Two senior Labour party stalwarts have come out in support of a closer association with GroenLinks and have even hinted at at some form of merger between the two parties.

In an opinion piece in the Volkskrant, Frans Timmermans, currently European commissioner, and Marjolein Moorman, who leads the PvdA in Amsterdam, said the challenges society is facing are making ‘greater unity and sense of purpose a bitter necessity’.

‘We need a breakthrough to bring the country forward. That can only happen with determination and a belief in progress and solidarity. (..) We believe that closer cooperation and even linking up with GroenLinks will force that breakthrough,’ they wrote.

Moorman and Timmermans did not use the word ‘fusie’, or merger but went for the more ambiguous verbinding which means link, or connection.

This seems to suggest either the creation of a new left wing party or a merger.  Such as move would work in the party’s favour in next year’s upcoming provincial elections which will influence the composition of the senate, the Volkskrant commented.

A survey by current affairs programme EenVandaag among PvdA and GroenLinks voters showed that most favoured a closer cooperation although PvdA voters baulked at the possibility of a merger.

The Volkskrant also says Moorman, who brought the PvdA to victory in Amsterdam in the local elections and Timmermans, who did the same in the 2019 European elections, are both likely candidates for the party leadership after Lilliane Ploumen’s sudden resignation earlier this week. 

Labour MPs will elect their own parliamentary party leader next week, with Attje Kuiken and Henk Nijboer both tipped as contenders.