3. Jasper Kol

I am Jasper Kol. I believe that politics starts with listening, connecting and daring to choose for the future. Politics is the daily practice in which we determine together what our society looks like – now and in the future. As a historian, I have learned how important it is to keep the big picture in mind while looking at the small details. In my work in sustainable development, I experience every day how complex social issues can be, but also how important it is to connect people with different backgrounds and ideas to find solutions.

This combination of keeping sight of the overarching interest and my practical experience in bringing people together makes me realise the importance of listening to other opinions. Sustainable, supported solutions only arise when we are willing to speak for ourselves, but also to listen to how others experience the city. After all, Leiden belongs to all of us, and the major challenges we face require cooperation, creativity and mutual understanding.

In the city council, I therefore want to work on sustainable development at all levels – from energy and housing to mobility and the living environment. Sustainability is not just about technology or policy, but about making choices that make our city fairer, more liveable and more future-proof. Those choices are not always easy: investing in new forms of energy, making room for innovative mobility solutions and deciding how to organise the way we live and work in our city in a fairer way. But it also means seizing opportunities – opportunities to make Leiden greener, healthier and stronger.

I believe that sustainable development belongs to everyone; together we are building the city we want to be. That is why I would like to contribute to a politics that does not polarise, but connects; that does not look away, but thinks ahead.

With Volt, I aim to work towards a stronger Leiden: a city that collaborates in a European network, that dares to innovate and that chooses a sustainable, connected future. Together, we can shape that future – step by step, with ambition and with each other.