Esther Verhagen

Esther Verhagen is the incumbent Mayor of Leestrom, formally being deputy mayor during Saber's mayorship and a member of the Leestrom City Council. She is the second elected official in Doggerland's history to be of Korean descent, the only other person being Saber himself, with her being a Dutch-Korean.

Background
Verhagen's parents were originally residing in Amsterdam, however, they fled during the second world war to Doggerland after the German invasion of the Netherlands. They eventually immigrated and settled in Leestrom.

She earned a Bachelor's Degree of Sociology from the [University of Carabou]. After graduating she was initially unsure about her future paths, and at one point considered returning to the Netherlands for job searching but eventually was convinced by a close friend to stay in Leestrom to work in the civil service.

During the 1990s, Verhagen became interested in local politics, staffing for members of the local council and frequently travelling to other major cities to boost cooperation.

In 1996, she was invited to write several theses by various institutes specialising in political science, and labour rights. This led her to be noticed by Saber who at the time was a human rights lawyer and frequently helped labour activists.

Member of the Leestrom City Council
In 2004, Verhagen ran for the Leestrom City Council as a member of the Liberal Party. Her parents had opposed her goals but she believed that it was the only way for her to improve the city's livelihoods. She first became elected on the proportional list and became famous for her fiery speeches.

Deputy Mayor of Leestrom
After Saber became mayor of the city in 2008, he made her deputy mayor of Leestrom which surprised many as they expected someone more experienced. She still proved efficient in her position and was key in conveying and implementing numerous policy.

Mayor of Leestrom
After Saber's term ended, Verhagen nominated herself in the primary for the Liberal Party's candidate and won by 53%. She won the mayoral election by 57.6% becoming the city's second female mayor and second mayor of Korean descent. She later became responsible for overseeing the city's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was praised for her success in keeping case numbers low letting those residing in Leestrom largely carry on with their normal lives with exceptions of mask mandates and social distancing.

Personal life
Verhagen is single. She is a lapsed Christian originally belonging to the protestant church.