Frame Henk Krol: conservative and progressive

On Thursday evening, the new name was unveiled in the former Caballero factory in The Hague: Lijst Henk Krol. LHK will be a progressive conservative party. Sounds like ‘a contradiction in terms of pur sang’, said party chairman Pieter Bogaardt: ‘But that’s not it.’ What Krol wants: Cherish what is good from the past; change what could be better. Who can be against that?

Krol then explains it in detail on the basis of his own career: Sunday conversations at his grandfather and grandmother’s home, student days with the sale of college reports, fight for gay rights, initiation into politics by Hans Wiegel. All that has brought him here. He is brief about 50Plus: ‘During the periods that I led the group, there was no quarrel at 50Plus.’

Words are just about inadequate to describe Henk Krol’s political career. Irony reflects off his armor of cheerfulness. Again and again a mountain of promises that hide the horizon from view. And again and again there are voters who think: Henk Krol is my husband, my vote is safe with him.

His wanderings are well known. Krol left with a big fight at the senior party 50Plus, cooked vegetarian for Femke Merel van Kooten-Arissen and embraced the environment and climate. Left her for the conservative ideas of FvD dissident Henk Otten. He also got into trouble with him, lost the name for his new party – Party for the Future – and is now heading for the elections with the LHK. That is the harvest of the past six months, before that it was never boring and not always steady with Krol.

He did leave some feathers on the way. Roel Praagman, businessman from Schijndel who made a capital villa available as headquarters of the Party for the Future, withdrew his offer. With the investor and party chairman Bogaardt living in Monaco, who was first introduced by Otten to the PvdT and subsequently expelled as treasurer, Krol has someone with deep pockets on board. And, Krol says after the official part of the meeting, Bogaardt is not alone. ‘There are many people who have built up something in life. If you are a party that wants to cherish the achievements of the past, they are willing to support you. ‘

Hence perhaps the lavish presentation that lasted barely five weeks, with an election program printed on thick glossy paper, and a professional website and even LHK mouth masks. There is also already a board, with entrepreneurs and a retired lieutenant colonel; work is in progress on a women’s network and scientific institute.

Whether he still hesitated whether he had to continue in politics after that break with Otten? ‘Don’t be ashamed of doubts,’ says Krol (70). ‘But when I see how people address me, on the street or on the train, and hear that they really expect something from me – that gives wings.’

Conservatism had never before been publicly professed by Krol, but it is completely his course, he says. ‘I’ve always been hired to give an opinion that was close to me, but never fully fitting. This is a party with which I completely coincide. ‘

He readily admits that the past year could have been better. Femke Merel was quite right that the step to Otten was wrong. She would be welcome again at LHK in a minute. ‘ Then she will have to make a big turn. Economy comes first in the program. Environment and animals are far in the back, just above the subhead: “We cherish the passenger car.”

Who will be on the list after Krol will be announced in December.

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