Omtzigt steps down amid applause and anxiety as NSC faces uncertain future
As Pieter Omtzigt officially stepped down Saturday as leader of Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC), his party gave him a warm farewell—but under a cloud of growing doubt about its future. Despite enthusiastic applause and a standing ovation at the party congress in Arnhem, many members openly questioned whether NSC can survive without its founder at the helm, according to AD.
Omtzigt used the occasion to deliver a 45-minute speech, far longer than the expected five-minute handover to his successor, Nicolien van Vroonhoven. During his address, he reflected on the party’s struggles, openly admitted past mistakes, and criticized his former coalition partners. Yet, while he urged the party to continue, a new survey released earlier that morning showed that 60 percent of NSC voters from 2023 believe the party should dissolve after the current cabinet term.
That finding was reportedly not addressed publicly at the congress, but unease was evident among members. “The real question today is: are we going to pick it up together, or are we going to quit?” said Aernoud Olde from Hilversum. “I think it’s the latter,” he added, though he noted he had no opportunity to express that view during the congress.
Alex Janssen, who was involved in the selection process for NSC’s Tweede Kamer candidates, said he hoped that “we can still talk about it in between sessions.”
In his farewell speech, Omtzigt made clear he wants the party to continue. He formally received honorary membership from NSC’s national board and officially transferred party leadership to Van Vroonhoven. “Maybe I should have shouted things louder from the rooftops, cursed more, and spun harder,” Omtzigt said, acknowledging that NSC “didn’t sell well enough what we achieved.”
He also criticized his former coalition partners in the outgoing cabinet. He accused the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) of voting against legislation to curb migration and the VVD of introducing a law that “opens the gates to labor migration.”
He contrasted NSC’s approach with that of PVV leader Geert Wilders. “You hear the leader of the PVV say: ‘I will bring down the cabinet if I don’t get my way,’ while NSC members make sure they get their way through legislation. That’s a big difference,” Omtzigt said.
He listed accomplishments both in the Netherlands and at the European level and emphasized that “active members are the most important ingredient of a political party.” He promised to stay involved after the summer. “Someone with membership number 1—me—will remain active.”
But first, Omtzigt said he would take “a little rest,” adding that he could do so “with peace of mind,” knowing Van Vroonhoven had taken over. “I mean, has taken over,” he corrected himself. “After all, she already does everything, including that incredibly cozy coalition meeting on Tuesday mornings with Geert, Caroline, and Dilan.” He then formally handed over leadership “with full confidence.”
Despite the cheerful ceremony, doubts reportedly ran deep among the party’s rank and file. “He’s gone… The party is on its deathbed. And with Nicolien, we’re not going to make it,” Gerbrand, an NSC member, told AD. He nonetheless called Omtzigt’s speech “great.”
That sentiment was widely shared. Several members noted a lack of clarity about the party’s direction and frustration that no open discussion of NSC’s viability was included in the official congress agenda.
Omtzigt himself hinted that his departure would not be a clean break. According to AD reporters, between the lines, he told NSC lawmakers he “likes to rule from beyond the grave” and urged them to “fight hard” for the issues he championed. “Otherwise, I’ll just keep watching from Enschede,” he warned.
