Former PvdA chairman Hans Spekman: cooperation with GroenLinks failed

Former chairman PvdA MP Hans Spekman sees the elections as proof that cooperation with GroenLinks has "failed." According to the latest forecast, the PvdA gained one seat and GroenLinks retained its seats, but in percentage terms the left-wing parties lost slightly in votes.

According to Spekman, the result shows that the parties can garner more votes separately than when they combine into one party. According to the latest forecast, the PvdA lost 0.3 percentage points and GroenLinks 1.8 percentage points compared to the last provincial elections.

At WNL on Zondag, he therefore said that he finds it a "sad" image that party leaders Attje Kuiken (PvdA) and Jesse Klaver (GroenLinks) cut a cake to celebrate the result. "Who are we kidding here?"

.@PvdA-partijprominent @hansspekman vindt dat de linkse samenwerking met @groenlinks heeft gefaald. "Wie houden we nou voor de gek? We hebben gewoon verloren." De stem tegen het kabinet ging naar de @BoerBurgerB, zegt Spekman. Hij is tegen een fusie. "We zijn verschillend." #WNL pic.twitter.com/tsq2ClFhPm

— WNL Op Zondag (@WNLOpZondag) March 19, 2023

The parties worked together a lot during the election campaign and will form a joint parliamentary group in the Senate. To many voters, Spekman said, it looks like the parties have already merged - an idea that has been openly discussed in recent years. "It doesn't lead to gains for us, it leads to losses," Spekman said. He believes voters see the PvdA and GroenLinks as part of the establishment, which they are punishing by voting en masse for the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB).

It would be better if the left-wing parties remained separate and strengthened their own brand, the former PvdA chairman explained. However, he favors the formation of a left-wing bloc.