Jaap Velema

Jaap Velema is a Dutch politician and administrator serving as the Mayor of Westerwolde since December 2018. A member of the Democrats 66 (D66) party, he previously held roles as a municipal councilor and alderman in Hoogezand-Sappemeer and Veendam. Velema is recognized for his leadership during the asylum crisis at the Ter Apel registration center, an effort for which he received the 2023 Machiavelli Prize and was named Groninger of the Year. He holds a degree in legal administrative sciences from the University of Groningen and previously worked as an advisor and relationship manager in the banking sector.