New NSC leader does not rule out future merger with CDA, but cites key differences

New NSC party leader Nicolien van Vroonhoven said she does not rule out a possible future merger between NSC and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), though she emphasized that the two parties remain significantly different. Her remarks were made during an interview for the television program Dit is Tijs, which is scheduled to air Saturday night on NPO2. The interview fragment was reviewed in advance by ANP.

When asked directly by interviewer Tijs van den Brink whether a merger with CDA could be on the table, Van Vroonhoven responded, “I don’t rule anything out for the future.” She then explained why she believes the two parties still have separate identities, despite the recent departure of NSC founder and party leader Pieter Omtzigt, who had spent many years as a CDA member before leaving due to dissatisfaction with the party.

Van Vroonhoven said former CDA members who joined NSC did so because they wanted to redefine their relationship with government and engage in a different style of politics. According to her, these differences are still reflected in the current makeup and vision of NSC.

Another distinction Van Vroonhoven noted is that NSC is not a religiously based political group. “NSC is not a ‘confessional club’,” she said, referring to the CDA’s roots as a party grounded in Christian values and principles. This marks a clear ideological divergence between the two parties.