People's Party for Freedom and Democracy leadership election, 2006

People's Party for Freedom and Democracy leadership election, 2006
Netherlands
31 May 2006 (2006-05-31)

 
Candidate Mark Rutte Rita Verdonk Jelleke Veenendaal
Party VVD VVD VVD
Popular vote 14,777 13,131 803
Percentage 51.5% 45.5% 3.0%


Leader before election

Jozias van Aartsen

Leader-elect

Mark Rutte

The 2006 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy leadership election was called to elect the new Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy after incumbent Jozias van Aartsen announced his retirement from national politics. Mark Rutte the Undersecretary for Education, Culture and Science closely beat the Minister without portfolio for Migration and Integration Rita Verdonk and backbencher Member of the House of Representatives Jelleke Veenendaal.

Background

After the 2006 municipal elections Jozias van Aartsen stepped down as chairman of the parliamentary party of the VVD in the House of Representatives and announced that he would not be top candidate for the next elections. The VVD leadership had consciously campaigned in the municipal election on a national ticket. The party however did not reach the set goal of 15% of the votes and actually lost 1.5% of the votes. To fill his position of political leader of the VVD, an internal election was scheduled.

Candidates

Three VVD members put forth their candidacy.

Results

Wikinews has related news: Rutte elected leader of the VVD

An independent committee oversaw the elections. 28,788 people voted in this election, which was 74% of the eligible VVD members. They voted mostly by telephone and via Internet. The full results were presented on May 31, 2006, in Hotel Okura in Amsterdam, where it was announced that Mark Rutte obtained 51.5% of the vote and won the election. Rita Verdonk came in second, with 45.5% of the vote. Jelleke Veenendaal obtained 3.0% of the vote.[1][2]

It is generally expected that Mark Rutte will step down as staatssecretaris and become fractievoorzitter of the VVD parliamentary party because according to the VVD's Liberal Manifesto the party's leader should either be Prime Minister of the Netherlands or chairman of the party's parliamentary party.

References

  1. "Mark Rutte nieuwe lijsttrekker VVD". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 May 2006.
  2. "Rutte lijsttrekker VVD". Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 August 2014.
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