Hi! I'm Maarten Lensink, active for the Dutch Pirate Party since 2012 and here since one year later, and would also like to offer myself as candidate for the European elections of this year. My intention has also been made public through
Facebook, where you can also find my motivation.
Although I can read, write and speak Finnish fairly well, it is still too difficult for me to have a (proper political) conversation in Finnish. However, I am registered as a voter here in Finland, which means I can vote for and be elected on behalf of a Finnish party at local and EU elections. Should I be elected, I will be working mostly in Brussels, where the language won't be a barrier. As for communication with Finland, I trust I can count on the help of assistants and the Finns their excellent command of the English language.
My intension is to create a website and video's explaining our political points of view and issues one by one and also aim to get non-voters to the election booth. Plus I don't want to merely address those that get to see the content I put online, but also encourage them to share it and get involved. And not just online, because that won't be enough.
Finally, what motivated me even more to do this, is the fact that the EU elections are quite soon after the Finnish national election, which probably most of you will be focussing on. I won't be that much help with the national election, but Europe is close to my heart.
Kind regards,
Maarten Lensink
Tampere
+358442363172
maarten.lensink@piraattipuolue.fi
My endorsements: 18 pirates, 3 others (and a journalist, who prefers not to have his name here due to his profession
)
Joni-Petteri Kivistö
Juho Karvinen
Harri Kivistö
Maria Rantanen
Tiina Malinen
Jarno Yltävä
Timo P. Hellman
Juho Salo
Jani Romero
Hannu Makarainen
Arto Lampila
Maija Li Raudaskoski
Mika Isomaa
Jarkko Sakkinen
Jarno Luoma-Nirva
Tapani Karvinen
Raoul Plommer
Jenni Hyvärilä
Jarkko Sakkinen
Elena Koudinova
Timo Lahti
Some people who are not allowed to vote here also endorsed me: Kees Hendrikse, Abram Kleijweg and Maarten Witpaard. One fellow candidate for the last Dutch national elections sent me an endearing endorsement, which I hope you don't mind me sharing:
I, Pirate Tjerk Feitsma, hereby, endorse Pirate Maarten, to be useful for the pirate party cause. In my personal perspective, as the pirate #6 of nl, and #4 of Amsterdam, I believe this man is the right person to be tasked with the difficult and challenging task of running for eu office, and should be supported in doing so. My experiences with him in campaigning have been solely positive and constructive.