Dutch conservatives choose moderate leader
Members of the Dutch political party, the conservative VVD, have voted moderate Deputy Education Minister Mark Rutte party leader. He won 51 percent of the vote ahead of his rival the hardliner, Rita Verdonk, who gained just over 46 percent. The leadership contest was by Dutch standards very fiercely fought. Both candidates made use of campaign teams and were often brutally critical of each other during debates.
The campaign also attracted publicity because of the controversy surrounding member of parliament, Ayaan Hirsi Ali. In her role as Immigration Minister, Rita Verdonk, ruled, after a short investigation, that Ms Hirsi Ali was never entitled to Dutch citizenship because she had lied about her name. The minister came under sustained fire from parliament for her handling of the affair.
Source: Radio Netherlands, 31 May 2006
