Job Cohen to take over

Having a drink together, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

It has been a turbulent week in Dutch politics in the aftermath of the local council elections and in wake of the Parliamentary elections on 9th June, caused by the fall of Balkenende's fourth cabinet - careless Prime MInister!!!). First, we had Agnes Kant resigning as leader of the Socialist Party, tghen the heir-apparent of the Christian Democratic Party, Camile Eurlings say he will lave politics to spend more time with his family. And then, the next day, we have Wouter Bos, leader of the Labour Party resign ot say that he, too, wants to sopend more time with his family, especially his three young children.

So, within a few hours, our Amsterdam mayor, Job Cohen announced that he too will resign and put his name forward to lead the Labour Party. He is a great man, who might have led his party and maybe the country sooner iof he had decided to spend more time in politics and less time looking after his wife who suffers from multiple sclerosis.

But now, at the young age of 62, he is ready to lead his party and hopefully to lead the country when/if his party wins the upcoming election. He is the man who likes to bind people together, to talk through the differences, a calm head in difficult times, tough but with a warm heart. He is exactly what the country needs at the moment and, all of a sudden, there is hope that he can give the country the leadership and vision it has been lacking the past ten years or so.

One of his many achievements was presiding over the first same-sex wedding in Amsterdam a few years ago, such wedding being followed by the marriage of our dear friends Henk and Piet a year or two later (in 2004). Here are Fred and me in a boat on the Amsterdam canals after the wedding.

Wishing Job very much luck in his new job and in the upcoming elections!