Expatica news

Crime reporter almost as popular as PM

15 November 2005

AMSTERDAM — Voters are almost as keen to see television crime journalist Peter R. de Vries as Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende taking part in the next general election, according to an internet-based opinion poll.

The poll conducted by the Maurice de Hond organisation found 35 percent of the public wanted De Vries and his new PRDV party to stand in the election in 2007. Balkenende garnered 37 percent support.

De Vries, who made his name with a television programme about crime in the Netherlands, recently set up the ‘Partij voor Rechtvaardigheid, Daadkracht en Vooruitgang’ (Party for Justice, Decisiveness and Progress).

De Vries announced he would take part in the general election if 41 percent of the people taking part in an opinion poll organised by TNS NIPO backed the idea on 16 December.

News that De Vries has 35 percent support in the poll by Maurice De Hond — a competitor to TNS NIPO — seems to suggest the PRDV may achieve this target support by the deadline.

But two researchers at TNS NIPO alleged in newspaper ‘De Volkskrant’ on Tuesday that Maurice de Hond’s polls were inaccurate and biased. Maurice de Hond denied the claim.

A TNS NIPO poll on 10 November said 24 percent of the voters wanted De Vries to run for election.

According to De Hond’s poll Jan Marijnissen, the leader of the Socialist Party (SP), tops the list of politicians the public wanted to take part in the next general election.

Some 62 percent of the respondents picked Marijnissen. Wouter Bos, the leader of the main opposition party, Labour (PvdA), came second — with 52 percent support. Green-left GroenLinks leader Femke Halsema got 54 percent backing and Andre Rouvoet, leader of the small Christian party ChristenUnie, got 53 percent.

De Vries and Liberal Party (VVD) elder statesman Hans Wiegel were tied on 35 percent, with Balkenende, of the Christian Democrats (CDA), two points behind.

The leader of the CDA and VVD factions in parliament, Maxime Verhagen and Jozias van Aartsen, received 32 and 28 percent backing respectively.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2005]

Subject: Dutch news