, I can have a real effect. I can do things in the field of digital services, and show that transgender people do not just attract publicity as a source of entertainment or as victims."

Nijmegen

In Nijmegen, Michelle van Doorn was elected to the municipal council as the party leader of the Party for the Animals. Although she does not seek attention for being transgender, she is open about it. With her seat in the municipal council of Nijmegen, she will focus primarily on the core themes of sustainability and animal welfare, but certainly also on the position of minorities.

Source: COC Nederland