Alexander de Roo was one of the founders of the GroenLinks in 1990. “This election result is disastrous,” he says. De Roo blames Klaver for “keeping the leftist story too little” in the campaign.
Have to fight harder
He mainly refers to one point, the introduction of a basic income. “Our supporters want to introduce that basic income en masse. No party has so much support for that. But I have hardly heard Klaver about it.”
De Roo is also critical of Klaver’s way of campaigning. “He was already negotiating and forming too much. Klaver should have campaigned harder. Show what the party stands for.”
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Young people criticize
His criticism is heard by the youth division of the party, DWARS. The young people write in a statement: “The campaign mainly lacked a strong story. We see an important cause of this in the too strong will to govern.”
And further: “Concrete plans increasingly came to the fore, while the ideals behind those plans increasingly faded into the background.” The young people hope that this defeat is a wake-up call.
Course does not suit him
The criticism also focuses on Klaver, who the GroenLinks youths call ‘the once so passionate and visionary party leader from 2017’. “However ambitious Jesse Klaver showed to co-rule, this course does not suit him as well. Here the stereotypical tragedy of the young idealist who becomes more realistic and right-wing as he gets older seems to be playing out before our eyes.”
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‘Just cunt’
A prominent GroenLinkser, who does not want to be mentioned by name, also calls the result ‘just crap’, and is not happy with the campaign conducted by Klaver and his team. “I think it was not clear to many voters why you had to vote for GroenLinks. If climate is your main theme as a party, why don’t you talk about it anymore?”
Especially Klaver’s attitude and that of his campaign aimed at cooperation, created a lack of clarity about what the party stands for. For example, GroenLinks advertised with a poster with the first names of the left-wing politicians with which to cooperate. ‘More Lilian & Lilianne & Sigrid & Jesse, more GroenLinks’.
“You may wonder what that poster with all those names contributes to the success of GroenLinks.”
‘Good research first’
The social media campaign via TikTok, among others, can also count on little understanding. “Are you bringing people in with that?” In addition, there is dissatisfaction with how the party dealt with the issue of Kauthar, the number 9 associated with the Muslim Brotherhood.
“There was already more dissatisfaction about the course of the campaign. That has also been raised. And today it is said by Klaver: it is a painful loss, but we will continue. what comes out there. “
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2017: biggest win ever
Jesse Klaver entered the House of Representatives in 2010 and became the party leader of GroenLinks in 2015 when he took over from Bram van Ojik. As party leader in the 2017 House of Representatives elections, Klaver gave his party a good result: the party won 10 seats compared to the 2012 elections and came with 14 seats in the House.
Klaver took GroenLinks along with the formation negotiations for a new cabinet. That formation attempt failed because the parties could not agree on the themes of asylum and migration. Ultimately, this formation led to a cabinet of VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie.
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Bummed, but keep going
Other party members are a bit milder. Member of the Senate Roel van Gurp describes it as follows: “Incredibly disappointed, but you gather yourself together and move on. We must now see what we can learn from it in the coming period.”
Green Left Kevin van der Vliet from Nijmegen says: “We did run a good campaign and stick to the content.” Although lessons must be learned, he thinks. “The lesson is that we must start building our social roots again. . We have to become a big stable movement again. “He thinks that can be done under Klaver.
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Joep Bos-Coenraad, municipal councilor in Nijmegen, sees the popularity of D66 as the reason for the loss. “It is of course difficult to distinguish yourself.”
Whether it should have consequences? “I wouldn’t pre-judge that right away. You shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater either. I’m not that negative.”
What was it up to?
That investigation is also going to happen, says MP Bram van Ojik, who is also former party chairman. “It’s too easy to pinpoint a cause for the loss right now.” Van Oijk describes the atmosphere in the GroenLinks fraction this morning as ‘resigned’. There is no doubt about Klaver’s position.
Opinion pollster Peter Kanne of I&O Research says that the loss of GroenLinks is mainly due to D66. GroenLinks has eaten it, says Kanne. “We saw in the latest polls that the GroenLinks voter switched to D66 for two reasons. The first is the climate. And the second is that they saw a better leader in Kaag.”
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Clover: not considering resigning
When asked whether Jesse Klaver has considered resigning, the GroenLinks leader replied this morning: “No, I don’t. Because GroenLinks’ mission is more urgent than ever, and I want to continue with it in the party. Ultimately, it is up to the group that has to ask me if I want to continue. If you ask me, I will continue. “
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GroenLinks voter Zita van der Heyden thinks it is good to see whether someone can hand over the baton. “Although I don’t immediately know a name.” She has been voting for GroenLinks for years, but is also critical of the campaign.
“I have actually only seen Jesse Klaver, while there are so many other GroenLinksers worth seeing. The number 2, for example. I couldn’t even mention her name.”
Don’t miss the left story
Van der Heyden also thought that too much attention was paid to the climate. “I missed the ‘left’ part. The party’s commitment to social issues. For me the reason I once left the PvdA. Member of Parliament Nevin Ozutok is committed to equal justice and for the people who need support. A missed opportunity.”
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