DutchNews.nl - Labour leader Job Cohen stands down and quits parliament

Labour leader Job Cohen is standing down as both head of the parliamentary party and as an MP with immediate effect, the PvdA announced on Monday afternoon.

Cohen, the former mayor of Amsterdam, took over the job before the 2010 general election, winning the party 30 seats in parliament, just one less than the ruling VVD. Since then, however, the party's fortunes have plummeted and last week there was renewed speculation about the direction of the party and Cohen's positio

Cohen said in a statement on the PvdA website he wanted to contribute to a 'decent society' but had been unable to bring that message across sufficiently.

‘I made the transition to national politics two years ago because I wanted to contribute to a decent society in which as many people as possible could flourish regardless of their colour or creed. Unfortunately, in the political and media driven environment of ‘The Hague’ I have not been able to show how the road to such a decent society could be achieved,' he said.

'It is our task to give people a better perspective, especially in times of crisis. And if the leader of a party fails to contribute to this task effectively, it is time to go,' Cohen said.

In particular, the PvdA has been hit by the rising popularity of the SP which has now outstripped the VVD in the latest polls.

Matters came to a head last week when Cohen and new party chairman Hans Spekman gave an interview to Trouw which seemed to indicate they planned a move to the left. The interview was criticised by a number of PvdA stalwarts and according to some reports, over half of the Labour MPs wanted Cohen to quit.

Prime minister Mark Rutte said in a reaction that he valued Cohen's integrity and the 'respectful way he served the public good.'

SP leader Emile Roemer described Cohen's decision to stand down as 'dramatic'. 'We worked together closely for a better Netherlands,' Roemer said. Jolande Sap, leader of the left-wing greens GroenLinks said Dutch politics needs people who campaign for a more social country. 'It is such a shame he feels the need to stand down,' Sap told news agency ANP.

Who fills the empty seat now he has also stepped down as MP? As far as I am aware there are no by-elections in the Netherlands, How doe this work?

By @CluthaDubh | February 20, 2012 3:07 PM

Pity, he was a decent fellow, without prejudices.

By Stefan | February 20, 2012 4:20 PM

Thanks Job!! Thanks for all your hard work and compassion for those less fortunate. You will be missed.

By Bill | February 20, 2012 5:32 PM

this will not pass with Polish people mr wilders. stand up against nazie scums ! have guns ready for them. yet again Polish Nation ! fight ! Eye for an eye. Polish should be extremely tough in response. For how long we going to stand this ! they beat us like a dogs so we act like a beaten dogs. No more ! Every fakin Dutch who come to Poland should be caught, then put rope on his head, forced to work hard for shitty money. then we need to humiliate, ridicule, treat them like animals. make them frightened and so they will be more efficient. just like they do with us. whta kind of country is Hooland ? all they have they got they owe to collonialism and cheap labour expoloitation nowadays !

By JanPomorski | February 20, 2012 5:48 PM

So a man who cares about society feels he can't make any difference via the Political process and Prof. Frankinstein Post feels for some strange reason we would like to eat hamburger meat created from stem cells. A dark day for society and the future.

By Karl | February 20, 2012 7:15 PM

Good old Geert Wilders is outlasting them all. Halsema left and now Cohen. Shows that Geert has got the staying power and character that the other party leaders don't have! Fantastic

By Deb | February 21, 2012 12:55 PM

Cohen was one of the greatest mayors that more welfare brought to Amsterdam city in its history.
Only less than 0.1% of votes over him, allowed Rutte being appointed for trying to conform a cabinet. And only his shameful alliance with the Nazi guy, in the last minute, blocked that Cohen was appointed to try for conforming a cabinet.
When our society overcome infection by fascism brought by the Nazi guy who currenly supports Rutte, Cohen will be recognized as one of the best and honest politicians in our country.
History shows that this kind of infections are always defeated, in short time. We have the last example in Denmark.

By zenplus | February 23, 2012 1:40 PM