Rutte opts for women on new VVD list | Inland

Both Hermans and Becker are seen as rising stars. Hermans comes straight from the breeding ground of Mark Rutte and Minister Stef Blok. She was their political assistant for many years. In 2017 she ended up in 16th place on the candidate list. She is currently the deputy group leader and campaign leader for the Liberals.

In the past, Becker was the political assistant to the then Minister Henk Kamp (Social Affairs). She is known as the VVD’s right winger on asylum policy and good debater.

The current State Secretary for Social Affairs, Bas van ‘t Wout, is in sixth place. Number seven goes to former State Secretary for Justice Mark Harbers.

The biggest climber is Member of Parliament Thierry Aartsen. He climbs from position 46 on the previous candidate list to number eleven. The highest newcomer is Eelco Heinen, Klaas Dijkhoff’s political assistant. He gets place twelve. In its wake, in thirteen place, is another newcomer: the Utrecht councilor Queeny Rajkowski.

The VVD candidate list of (former) political assistants is swarming. In addition to Sophie Hermans, Bente Becker, Eelco Heinen, the names of Peter Valstar (place 21) and Ingrid Michon (20) pop up. Valstar was the right hand of former Minister Hennis, later also Prime Minister Rutte. Michon did that for former minister Ivo Opstelten.

Numerous new names are on the VVD list. You had to. The turnover has been high among the liberals in recent years. So big that the VVD – which won 33 seats in previous elections – currently has the number 51 of the 2017 candidate list in the parliamentary benches.

Forced by mistakes, well-known faces such as Jeanine Hennis, Halbe Zijlstra and Han ten Broeke left the Binnenhof. Others dropped out early because of a new job. Malik Azmani is currently in the European Parliament, Pieter Duisenberg opted for the VSNU university umbrella, Foort van Oosten carries the mayoral chain of the municipality of Nissewaard, Anne Mulder is alderman in The Hague.

A number of VVD members have already indicated in recent weeks that they will not be on the candidate list. Party leader Klaas Dijkhoff no longer wants to, just like ministers Cora van Nieuwenhuizen (Infrastructure) and Sander Dekker (Justice). The name of Defense State Secretary Barbara Visser is also missing from the new list.

But parliamentarians such as agricultural spokeswoman Helma Lodders, financial expert Roald van der Linde, asphalt man Remco Dijkstra and VWS substitute Hayke Veldman also have no place anymore.

Of the outgoing MPs, entrepreneur Eric Ziengs is the most eye-catching. The fact that he is leaving leads to disappointment here and there. The Member of Parliament from Drenthe is known as a champion of liberal values, not afraid to hit the table every now and then. A characteristic that – now that the VVD has been in the coalition for three cabinets – is sometimes missed by some liberals.

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