Jolande Sap, leader of the environmental party GroenLinks, is not considering stepping down despite her party’s very poor showing in the general election, several newspapers report.

Sap, whose party plummeted from 10 seats to three, was quoted as saying that ‘my stepping down is not an issue at this time’.
The parliamentarian has the support of her one-time rival for the GroenLinks leadership – Tofik Dibi – who said that as Sap had been elected he would not withdraw his support. Second-in-command Bram van Ojik has also intimated he sees no reason for Sap’s departure.
GroenLinks MP Ineke van Gent’s reaction was slightly more guarded. ‘It’s obvious something will have to happen although I am not primarily thinking about a change of leadership’.
Insiders said Van Gent wants to avoid ‘a public fight’, a reference to Tofik Dibi’s leadership challenge which, some have said, contributed to the party’s poor showing.
The party was also hit by its support for the spring austerity agreement.