All local DENK groups support the stepped leader Stephan van Baarle. This is apparent from a Saturday published declaration From forty party leaders, councilors and committee members. Also the two other thinking MPs, Ismail El Abassi and Dogukan Ergin, support from Baarle.
Last Thursday evening Van Baarle announced on X that he will stop as a party leader, because the actions of the party board would have ‘undermined’ his role. He did not go further in detail.
Sources reported NRC That Van Baarle was not allowed to participate in the composition of the list of candidates for the House of Representatives on 29 October. Insiders suspected that chairman of the board Ejder Köse mainly put confidants on the unpublished list. The national administration would also stop an additional general meeting. The party board wants to be with Van Baarle and an independent mediator.
The local groups call on the party board to “create peace and trust” by stepping on and having members choose a new board with “sufficient support and trust among our members”.
Van Baarle is also praised. “Stephan has proven in word and deed to be a tireless advocate for our ideals,” write the forty local representatives. “His leadership has been invaluable for our movement and the supporters that we represent.” They call on the resigned party leader to return and under his leadership to “compete”.
DENK is locally represented in Amersfoort, Amsterdam, Arnhem, The Hague, Deventer, Dordrecht, Helmond, Rotterdam, Schiedam, Utrecht, Venlo, Vlaardingen and Zaanstad.
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