NSC continues ‘in the light of Omtzigt’, but he also remains active himself

It should be the day when New Social Contract (NSC) says goodbye to Pieter Omtzigt as a political leader. The flowers are already ready, the golden pin with which he will be appointed as the first honorary member of the party too. A information officer has already established the wooden group chairman, who will take over Nicolien van Vroonhoven van Omtzigt.

And for a moment it seems to go like this, this Saturday in an event hall in Arnhem. Party chairman Kilian Wawoe focuses on a camera to Omtzigt in the morning. It is not in the room. He is « somewhere above, » says Wawoe. « Pieter, I know you hear me. You, and only you, are the reason we are here. We will continue in the light and the inspiration you have given us. Words fall short to describe what you have meant for us. »

When he then calls Omtzigt into the room, he announces him as « our leader. » A long ovation follows.

Omtzigt says that politics was sometimes « hell » for him. That he was worn out « for crazy » when, as a member of parliament on behalf of the CDA, he tried to get attention to the allowance affair.

45 minutes speech

What was programmed as a ‘transition moment’ will be a speech of almost 45 minutes, in which Omtzigt goes from one subject to the other. From the permit system for employment agencies to the forced out -of -home placement of children. From existence to Israel and Gaza. It is a sometimes technical summary of the files that Omtzigt has been talking about for years in the Chamber, about successes of his party and that he thinks NSC is not getting enough credit for it. « You don’t read it. Maybe, and then I should also look at myself, we should have screamed louder of the rooftops. Having shouting harder, has to swear better. But that is not in our genes. »

A few times it seems that Omtzigt comes to an end of his speech. The audience then seems ready for a long applause. But then Omtzigt asks for a glass of water, and it does not turn out to be ready. Or something else comes to mind. In the middle of a word of thanks in which he focuses on Nicolien van Vroonhoven, he still starts about pensions.

‘Member number one’

Members, there are a few hundred, look at each other. They see a fit Omtzigt, he seems to like it. And he still has ideas. Farewell speech? It looks more like a conference speech that should keep a political leader.

So if Omtzigt says that he will remain active for the party « after the summer as a member number one », there will be hard and long. And when he jokingly says it is « always fun » to « rule over your grave, » someone in the audience shouts: « Keep doing! »

Omtzigt says he keeps coming to The Hague, but « less often. » He will continue to app MPs and ministers, « but no longer so early and not so late. » And he announces that he will continue to engage in subjects that are dear to him.

During lunch, members are talking about it. There is joy and relief. Pieter Omtzigt is not gone at all. He stays. Some members hope he will ever return as a Member of Parliament, others find him suitable for working for the scientific institute of NSC.

A new leader

Against that background, Nicolien van Vroonhoven must keep her first conference speech as party leader. In her speaking text, she still talks about ‘sad faces’ because of the departure of Omtzigt, but the mood has long since turned. She speaks a lot shorter than her predecessor, more than twenty minutes.

It is the time for Van Vroonhoven to show what they want with the party. NSC is in a bad way. For weeks the party has been on one seat in polls, now there are twenty in the Lower House. According to NSC’ers, this is because they are invisible in this coalition, do not show their own successes well enough. And also because it is unclear for voters what is still typical NSC.

Van Vroonhoven is now making an attempt to attract new topics. Resilience, against external dangers, and national identity. The Dutch should again know what « our shared values ​​and traditions » are, « like dew stairs with Ascension and Carbide shooting. » Van Vroonhoven also starts in her speech about ‘protecting’ ‘our Dutch language, which you really hear in the big cities a lot less on the street than 20 years ago.

Nicolien van Vroonhoven shows that she does have a different profile than Omtzigt. NSC’ers in the group already knew that. She talks more often about cultural themes than Pieter Omtzigt. She is also pronounced more than Omtzigt in the field of medical ethics. NSC members take into account that she wants to profile the party more on this theme. In the Lower House, for example, she resisted fiercely, and with success, against expansion of the Transgender Act.

The members in Arnhem listen benevolently to Van Vroonhoven, but with less attention than for Omtzigt. They don’t make it difficult for the party top this Saturday.

There is nothing noticeable in Arnhem, bad polls or not in Arnhem. There is no course debate, and members are told by Van Vroonhoven that NSC is simply ‘firm, sturdy and proud’ on the path taken.

It is mainly the outside world that is blamed. If one of the members in the main hall gets the microphone, she says she thinks it is « very unfortunate » that she reads in the newspaper that « our party no longer has a life force. » « And that is not true, » she says with emphasis. Those present clap hard and there sounds shouting against the press.

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