After the Speech from the Throne, the four major cities traditionally meet together and each year a different city becomes the chairman. This year it will be Mayor Aboutaleb of Rotterdam in succession of his Utrecht colleague.

Energy transition, everything around accessibility.

Throughout the year, there is a lot of lobbying from the big cities for more money, such as for example the increasingly expensive youth care. On Prince's Day when the new plans of the cabinet for the coming year are presented, the cities will hear whether they will receive money. 

"Energy transition, everything around accessibility. The new river crossing is very important"Said Alderman Arjan van Gils of Finance.

"The advantage is that you determine the agenda a little more. You are also the person who acts as spokesperson for the cabinet or the ministers. This has certain advantages"Said Alderman Van Gils. 

Aboutaleb wants more power for the big cities.

The big cities must be given more budget and powers. Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb once argued for this in the HJ Schoo lecture. There should be a minister for major cities and metropolitan regions, says Aboutaleb. He also wants to reverse the administrative structure in the Netherlands: not the national but the local government at the top of the administrative pyramid.

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