Dutch Reformed political leader leaves the stage

Van der Staaij says in a press release that his time in politics were “tropical years”. That led him to more and more desire a bit more “lee, a bit more focus and a bit more living outside of the all-consuming world of politics.”

Van der Staaij has been Member of Parliament since the elections of 1998. Together with the populist Geert Wilders, he is the longest serving MP in the Netherlands.

Already around the previous elections in 2021, behind closed doors, Van der Staaij told the party board that this would most likely be his last mandate, the Dutch daily Reformatorisch Dagblad writes.

Crisis

The November elections were called earlier this summer because of a crisis in the 4-party coalition of Prime Minister Mark Rutte. After Rutte announced that he would leave as a leader of the Liberal VVD party, many other leaders announced to step aside. Also, the Christian Democratic CDA goes with a new face in the elections, Henri Bontenbal. The smaller ChristianUnion had chosen Mirjam Bikker as a new leader earlier this year, after the farewell of Gert-Jan Segers.

Van der Staaij doubted for a while whether he would leave as well, he tells the Reformatorisch Dagblad. “I committed myself until 2025. Is it good to leave earlier? I did not want to take the decision lightly, I prayed constantly about it. But the time was ripe for my leave, I was allowed to do so.

On Twitter, Van der Staaij said, he felt free to go, since the party does not depend on people, but on the “steadfast conviction of God’s rule”, he wrote. “We would do good to go in His ways.”

Na 25 jaar in de Kamer stel ik me niet herkiesbaar. De warme betrokkenheid uit het land van zo veel mensen heb ik als een zegen ervaren. Gelukkig hangt de SGP niet aan mensen, maar aan de vaste overtuiging dat God regeert en we er goed aan doen in Zijn wegen te gaan. pic.twitter.com/Dgz38dd7Oh

— Kees van der Staaij (@keesvdstaaij) August 25, 2023

The Dutch Prime Minister Rutte responded very sympathetic towards the Conservative Protestant. He praised Van der Staaij's “positive way of executing politics and his respectful attitude towards colleagues.” The Dutch politics is “losing a rock”, Rutte says. Van der Staaij is “principled”, but also has an “open mind and a “great sense of humour”.

Met het aanstaande afscheid van Kees van der Staaij verliest de Nederlandse politiek een rots in de branding. Als Kamerlid was hij beginselvast, betrouwbaar en als geen ander staatsrechtelijk onderlegd. Maar hij was ook een parlementariër die zijn collega’s en het kabinet steeds…

— Mark Rutte (@MinPres) August 25, 2023

Van der Staaij will be succeeded by his colleague Chris Stoffer. According to the Reformed politician, Stoffer has been prepared to take over the position. He calls him an “excellent successor.”