He is the mayor of Rotterdam - the largest port in Europe and one of the busiest in the world – and he is a Muslim of Moroccan descent. Ahmed Aboutaleb embodies the contradiction of many successful Moroccan immigrants in a country where anti-Islam sentiment has become a hot political issue.
“As a Muslim and a son of an immigrant from Morocco I am glad to take part in governing this country. I cherish this moment. I am proud that this is possible in the Netherlands. And I am proud of the Dutch people who have given me their confidence,” Mr Aboutaleb stated in an interview for the Dutch daily De Volkskrant.
Mr Aboutaleb grew up in the rugged Rif mountains of northern Morocco. The family house, in the tiny village of Beni Sidel, lacked running water and electricity. When Ahmed was still a toddler, his father – an imam – emigrated to the Netherlands to find work and support the family. The family followed when Ahmed was fifteen.
The murder of Van Gogh
Mr Aboutaleb studied telecommunications in the city of The Hague. After his graduation he worked as a reporter for national radio. In 1998 he became director of the research institute Forum, which focuses on multiculturalism in the Netherlands.
His political career began in January 2004, when Mr Aboutaleb became an alderman for the Labour party in the city of Amsterdam. He became known for his efforts to calm ethnic tensions following the murder of film director Theo van Gogh by a radical Islamist in November 2004.
After the murder, Mr Aboutaleb himself began receiving threats for his integration policies in the capital. For some time, Mr Aboutaleb lived in a secret location and could not go out without security. But he continued to fiercely defend his integration policies and gradually became known at a national level.
Fierce opposition
Mr Aboutaleb made the transition to national government as a deputy minister for Social Affairs and Employment, but another career high came when he was appointed mayor of Rotterdam in 2009. (In the Dutch system mayors are not elected but appointed by the national government).
Initially, Mr Aboutaleb faced fierce opposition from politicians associated with the anti-Islam Freedom Party (PVV). He was also criticised by the former followers of Rotterdam-based Pim Fortuyn - a populist anti-immigration politician who was murdered in 2002. But in the end, even Aboutaleb’s critics came to accept the appointment.
A poor Moroccan boy
Residents say Mr Aboutaleb is genuinely concerned with their needs; when shop owners complained about intimidation and increasing theft, he personally inquired about their situation.
When it comes to Rotterdam’s young people, Mr Aboutaleb emphasises the role of education as a means to tackle crime. And, as someone who began life as a poor Moroccan boy and became a citizen with an impressive career, he is especially qualified to inspire young people from immigrant backgrounds to succeed.