‘Full support’ for CDA leader Balkenende

Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende has the full support of the Christian Democratic party leadership and there is ‘no reason whatsover’ to doubt his role as campaign leader, CDA chairman Peter van Heewsijk told reporters on Monday evening.

The CDA management board met on Monday to discuss the party’s poor showing in the local elections last week, and to discuss growing criticism of Balkenende’s performance.
The prime minister has led four governments within eight years, three of which collapsed early, and is regarded by some local party leaders as an electoral liability.
Unanimous
Van Heeswijk said the party leadership had had an ‘adult discussion’ about the local election campaign and the disappointing results, and that there is ‘unanimous support’ for Balkenende to lead the CDA into the general election campaign.
‘Jan Peter Balkenende is our campaign leader withthe ambition to become prime minister,’ he said.
Opinion polls show support for the CDA is falling since the collapse of the coalition government, with one poll putting the party level with Labour.
Balkenende told reporters the board’s support is ‘a clear signal’. ‘I am going for gold,’ he said.
The prime minister refused to say if he would take a seat in parliament as an MP if the CDA is not part of the next coalition government.
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