RTV Utrecht reporter Marc van Rossum du Chattel has been following the Utrecht city council for over thirty years. He also sees that the council is struggling with the meetings. “Each party wants to profile itself so that they stand out among the rank and file. Due to the fragmentation, many more councilors want to say something about a subject and that takes a lot of time. But in addition, small parties are much less able to delve into a subject. The democratic process will come to both not for the better.”
He also thinks that the meeting structure is inimitable for outsiders. A topic is discussed in different compositions at different times, which makes it difficult to follow.
Like Van Ostaijen, Van Rossum du Chattel thinks that it can save a lot of time if parties with the same opinion speak together. He also thinks that the meetings could be smarter and more efficient. “That is better for democracy and also for the mental health of the council members.”