A large group of faction leaders from municipal councils, provinces and water boards have lost confidence in the party management of the Party for the Animals.
In an urgent letter to the national board, they write that the party can only be kept together if the board chooses to step down and an interim board is appointed. The NOS.
The letter writers demand a response to their appeal before noon today.
They support Esther Ouwehand, the party leader who should not become party leader if it were up to the board. “The board has opted for escalation and thus unnecessarily harmed the party. As a result, we no longer have confidence in this board. We have confidence in Esther Ouwehand as party leader and party leader,” the letter states.
Power struggle
Last weekend, the long-simmering power struggle between party leader Esther Ouwehand and the executive board of the Party for the Animals exploded. The party board pushed Ouwehand aside as party leader because of ‘signals about integrity violations’.
Christine Teunissen, the number two of the PvdD in the House of Representatives, previously supported Ouwehand: “This is a slap in the face of Esther, undeserved and highly antisocial.”
Criticism
Ouwehand had come forward with an indictment against the board, which, according to her, does not grow, refuses to professionalize and often forces local departments into opposition. The faction leader also accuses one board member of ‘vilification’. However, according to party chairman Ruud van der Velden, Ouwehand only came with that letter after she had been informed about the integrity reports.
But several party members recognize Ouwehand’s criticism of the board and support her.
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