Hugo de Jonge is the new leader of the CDA. With 50.7 percent, he just got the necessary majority of the CDA members behind him. De Jonge thus defeated Pieter Omtzigt, who received 49.3 percent of the vote. In the official result, the difference between the two is 258 votes.
Party chairman Rutger Ploum announced the result. CDA members took two rounds to determine who will be the new leader. After the first round, State Secretary Mona Keijzer dropped out.
The CDA was looking for a new leader since Sybrand Buma left politics in May last year to become mayor of Leeuwarden. MP Pieter Heerma then took over the group chairmanship, but immediately indicated that he had no ambitions for leadership.
Crown Prince
De Jonge (42) has long been one of the crown princes of the CDA. When minister Wopke Hoekstra did not present himself as a candidate, he seemed the winner. But after MP Pieter Omtzigt had thrown himself into the battle, it unexpectedly became exciting.
“Incredibly exciting, more exciting than I had thought before,” said De Jonge after the result. “So close together.” He praised his rival, which he is now running mate called. This means that Omtzigt becomes number 2 on the candidate list. De Jonge: “The members just love you. We are going to do this together.”
Chairman Ploum announced the result:
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