Frans Timmermans has been officially nominated as party leader of GroenLinks-PvdA. This was announced by the party boards of the two parties on Friday. The party leaders’ committee considers the European Commissioner to be ‘the ideal candidate to convincingly propagate the joint green and social ideas of GroenLinks-PvdA.’
Timmermans describes the nomination as ‘a great privilege’. As party leader, he wants to restore confidence. ‘In each other and in the government.’ He mentions the climate crisis, the growing inequality, the failing government and international security as the biggest challenges that the new movement will tackle under his leadership. ‘They call for a decisive approach that can count on broad support among the population. And that starts with trust.’
In recent weeks, the list tractor committee, consisting of Paul Depla (PvdA), Andrée van Es (GroenLinks), Bram van Ojik (GroenLinks) and Nelleke Vedelaar (PvdA), interviewed various candidates for the leadership of the red-green combination. Only Timmermans survived the selection procedure. There are no rival candidates.
In the end, the committee came to a unanimous decision to nominate Timmermans. ‘The committee sees him as a leader who can bridge the sharp differences that characterize our current society. He brings a wealth of experience and has earned his spurs in both domestic and foreign politics.’ The committee sees Timmermans as a figurehead of left-wing cooperation and believes that it has a credible prime ministerial candidate with the current European Commissioner as party leader.
Although there are no other opposing candidates, the members still have to vote on the nomination. Both the members of the PvdA and GroenLinks can vote for Timmermans or the option ‘none of the candidates’. The results will be announced on Tuesday 22 August. It will also become clear how great the support for the PvdA is among GroenLinksers.
Normally, the candidacy would have to be ratified at a congress, but moving the vote forward will allow the campaign team to focus fully on the election campaign in the coming weeks leading up to November 22.
Avinash Bhikhi
AP – Frans Timmermans.
2023-08-21 08:59:55
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