Most Labour supporters want change in leadership

The Labor Party (PvdA) should change its course, many current and former party supporters said according to the most recent polling data from Maurice de Hond. Over half of respondents, 55 percent in total, said party leader Diederik Samsom should step down. Three PvdA politicians, Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb, Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher and Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, all polled stronger than than the party's current leader. Voters were overall more likely to support those politicians, and they also have the greatest chance of winning back former Labour voters, the poll showed. The Labor Party members voted in 2012 in favor of major reforms effectively decreasing public welfare plans. Those included a five billion euro budget cut in healthcare, a transition to the loan system for students and a 16-billion euro spending cut to cope with EU deficit targets and a troubled economy. “Our intentions from summer 2012 are now dismissed as neo-liberal policies,” party leader Diederik Samsom told AD.nl A recent party meeting showed increasing discontent with the party’s stance in the parliament, reports AD.nl. “In what world does Samsom actually live?” indicates critical senator Adri Duivensteijn. “It does not feel that the Labour is struggling against the VVD to strive for its ideals. Politics is also a matter of feeling: will my vote be handled properly?” The divided party agreed during the last meeting that they would make it clearer which goals Labor is pursuing in the coalition. “The government must push for more progressive policies, such as abolition of the unfair youth minimum wage," said party chairman Hans Spekman. The PvdA members also decided they would not accept further budget cuts.