Lilian Marijnissen from Oss is again the leader of the SP in the parliamentary elections on 22 November. She received support for this on Saturday from an overwhelming majority in the party council, the highest body among the socialists.
Marijnissen (38) succeeded Emile Roemer from Boxmeer in December 2017 as party leader of the SP. The party was not very successful under her leadership. In the parliamentary elections in 2021, she fell from fourteen to nine seats. Municipal, provincial and European elections have also gone downhill in recent years.
Negative series
To break through that negative series, Marijnissen will probably have to deal with Frans Timmermans, among others. The current vice-president of the European Commission wants to lead the joint list of GroenLinks and his own PvdA and he seems to be able to count on broad support. By working together, these parties hope to win over more left-wing voters.
In the fall of the cabinet and the imminent departure of Prime Minister Mark Rutte from politics, Marijnissen sees ‘a new opportunity to set a different, new course for our country.’ The Netherlands is ‘done’ with the ‘neoliberal politics’ that have led to degradation and an increase in poverty, she says in a speech to her party members.