The Dutch European Commissioner Frans Timmermans (62) has been officially elected as PvdA/GroenLinks party leader for the upcoming parliamentary elections in our northern neighbours. He has already announced that it is his ambition to succeed Prime Minister Mark Rutte and has resigned as European Commissioner with immediate effect.
Timmermans received 92 percent of the vote. There were no opposing candidates, but members could speak out whether they were for or against Timmermans’ leadership of the list.
A total of 51.5 percent of members cast a vote. It is not known how support is divided between GroenLinks or PvdA members. Previously, the supporters were already positive about the cooperation of both parties: almost 92 percent of GroenLinks members supported the collaboration, for the PvdA this was 88 percent.
“Ideal candidate”
The party leaders’ committee already called Timmermans – who had previously been active in national politics in the Netherlands, including as foreign minister – “the ideal candidate to convincingly propagate the joint green and social ideas of GroenLinks-PvdA”.
Timmermans thus puts an end to a career of nine years in Europe. As European Commissioner, he was the face of the European Commission’s climate policy. He was appointed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to implement the Green Deal, the plan to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. He was also Vice-President of the Commission, number two behind von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen waves Timmermans with thanks and praise. She is grateful to him “for his passionate and tireless work to make the Green Deal a reality”. Most of the work is also done, with the European elections and the appointment of a new commission in sight. Most of the Commission’s climate plans have now been adopted or even implemented.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans. © REUTERS/APP/EPA
The Dutchman who succeeds Timmermans as European Commissioner will not get his prominent position anyway. The Slovak member of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic will take over, the committee reports. If a Dutch successor has been found, it will be determined which portfolio will receive it. The new woman or man can also be charged with climate policy, but that is not necessary. Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte repeated what he said on Friday: the cabinet will “really take some time” to find a good successor.
On November 22, the Dutch will go to the polls to elect a new parliament.
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2023-08-22 17:40:37
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