Pressure mounts on CDA leader Balkenende

Thursday 04 March 2010

Senior Christian Democrat officials are openly doubting whether prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende should lead the party into the June election, various media report on Thursday evening.

The CDA were one of the big losers in Wednesday's local elections, shedding 182 seats. And one opinion poll showed the party is set to lose 12 of its 41seats in parliament.

The party's inner council is due to meet on Monday and Balkenende's position will be on the agenda, one official told RTL news.

Doubts

RTL news says a number of senior party officials are now openly doubting whether Balkenende should lead the party into the June 9 general election.

'Balkenende must feel it is all over,' one source said.

Balkenende has led four cabinets over the past eight years and was named campaign leader immediately after the current cabinet collapsed.

Farmers

But his popularity is at a low ebb. Farmers, traditionally big supporters of the CDA have turned their back on him, with only 38% in a recent poll saying they wanted to see him back as prime minister.

Several other polls also show CDA voters are turning away from their leader. A Maurice de Hond poll on Thursday showed 25% of CDA voters want a new top dog.

Transport minister Camiel Eurlings, junior defence minister Jacques de Vries and finance minister Jan Kees de Jager have been tipped as possible successors.

© DutchNews.nl

Readers' comments

Comments have been closed for this article.