SP leader Lilian Marijnissen, who recently resigned, received "too little support" at the last meeting of the SP party board to continue as party leader, said SP MP Bart van Kent. He was present at the meeting on Friday evening, at which, according to Van Kent, the board members expressed doubts about Marijnissen's performance. As far as Van Kent is concerned, Marijnissen did not have to resign. "But I understand that she cannot continue with too little support."
The SP party leadership has asked Lilian Marijnissen to lead the SP list again in the parliamentary elections in November. According to party chairman Jannie Visscher, Marijnissen "has shown great strength, leadership, and inspiration in recent years." Marijnissen herself called "the end of the Rutte era good news for the country." She said she hopes for a "real battle of ideas. Time for new politics."