In the Netherlands, Pieter Omtzigt and the New Social Contract are favorites in the polls for Wednesday’s legislative elections
Home straight before Wednesday’s legislative elections in the Netherlands and the centrist New Social Contract party is leading the voting intention polls.
And according to Diederik Boomsma, deputy candidate for the New Social Contract:
“The New Social Contract is the only party capable of tackling the Netherlands’ biggest problems together.”
Former Christian Democrat Pieter Omtzigt founded the party last summer.
He is an economist. He has been an MP for 13 years and could become the next Prime Minister.
Pieter Omtzigt, leader of the New Social Contract: “I’m very surprised myself at how quickly this is all happening. I mean, you’re looking at a party that had five members three weeks ago.”
The New Social Contract promises reforms to combat the increase in the cost of living and its leader enjoys a significant popularity rating.
If his party comes out on top in the election, Pieter Omtzigt will have to, barring any surprises, form a coalition to govern.
Mariken van der Velden, Assistant Professor of Political Communication, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam explains:
“It’s going to require working with other parties, and he’s going to have to get this big ship of a government to change course a little bit. But he’s promising to turn the ship 180 degrees, and that’s not not possible for any government, so he will have to – in a way – disappoint people who hope that now everything will really change.“
And our correspondent Fernande van Tets concludes: “26 parties are running, it’s a record and it’s a very close race. The polls show that whatever happens, Pieter Omtzigt and his new social contract will be a force to be reckoned with in Dutch politics over the next four years. The left and the right will need him to form a coalition.