Eddy van Hijum and Diederik Boomsma: De Rutte and Verdonk of NSC

The party leader election of New Social Contract (NSC) between Eddy van Hijum and Diederik Boomsma has all the ingredients to distribute the party to the depth. Although the party board tries to monitor some grip on the process, a scenario like that of the VVD threatens in 2006. Then Mark Rutte narrowly won the party leader’s election after a fierce battle from Rita Verdonk. But VVD people still talk about that election with horror.

At the time, the battle exposed that the VVD consisted of Kampen: an administrative camp and a more populist camp. The power struggle was only decided in favor of Rutte when he put Verdonk out of the group in 2007. It took years before the VVD was on top of this again.

NSC, a party without a real leader, must designate a party leader for the parliamentary elections. Founder Pieter Omtzigt left in April. His successor Nicolien van Vroonhoven announced on Saturday after long hesitation not to apply. Two prominent NSC members announced for the deadline on Saturday evening: to apply: outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Eddy Van Hijum (Social Affairs) and Lower MP Diederik Boomsma.

Now, under the leadership of chairman Kilian Wawoe, the party board must first do a lecture. That happens Tuesday. But: another candidate may also stand for election afterwards, and then the members decide. So it may just be that one candidate receives the support of the party board, while the other is more popular among members. The vote will close to members on 30 June, after which there must be a party leader.

Two wings

With these two candidates, NSC, a party in great need, has unintentionally organized the division. Both NSC’ers stand for two completely different wings. In addition, they are both in their own way, controversial in their party.

Eddy van Hijum (53) is to compare it to the VVD in 2006, the Mark Rutte of this election. He is popular with the party elite, made a name for himself as a co-negotiator of Pieter Omtzigt during the cabinet formation and has extensive experience as a politician and director.

In a letter on LinkedIn, Van Hijum turned this weekend against « politicians who polarize and feed and feed dissatisfaction. » He became a member of parliament on behalf of the CDA in 2003, and was a representative in Overijssel, among others.

But Van Hijum recently did not make himself loved by a part of the party. As a minister, he opposed an amendment of Member of Parliament and party colleague Agnes Joseph. She wanted to arrange participation in the transition to the new pension system. According to Van Hijum that was unworkable. It led to a rarely showed collision between party members in the parliamentary debate about this. Agnes Joseph said That Van Hijum « fools the population. »

The amendment did not make the net, much to the disappointment of Joseph. But many NSC people were proud of her, at last month’s party congress she was folded exuberantly. (Also by Eddy van Hijum, who was in the first row.) NSC people told afterwards that they recognized something from Pieter Omtzigt in her fighting spirit. They had missed that in the months that NSC was unhappy in the coalition with PVV, VVD and BBB.

Most right -wing NSC’er

Diederik Boomsma, again in analogy with 2006, could be compared with Rita Verdonk. Right, mediagenics and not afraid to give his opinion. Just like Van Hijum, Boomsma has a past in the CDA. For years he was a municipal councilor in the Left -oriented Council of Amsterdam.

Boomsma (46) has been a member of parliament for a year, but stood out in debates about asylum and migration. He is known in the group as the right, perhaps the right -most NSC person they have. In Fidelity mentioned Van Vroonhoven him part of the « extremely right -wing flank » of the party. In asylum debates, he often argued for a much stricter asylum policy, and for a « much lower upper limit » to the number of people who can permanently settle in the Netherlands.

Within the top of NSC there is a fear that the group will tear if Boomsma becomes the leader

Within the NSC top, there is a fear that if Boomsma becomes a party leader, the group of twenty MPs will tear. For some party members it is simply too right. On the other hand, they know that the party needs an appealing leader to climb out of the enormous electoral valley that the party has been in for months. For a long time, polls have been giving NSC between zero and three seats.

Discourage

The fact that Nicolien van Vroonhoven decided not to continue as a party leader is a relief for many in the party top. Van Vroonhovens strength was that she supported Omtzigt, kept the peace in the group. NSC’ers call her a ‘mother’ for party members. But they also saw that debating and the political handicraft go much less well.

Within the top of NSC there is a fear that the group will tear if Boomsma becomes the leader

The vacancy text According to NSC people, the party board for a new party leader seemed to be written to discourage Van Vroonhoven. Someone who is ‘charismatic and inspiring’ is being sought, someone with a ‘story’, and a ‘clear and coherent vision of the future of the Netherlands’.

Van Vroonhoven wrote on Saturday that she has managed to « capture the right -wing elements in this coalition », but that she cannot give the full commitment to a campaign now. Striking: she said aloud what many NSC people dare to say only behind the scenes: « I might have seen a somewhat lower seat number as a relief. »

Van Vroonhoven is in fact gone as a leader, and NSC has to look for a new one. Whoever recites the board, whoever it will eventually become, even more division is lurking.

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