Our candidates

I’m Cato Vonk, 26 years old, and currently in the second year of the master’s programme in Development & Rural Innovation. Over the past three years, I’ve had the opportunity to serve as a council member for Connect Wageningen, and I’ve truly enjoyed it. I’d love to continue that work for another term. In the coming four years, I want to strengthen my commitment to students and starters.

In the past few years, I’ve learned a great deal about how the municipality operates, which means the coming years are the right moment to step outside more. That means building more and better connections with associations, showing up more often at social events, and being more visible on social media. The goal is to bring the municipality to the students, rather than the other way around. A concrete starting point is providing more clarity about the sterflat pubs, an issue that has caused a lot of uncertainty.

During the COVID period, I felt a strong need to contribute not only to improving business processes but also to improving people’s lives. Local politics offers that opportunity. That’s why I joined Connect Wageningen: first as a support faction member, then as a candidate in the 2022 municipal elections, and since 2023 as faction chair and council member. In this role, I connect our supporters with the city and work constructively with both opposition and coalition parties. My focus lies on issues within the social domain and governance & organization.

I’m excited about the unique collaboration between Connect and Volt. Our shared mission — “rooted locally, connected to Europe” — aligns perfectly with my belief that local issues cannot be separated from European developments. As a candidate, I bring substantive depth, organizational reliability, and strong communication skills. I look forward to contributing to a strong and future‑focused Wageningen with energy, humour, and dedication.

I’m a candidate with a strong local focus and an open outlook on the world. For me, politics starts with the people around you: the neighbourhoods, the students, the internationals, the elderly, and everyone who feels connected to Wageningen. I believe that by truly listening and working together, we can create meaningful change — a Wageningen where everyone can participate and have a say.
Being politically active means committing to inclusive decision‑making, sustainability, and transparency. It means working toward a city where sustainability isn’t an abstract ideal, but something people can feel in every neighbourhood. And it means standing up for fair opportunities for everyone — whether it concerns housing, mobility, digital accessibility, or participation in multiple languages.
My social engagement became visible earlier through my candidacy for the Dutch Parliament. I put myself forward because I believe representation matters and because I have a strong conviction in the power of local and regional politics. Finishing in 24th place ultimately felt like a confirmation of my commitment and political drive.

In my political development, I’ve deliberately chosen an environment where collaboration, support, and clarity are central. I found that in the partnership between Connect and Volt in Wageningen. This collaboration brings together the best of both worlds: strong local roots and practical expertise, combined with fresh ideas and a European perspective on issues like democracy, sustainability, and innovation.
In my way of working, I take initiative, follow through on commitments, and actively seek out conversations with residents, organisations, and colleagues. My style is both connecting and results‑oriented, because I believe that politics has the most impact when it brings people and ideas together.

As a candidate for Connect‑Volt Wageningen, I want to use my energy, administrative awareness, and communication skills to help move Wageningen forward — fairer, more sustainable, and more accessible for everyone. Together, we can take responsibility for today’s challenges and build a strong, inclusive future for our city.

My name is Mink, I’m 24 years old, and I live in Wageningen with my family.
I work as a marketer for SMEs, scale‑ups, and both public and private organisations at a web agency. My experience with xxx also strengthens my work for Connect Volt and contributes to a xxx Wageningen.

For me, my parents, and my grandparents, Wageningen feels like home. That sense of belonging and connection is what makes this city so special to me. Whether it’s the international student who greets you on a walk or neighbours looking out for one another — Wageningen is gentle, caring. And that deserves to be protected.

I want to actively contribute to our community. Wageningen deserves a future where we can continue to enjoy nature and one another, and where the city keeps growing as a modern and independent place. A city with vibrancy, life, and vision.

I choose to dedicate myself to our city — a place where my child can grow up connected to nature and in a safe environment. A place where future generations can enjoy what we cherish today.
Vanuit Connect-Volt Wageningen draag ik daar graag aan bij.

I’m Josca Breeman (24), and I’ve been living in Wageningen for six and a half years now. I originally came here to study, but over time Wageningen truly became my place. I studied Environmental Sciences and later International Land and Water Management. I now work as a (field) soil scientist on themes such as soil, water, nature, and agriculture. What I love about Wageningen is the combination of peace and nature with the vibrancy of the city. Its international character, the shared passions, and the fact that Wageningen is big enough to offer a lot while still small enough to feel personal — all of that makes me feel at home here.

My connection to Wageningen goes beyond work and study. I’m active in local associations, work in the region, and am firmly rooted in the community — first as a student and now as a resident. That’s exactly why local politics appeals to me. Change feels close, tangible, and within reach here. Through my interest in collaboration and my participation in a traineeship, I’m learning how governance, policy, and decision‑making come together I want to understand what residents need, remain open to different perspectives, and engage in meaningful conversations. With a respectful and connecting approach, I hope to contribute to a Wageningen where people continue to find one another, even when interests differ.

From Connect Volt Wageningen, I’m eager to contribute to this as the candidate in sixth place.

I’m Elmar Theune, and I’ve lived in Wageningen for more than 50 years. I’ve grown deeply attached to this small, forward‑thinking, and vibrant world city. It’s where I met Geert, where my two sons were born, and where I am truly happy. You won’t get me to leave. That’s why I’m eager to help make Wageningen an even more beautiful, welcoming, and sustainable place.
I’m on the list as a reserve, in case someone needs to step aside temporarily. I no longer work, which means I can easily step in for a few months. Thanks to my experience as a former municipal councillor and provincial council member, I can get up to speed quickly.

My passion is working toward a better world — here and now, for our children and grandchildren, and for people elsewhere in the world. That’s why Volt resonates with me. With Volt, we can work on this together with the people of Wageningen, and with people in other countries who also want to build a better future.

My name is Gijs Rotteveel. I have lived in Wageningen since 2017. After the 2019 European Parliament elections, I became active with Volt in the summer of 2020. In the meantime, I completed a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biology, studied in Spain and Panama, and served a year on the board of the local student union. Alongside my studies, I also worked at a bakery, a bar, and a moving company in Wageningen. I now work for the nature conservation organisation IUCN NL, for which I travel to Amsterdam by bus and train twice a week.

I see myself as an internationally oriented, curious, and critically minded optimist. I also enjoy outdoor sports, where you challenge yourself and each other while meeting new people. As a young professional, my circle includes both Wageningen residents and students — groups I’m eager to bring closer together through Connect Volt Wageningen.

Volt is a movement I care about deeply. Its broad, inclusive, and future‑focused vision — and its emphasis on Europe — resonate with me. Sustainability and innovation aren’t just add‑ons in this party; they’re part of its DNA. Because of my current job I’m not very active as a Volt member yet, but that may well change in the future.

The municipal level of politics appeals to me: offering a listening ear to residents, working cooperatively to get things done together, and having the opportunity to change and improve the environment we live in. In my current work as a Dutch teacher, I encounter something similar: supporting young people and helping them move forward in our increasingly complex society. As a list pusher, I fully support Volt’s ambitions and hope the party will be given enough strength to make Wageningen an even better place.

My name is Daniel Brugman, and I live with my family in the charming Buitenoord neighbourhood of Wageningen.

As a former hospitality entrepreneur, local radio DJ, my work on the Campus, and as a co‑organiser of various music festivals and events in the city centre, I’ve been active in Wageningen for many years. I meet many people, hear what’s going on, and see up close what our city needs.

That’s exactly why I support Connect. Their way of looking at things matches how I experience Wageningen: human‑centred, green, practical, and attentive to the people who live, work, and study here. Whether it’s affordable housing, better accessibility, a vibrant city centre, attention to well‑being, or a city that truly welcomes internationals and students — Connect approaches it in a down‑to‑earth and realistic way.

I don’t have political ambitions, and my schedule is already quite full, but as a list supporter I can lend my name to a local movement I believe in. For me, it all comes down to one thing: a Wageningen that stays close to its people.