SP dismisses merger with PvdA

19 March 2007

AMSTERDAM – The Socialist Party (SP) responded negatively to a suggestion from the Labour PvdA that the two parties might merge in future. SP MP Ronald van Raak said “a merger between PvdA and SP is not up for discussion.”

PvdA MP Diederik Samsom had hinted in an interview in Het Parool on Saturday that a merger with SP could be in the cards in the next five to ten years. The article also quotes several prominent PvdA members voicing their concern about the fact that the SP was gaining in popularity at the expense of the PvdA.

Two opinion polls published over the weekend show that the SP has surpassed the PvdA in public opinion. The Interview/NSS bureau says that SP would secure 30 seats in Parliament were elections held today, while the PvdA would only secure 27. A Maurice de Hond poll shows the PvdA at 27 seats, the SP at 29.

The SP says that deputy prime minister Wouter Bos’s party had better solve its problems itself. MP Van Raak: “Just before the elections [last November, ed.] the SP proposed making a link between candidate lists of the SP and the PvdA. The PvdA turned down the suggestion. We’ll see to what extent the PvdA is willing to listen to us in future.”

Subject: Dutch news