Mayor V.M. (Vincent) van Neerbos

Over the past few days, many of you have enjoyed Carnival with friends and family. It was a time of fun, celebration, and a break from the daily routine. We look forward to it all year long, and the countdown to next year has already begun. The way a town celebrates Carnival says a lot about our culture. That is why I want to express my appreciation for the Carnival associations and volunteers who dedicate themselves to our community all year round.

Political parties are also looking ahead, as municipal elections are coming up next year. They are already hard at work finding strong candidates for their slates and drafting their campaign platforms. These platforms outline how they envision our municipality developing in the future. You can help by sharing your thoughts, asking questions, and staying involved. So don’t hesitate to reach out to the parties if you have good ideas for your village and our municipality.

The “Politically Active” course will also be starting soon in our municipality, and I’m pleased that many residents have signed up for it. Together with them, we’ll explore how the municipality works and what it means to be politically active.
Council work isn’t easy. It demands a lot of time and dedication from council members. The workload is substantial, and in recent years, more and more responsibilities have been transferred from the national government. Our municipal council increasingly municipal council dialogue with you, the residents. Resident participation is slowly taking shape. We still have steps to take, but we are moving in the right direction.

Together, we ensure that West Maas en Waal remains a municipality we can be proud of. Let's stay involved and work together for a beautiful future.

Kind regards,
Vincent van Neerbos
Mayor

On October 29, 2025, we will once again have the opportunity to vote for the House of Representatives. These are midterm elections, as the current cabinet fell after 336 days in office. That is unfortunate, because the Netherlands faces major challenges and the world is uncertain. Yet it is also an opportunity: to once again choose a brighter and better future for all of us.

The right to elect your representatives is by no means a given. In 1781, Joan Derk van der Capellen wrote Appeltern Democratic Manifesto* in Appeltern . He explained that equality and freedom are the foundation of democracy. He called on all Dutch people to come together and elect wise and sensible individuals to govern the country.

Van der Capellen believed in liberty, equality, and fraternity. Democracy means that everyone is equal: before the law and in the eyes of one another, regardless of wealth or status. Because no one has authority over another, we must make decisions together. Power lies with the people, not with a king or a higher authority.

His ideas formed the basis for our first constitution in 1798. Article 6 is still relevant today: treat others as you would like to be treated, and do as much good for others as you would like to receive.

Our democracy is worth standing up for. Many before us have already done so with great courage. All we have to do now is go to the polling station, cast our vote, and exercise our right.

In our municipality, you can vote at any polling station, including the one in Appeltern, the birthplace of our democracy. And while you’re there, why not take a nice walk through the Heerlijkheid Appeltern? Perhaps with Joep van den Brink’s audio tour to make it even more special.

Vincent van Neerbos, Mayor of