D66 leader will resign if party loses election year cabinet bid

Alexander Pechtold will leave the D66 if his party does not make it into the cabinet in the next elections, scheduled for March 15th next year, he said in television program Pauw. If the D66 is not part of the ruling coalition "then it is time for another, yes", the D66 leader said. The D66 is releasing its election campaign program on Friday, the third party to do so. Geert Wilders' PVV released its program on Thursday, hammering on the de-Islamization of the Netherlands. And 50Plus released its campaign earlier this week, calling for more attention to the elderly and regulated cannabis cultivation. Pechtold became the leader of the D66 in 2006, according to ANP. Between 2005 and 2006 he was Minister for Government Reform and Kingdom relations in the Balkenende II cabinet.