Luc Stultiens reflects on his first months in Dutch Parliament

As a newcomer elected to Dutch Parliament in 2023, UCU alumnus Luc Stultiens '14 reflects on his initial months in the House of Representatives, outlining his early experiences, challenges, and aspirations as he navigates the intricacies of the role.

How have your first three months in parliament been?

The first four months in parliament have been great. It is such an honour to be a member of parliament. My personal highlight was the plenary debate about the education budget proposal. This was my first speech, a so-called maiden speech. Traditionally, in a maiden speech newly elected members can say something personal about their lives or what they want to achieve in the coming years. In my maiden speech, I focused on the importance of science and how careful politicians should be with budget cuts on education. 

How has your UCU education helped prepare you for your present-day career?  

UCU has helped me in many different ways. First of all, it helps with becoming a generalist who is not afraid of learning new things (with limited time) because in politics we often have to deal with a lot of different topics. On behalf of GroenLinks-PvdA (green social democrats), I’m responsible for pensions, fiscal benefits and higher education (HBO, WO). That’s actually quite a nice fit if you compare it to the science major (mathematics, physics) and political science minor I took at UCU. Secondly, UCU has raised my political awareness. The interesting events on campus and people from all over the world made me realise that I wanted to go for a meaningful job to make the world a better place.

Some politicians do not seem to realise the many advantages an international education can bring. That’s what I like so much about UCU. It prepares students to become global citizens.

What are you looking forward to in the coming months?

I'm looking forward to addressing the taxation of the super-rich in a manner that promotes fairness and equity. It's troubling that the top 1% in the country often evade their fair share of taxes. By adjusting tax policies for the most wealthy, we can strive to reduce poverty and create a more balanced tax system that benefits all citizens.

Moreover, I want to ban unpaid internships. Unpaid internships are fundamentally unjust. They deny the equal opportunity to acquire work experience across all sectors, especially for young people who do not have the privilege of financial security or parental support. 

What have been the most surprising or unexpected aspects of your experience during your first months in parliament?

It still surprises me how critical a lot of political parties are about international higher education in the Netherlands. Some politicians do not seem to realise the many advantages an international education can bring. That’s what I like so much about UCU. It prepares students to become global citizens.

Another suprise is the formation of a new governing coalition so far, and unfortunately not in a positive way. However, it does give me a lot of motivation to work hard, reduce inequality and leave a greener planet for future generations.