The members of GroenLinks and PvdA can vote until next week Thursday on whether they want to form one new party. Regardless of the outcome, a possible new party will not be established if there are elections this fall.
The left-wing parties will inform their members of this on Thursday. The members were originally scheduled to vote on the so-called principle decision at the joint congress of GroenLinks and PvdA on June 21.
But because there are early elections, that vote has been brought forward. The elections will likely be on October 29. It is too early to participate as a new party anyway. A special founding congress is needed for that.
Decisions will then be made about the statutes and the new party name. That congress was already planned in 2026, after the municipal elections. That is why the parties are still participating in these elections under the current name GroenLinks-PvdA.
The members still have to officially express whether they also want to enter the upcoming elections with one list and one election program. That question was also asked in 2023 during the previous parliamentary elections. The members of both parties then voted in favor with a large majority.
However, there is also resistance to establishing a new party. Red (PvdA) and green (GroenLinks) do not go together, is one of the arguments. This would dilute ideals.
At GroenLinks, it is too much about the climate, some at the PvdA believe. Social democrats would rather have it about social-democratic topics such as affordable housing and a higher minimum wage. At GroenLinks, there is again the fear that they will place those topics above climate policy.
Current party leader Frans Timmermans is a big supporter of a new left-wing party. He already wrote about this as a PvdA Member of Parliament in 2006. If it is up to him, the Party for the Animals, SP and D66 will also join. He would at least like to lead such a new club in the next elections.
The question of whether Timmermans will indeed be allowed to lead again is not up for debate now. Candidates can register, after which a special committee will see if that person is suitable. Then the members can vote on it. So far, no one besides Timmermans has registered.