Five new local councillors have convictions or await trial: RTL

At least five new councillors elected last week have a criminal record or are awaiting trial, RTL Nieuws reported following an investigation ahead of Thursday’s swearing-in ceremonies.

Two of the candidates who will be taking up their seat as councillors were convicted of drugs offences and assault in the last 18 months, while three are suspects in ongoing trials over fraud and the illegal possession of a gun.

“The risk is that we will have councillors who are not that bothered about norms and morality,” professor Rob van Eijbergen, an expert in organisational integrity, told RTL Nieuws. Councillors are often privy to confidential information, he said.

An earlier probe by RTL showed that over 20 local election candidates had recent convictions or had been suspects in a trial, including membership of a criminal organisation or sexual assault. Most were not elected, RTL said.

Candidates don’t have to have a clean slate but parties do have a duty to check for criminal antecedents.

But parties don’t always check, as in the case of a CDA candidate for Westerkwartier in Groningen who is suspected of coronavirus subsidy fraud. He gained a seat which he took as an independent and said he will step down if he is found guilty.

Far right party Forum voor Democratie won three seats in Súdwest-Fryslân, and one of its councillors, Barry Bibi, was earlier convicted of running an illegal marijuana plantation. He told reporters that “there is no reason to doubt my integrity”.

A fellow FvD candidate in Den Bosch, Ramon van Asch, has three convictions for assault, the NRC reported. Several FvD with close ties to extremist organisations also got elected.

Prospective Vrije Partij Ooststellingerwerf councilllor Ben Oostra is on trial for possession of a gun and fraud. He will appear in court at the end of August, despite earlier claims the case had been dropped.