Labour leader won't resign if party loses 3rd straight election

Labour party (PvdA) leader Diederik Samson will stay on as party leader until the national elections in 2017. Even if the party would suffer another loss in the upcoming elections in March, Samson will not step down, he stated in an interview on TV program Jinek. Samson was questioned responding to questions about the provincial elections scheduled for March 18th. He did not agree with the claim that changes will be made if the referendum does not support the current coalition government. The party leader stated that he still has all kinds of plans he wishes to finish before the elections in 2017. "It would be the first time in over 20 years," he said of the possibility that the current Mark Rutte-led government will serve a full term. "We finally have a complete cabinet and I think that is what the Netherlands needs." If the cabinet does not collapse, the next general election is scheduled for no later than March 15, 2017. As party leader in the lower house of parliament, Samson did partially accept responsibility for the PvdA's diminishing role in the house. Three PvdA ministers voting against Minister of Health's, Edith Schippers', healthcare legislative proposal brought the coalition government to the brink of collapse thus bringing negative publicity to the whole party. The party also struggled during the most recent municipal elections.