Health Minister left off conservative party's list of candidates

Edith Schippers is not on the VVD's list of candidates for the next election. Last election the Health Minister was second on the VVD's list, but she decided not to sign up for this one, her spokesperson said to news wire ANP. VVD members had until Tuesday to sign up for the list of candidates. The fact that Schippers decided not to do so is quite a blow for the conservative party. She is regarded as a confidant for VVD leader and Prime Minister Mark Rutte and was often mentioned as his possible successor. In the 2012 elections she received over 123 thousand preferential votes. Schippers was appointed Minister of Public Health, Welfare and Sports in October 2010. At least six VVD parliamentarians also did not sign up to return to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, according to the news wire. Among them are former Tweede Kamer president Anouchka van Miltenburg, Brigitte van der Burg, Helma Nepperus, Anne-Wil Lucas and Ybeltje Berckmoes. Three VVD ministers already announced that they don't want to be part of the next cabinet. They are Henk Kamp of Economic Affairs, Stef Blok of Housing and Melanie Schultz van Haegen of Infrastructure and Environment. Schippers hasn't yet made a decision on whether she wants to stay on as minister.