Dutch Labour party votes in leader

The Dutch Labour party elected a former Greenpeace campaigner as its leader on the 16 March 2012, veering to the left as it sought to regain popularity and unseat the conservative government of Mark Rutte.

The election of Diederik Samsom could lead to the Dutch parliament rejecting the eurozone budget pact negotiated in December 2011, and complicated the political calculus for the Liberal party’s Mr Rutte as he negotiated with coalition partners over budget cuts to meet the 3% deficit targets.

ESO: Background information: Dutch Socialists gain from eurozone woes http://www.europeansources.info/record/dutch-socialists-gain-from-eurozone-woes/

ESO: Background information: Concerns rise over eurozone fiscal treaty http://www.europeansources.info/record/concerns-rise-over-eurozone-fiscal-treaty/

ESO: Background information: Dutch forced to make further budget cuts http://www.europeansources.info/record/dutch-forced-to-make-further-budget-cuts/

ESO: Background information: Dutch Labour leader resigns http://www.europeansources.info/record/dutch-labour-leader-resigns/

DutchNews.nl, 16.3.12: Samsom wins Labour party leader contest http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2012/03/samsom_wins_labour_party_leade.php

RNW, 16.3.12: Diederik Samson is new Dutch Labour Party leader http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/diederik-samson-new-dutch-labour-party-leader

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