The board of the Socialist Party has again nominated party leader Lilian Marijnissen (38) as party leader for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Marijnissen confirms this on Saturday on Twitter. The decision was unanimous. Marijnissen: “The end of the Rutte era is good news for the country. I hope for a real battle of ideas at last. We are going to rebuild the Netherlands. Time for new politics.’
Since December 2017, Marijnissen has been chairman of the SP parliamentary group and party leader. Since then, the SP has not won a single election. In 2021, the SP went from 14 to 9 seats with Marijnissen as party leader. Still concluded NRC at the end of last year that Marijnissen need not fear for her leadership position. Party chairman Jannie Visscher says in a response: “Lilian has shown great strength, leadership and inspiration in recent years, both in the House of Representatives and beyond. A new era is dawning. We have full confidence that Lilian can lead the way in this.”
The party council of the SP (consisting of the board and department chairmen) will have to approve her leadership on 22 July. Other SP members can apply until July 21.
Read also Lilian Marijnissen does not win elections, but no one in the SP rejects her
This article is also part of our live blog: The SP board nominates Marijnissen as party leader again