Lazrak heals rift with Socialist Party

19 January 2004

AMSTERDAM — MP Ali Lazrak seems to be backing down from his threat last week that a break with the Socialist Party (SP) was inevitable. He now wants to remain with the party, he says.

Lazrak told the media last week that it seems unavoidable that he would resign his membership of the opposition party. But on Monday he indicated that he wanted to remain a member of the SP’s parliamentary faction.

One of the main points of contention was the party rule which states its elected representatives have to pay their salaries into the SP’s coffers. MPs are then paid a wage by the party.

Lazrak has indicated the EUR 1,900 he received every month from the party was too little.

The breakthrough came after mediatiion by leading SP official Tiny Kox. It has now been agreed that the party will look again at the financial rules governing its elected representatives.

The SP has nine MPs and 43,000 members making it the fourth largest party (in terms of membership numbers) in the Netherlands and only slightly smaller than coalition government party, the free market Liberal VVD.

Subject: Dutch news