The result of the referendum was very clear: 88 percent of the PvdA members and 89 percent of the GroenLinks members voted for a merger from both parties. “You can’t deny that there is a big, left -wing movement.”
Inge Oosting is chairman of the PvdA Drenthe and for her this result did not come as a surprise. “You notice that this has been going on for much longer, I think this is a result that does justice to reality. On a national political level, the change will not be great either, because the group has been working together for two years.”
“I am a strong supporter of the merger,” adds Ewoud Bos, chairman of GroenLinks in the Provincial States. “It is good to have associations in times of populism. By sharing our core values we can mean more to the Netherlands.”
The cooperation between both parties has already been performed in Drenthe municipalities. In Assen, Noordenveld, Midden-Drenthe and Hoogeveen, for example, they enter the municipal elections of 2026 with a joint list.
Although the parties are close together in terms of political content, there is still enough to happen to continue as a party. Oosting: “The moment the parties go together, you also come to a different interpretation of boards at local, provincial and national level. There is now a whole process for us in which we have to draw up regulations and articles of association.”
But according to her, there will undoubtedly be points that will be questioned. “Social security is a very great good for us. Fortunately, GroenLinks is not far from us in this area.”
Nevertheless, there are also a number of PvdA prominent people, such as former chamber chairman Gerdi Verbeet former party leader Ad Melkert, who are critical about the merger and have united in the Red Group. According to Oosting, it is difficult to estimate whether they will split off. “Their goal was to have discussion about the Social Democratic principles of the party, but we have to wait and see how that will develop.”
Oosting itself is in favor of the merger. “I have always been for left -wing cooperation.” According to her, the figures also show that there is a left -wing movement in the country. “Since last Monday, just after the fall of the cabinet, we have received 63 new members. Nationally, it is even a few thousand.”
According to Bos, the criticasters within the PvdA receive too much attention. “The members have clearly voted for a merger. This is how it works within a Democratic party.”