Lilian Marijnissen received a Golden Tomato during her farewell at the SP party conference on Saturday. That is the highest award the party gives to members. The former SP faction leader from Oss received this from party colleague and former SP leader Agnes Kant as a thank you for her work and efforts.
Marijnissen announced her immediate departure as party leader at the beginning of December. She did this after the party lost four of the nine seats in the House of Representatives elections.
“It is not your choice that you go,” Agnes Kant said in her speech on Saturday. After losing elections again, unrest arose within the SP. The question was asked whether it was not time for a new face. “If a seed of doubt is sown, it is untenable. You must have unconditional support as a party leader,” Kant said.
In 2017, Lilian Marijnissen succeeded Emile Roemer as political leader of the SP. Under her leadership the party lost all elections. Both in those for Chamber, Provincial Council and municipal elections. But even before that, things were going badly for the party. Agnes Kant therefore emphasized: “We have lost several elections. All of us, even though you did fantastic.”
The day after the elections, Marijnissen told the ANP that he was “very sick” of the loss. But she also felt “combative”, she said, and wanted to continue as party leader. At a subsequent meeting of the party board, Marijnissen sensed too little support to continue. A day later she announced on X that she would quit as party leader and as a Member of Parliament.
A few days later, Groninger Jimmy Dijk was appointed as the new party chairman and leader. For the first time in a long time, a Brabander is no longer the leader of the socialists.
Lilian Marijnissen received a standing ovation from the six hundred SP members in the room at her farewell on Saturday.
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