As a result, the unthinkable is now happening in this relatively affordable city, says Rotterdam-based bestselling novelist Ernest van der Kwast. That kind of forthrightness, and his perceived toughness on crime, has made him unexpectedly popular with the conservative Leefbaar Rotterdam (Liveable Rotterdam) party. Van der Kwast admires Aboutaleb’s balancing act: “He’s able to be strict addressing problems among certain groups, because he’s from that group. Van der Kwast believes that more effort is needed to bridge this entrenched gap, and cites the once-failing Hugo de Grootschool in Charlois district. “People think that when you’re poor, you’re stupid,” says Van der Kwast.

Source: The Guardian April 06, 2018 09:56 UTC