Carola Schouten nominated as new mayor of Rotterdam

Rotterdam City Council has nominated former minister Carola Schouten (CU) as the new mayor of Rotterdam. In a closed-door meeting on Thursday evening, a majority of the City Council approved Schouten’s nomination. The name still needs to be approved by the Council of Ministers, but this is usually just a formality.

Schuten’s candidacy was announced shortly after a closed-door meeting at Coolsingel town hall on Thursday evening. The meeting to elect a new mayor is secret because it involves the application process.

Schouten has extensive experience as a director. She has served as deputy prime minister, minister for agriculture, nature and food quality and minister for poverty policy, participation and pensions. Schouten is the first female mayor of Rotterdam. She grew up on a dairy farm in Giessen in North Brabant with her two sisters. In 1995 she moved to the Spangen district of Rotterdam. She studied business administration at Erasmus University.

The former minister succeeds Mayor Ahmed Abutaleb, who ruled Rotterdam for fifteen years. Abutaleb announced at the Rotterdam City Hall’s New Year reception that he will stop in early 2024. The search for a new mayor will then begin. Schouten was chosen by the city council from a pool of 26 applicants.

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