Groningen’s mayor Koen Schuiling has announced his resignation, saying he does not have the energy to dedicate himself fully to the job.

Schuiling, 65, said in an online statement he felt he had not always been there for the people of Groningen, and said his term in office had been “extraordinarily intense”.

The shortage of accommodation for refugees, social unrest and the chaos surrounding compensation for people affected by the earthquakes are among the issues which have had required considerable energy, he said.

“Reflecting on the past few years, I have to conclude that at the moment, I no longer have the necessary energy to be fully dedicated to these tasks,” he said. “I cannot be the mayor that the people of Groningen need or deserve.”

Schuiling will step down on October 23, after five years on the job, and an interim will be found to take over before a new mayor is appointed.