Mark Rutte: Not Available as Party Leader Related Articles

Rutte also announced that he will leave politics when a new cabinet takes office. That appears to end Rutte’s reign after 13 years, even though he’s stuck as caretaker, says political journalist Mats Akkerman. “There could be a no-confidence motion today because some parties want him to leave immediately,” he says. “Maybe he’s trying to take the sting out of the debate by saying that.”

However, Akkerman thinks the decision will come as a surprise to many people. Especially since Rutte proved incredibly resilient when the government fell on Friday and said he was still full of energy. “Although he didn’t seem as energetic as we are used to from him.”

Future

And with the announcement of his departure, speculation about Rutte’s successor immediately started. The names that circulated earlier are those of the interim Minister of Justice Dilan Yesilgöz, who won many preferential votes in the parliamentary elections. “But the name of Edith Schippers, leader of the VVD party in the Senate is also often mentioned,” continues Akkerman. “She has long been a confidant of Rutte and was also a minister.”

Either way, the search will be challenging, Akkerman points out. “Rutte was prime minister for thirteen years and party leader of the VVD for nearly twenty years,” he continues. “The playing field is open again after a long time, so maybe there will be many more successors around the corner.”

New era

Either way, it’s clear that “the big trees have a lot of shade,” Akkerman says. “Over the course of the four Rutte cabinets, many people have been designated crown prince, but they have also disappeared again,” Akkerman said. Sander Dekker and Klaas Dijkhoff, among others, fell into this category, but all ultimately opted for a start. “Rutte, on the other hand, continued to move forward.”