Gosh, Hans Wiegel would not have thought that when he switched on the television at 5.30 am this morning – ‘as you know I always get up early’. And with that he speaks for many other VVD member. “I did wonder once if he really likes to be crown prince. But I didn’t see this coming, no, ”Wiegel admits.
The question of whether the departure of Klaas Dijkhoff is a loss for the VVD, he finds a bit heavy. “If you leave, you leave,” is his view. And you can hardly blame Dijkhoff for his departure, Wiegel says. “Dijkhoff is a very bright man and he has been the prince on the horse for a long time.”
Playing outside
The position of crown prince is simply not a post that you have to hold for too long, says former Member of Parliament and MEP Hans van Baalen. He points to the PvdA in the past: “There were many good people who could succeed Joop den Uyl, but Den Uyl kept sitting down. A crown prince who remains crown prince for a long time burns up. ”
Former minister Annemarie Jorritsma is more than understanding. As party leader in the Senate, she had been aware of Dijkhoff’s intention to leave for some time. Just like Mark Rutte, by the way. “As a shame as I think it is – because he has many talents – but I get it very well. He has a young family. And he is only 39. As an old woman, let me say this: go and play outside. He will come back. ”
Jorritsma does not believe that Dijkhoff will disappear from the scene forever. “Klaas says he does not rule out a ministerial position. That says something. ” She draws a comparison with Edith Schippers, who left for chemical company DSM after having been minister in the two previous cabinets. “Edith is not lost forever either. I am also happy that she has gone out to play. And I also hope that she will return. ”
Hands full of problems
There has been little doubt in the VVD so far that Rutte will soon sign up again for the party leader. Now that Dijkhoff is announcing his departure, the last trace of hesitation seems to have been removed, although Rutte himself insists that he still has to make a decision. Van Baalen thinks that the expected candidacy of Rutte played a role in Dijkhoff’s decision. “I think Klaas has counted his knots. Like: I am still young, Rutte will continue, do I want to be party chairman or minister for another four years? ”
Nevertheless, Dijkhoff’s decision also has consequences for Rutte himself, Wiegel thinks. “Saying ‘no’ to the party leader has become much more difficult because of this. If he did that, he would give the VVD a few hands full of problems. ”
While it is not surprising that Rutte takes the time to make an assessment, he believes. “Of course he has been around for a long time, has been prime minister for 10 years. There are people who say: that is a very long time. They sometimes say that you have to stop at a time when they will miss you. ”
That’s not how Jorritsma is in the game. “I just want Rutte to be the party leader. Not because we have to, but because he is really good. Rutte is a fairly exceptional prime minister. You do not notice any fatigue and he knows how to constantly renew himself. We therefore say to him every week: ‘Go Mark, you just have to do it’. ”
Pinprick
If Rutte ever leaves, his successor will have ‘big shoes to fill’, Jorritsma admits. Still, she feels that not much drama should be made of the succession issue. “Very great talents are added. I’m not worried about it. I remember that Wiegel left. Then Ed Nijpels popped up just like that and we immediately won ten seats in the next elections. ”
Wiegel puts that pinprick aside. According to him, the VVD should not look for one successor, but for at least three. “At least then you have something to choose.” And he is certainly concerned about the supply of candidates. “The top is very thin. It’s not good. ”
In the short term, that lack will cause a problem, Wiegel thinks. The fact that Dijkhoff negotiates in the coalition on behalf of the VVD in his last months is, according to him, ‘a danger for the party and the fraction’. “Once you say you’re leaving, you’re already gone.” And political opponents can benefit from that.
The faction will therefore undoubtedly be asked whether Dijkhoff can remain chairman, Wiegel thinks. After all, this was also the case when it became known in 1969 that VVD leader Edzo Toxopeus would become the queen’s commissioner in Groningen. “Just like Dijkhoff, Edzo thought he could remain party leader until then, but the faction then put a stop to that. Even now the group will ask itself: do we count if Dijkhoff is sitting there on our behalf? ”
According to Van Baalen, things are not going that fast. “I don’t see that happening. The group loves him. Klaas has done a lot to strengthen the position of the group. ” It is precisely because of his substantive contribution that Dijkhoff will be missed, thinks Van Baalen. “His Klaas story was appreciated in the party. It would have been good if he had finished his story. As a party you have to reinvent yourself every so often. ”
Dijkhoff: ‘I just kept it dry’
Dijkhoff looks at the hundreds of reactions to his departure on Saturday afternoon in his home in Breda. That gives a little emotion. “I just made it to the end of our digital fraction meeting, but after that I was full.”
According to Dijkhoff, the people in his group were a bit taken by surprise. “Some were still in a restaurant and they had to log in within 15 minutes so I could tell them. No, there was no crying in the meeting itself, but that would certainly have been different if we had been together physically. ”
The politician was especially moved by the ‘stories of people with whom I worked a lot and who look back on them’. “Who had not prepared themselves for this not to take place. And I get a lot of reactions from people who think it’s a shame. Which is good. If they are no longer sorry that you are going, then you are too late. ”
Asked whether he might succeed mayor Depla van Breda when he leaves, Dijkhoff responds with a laugh. “No, Depla will be there for a long time to come. You shouldn’t want to look that long ahead. Jobs like this are very honorable, but I don’t get ahead of things like that. I do have exploratory discussions about my future, but I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do yet. ”
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