Amersfoort coalition talks kick off with experienced scout Mattias Gijsbertsen at the helm
Amersfoort’s political future takes shape as GroenLinks-PvdA appoints Mattias Gijsbertsen to scout potential coalition partners. His findings will shape the city’s governance, impacting local policies and services for residents in the coming years.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Scout | Mattias Gijsbertsen (Managing Director, Nibud) |
| Appointed by | GroenLinks-PvdA (7 seats, election winner in Amersfoort) |
| Previous Roles | Council member, alderman, deputy mayor (Groningen), formateur/informateur |
| Task | Explore coalition options, assess party ambitions, and propose majority |
| Timeline | Exploratory talks begin shortly; findings reported to municipal council |
| Location | Amersfoort, Utrecht Province |
The municipality of Amersfoort plays a central role in local governance, overseeing coalition formations after elections to ensure stable and representative leadership. The scout’s recommendations will guide the council in appointing aldermen and shaping city policies.
Openrijk has no cookies or ads
But could use some support
external link to whydonate.comRead the full translated article below
GroenLinks-PvdA appoints Mattias Gijsbertsen as scout
Mattias Gijsbertsen, managing director of the Nibud, will take on the role of scout in Amersfoort.
GroenLinks-PvdA secured seven seats in the municipal elections held on March 18, emerging as the winner of the Amersfoort election. It is customary for the party with the most seats to take the lead in the search for a scout. During the clarification debate on March 24, 2026, in the Amersfoort council chamber, the lead candidates of the other parties also urged GroenLinks-PvdA to take the initiative.
Experience as formateur and informateur
The choice of Bram Leeuwenkamp has fallen on Mattias Gijsbertsen (1985), who has already indicated that he will accept the assignment. He is the managing director of the independent knowledge institute Nibud. Previously, Gijsbertsen served as a council member, alderman, and deputy mayor in Groningen. On several occasions, he also acted as formateur and informateur: in 2018 (formateur) and 2022 (informateur and formateur) during the formation of a new college in Groningen, and in 2023 during the formation of a new college of the Provincial Executive of the province of Groningen. Leeuwenkamp: “We have confidence that Mattias Gijsbertsen, with his experience in public administration and as formateur and informateur, will guide the process carefully and effectively. We expect him to come up with a widely supported advice for the next phase of coalition formation in Amersfoort.”
Working towards a possible coalition
Over the coming period, Gijsbertsen will map out how parties interpret the election results and what ambitions they have for the city. He will also investigate which parties can form a stable majority and align in terms of content. Based on this, he will work towards advice on a possible coalition, which he will pre-test with the relevant parties for support and mutual trust. The exploratory talks will begin shortly. The findings of the exploration will be reported to the municipal council.
The letter from the mayor and clerk to the scout can be read as an attachment to this news report.