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2022 Socialist Labour Party leadership election

28 October – 20 November 2022

Candidate Brent Bekaert Carolijn Broeksma Ad Joosten Leader's seat Flamia Grotevlakte Lower Stegeren   Candidate Paola Russo Mirjam Schutte Leader's seat Zilverzee Lower Stegeren

Incumbent leader Rupert van Bleiswijk

The 2022 Socialist Labour Party leadership election will be held from 28 October to 20 November 2022. The election was triggered by the resignation of incumbent leader Rupert van Bleiswijk after he failed to secure the SAE nomination for President of the Euclean Community.

Following van Bleiswijk's formal resignation on 26 September, the SAP's federal executive met to formalise the rules and procedures of the election. Nominations opened on 5 October, and closed seven days later on 12 October. The first round of voting will take place on 28 October, with an electoral college of party leadership, representatives and elected office holders using the single transferable vote. The top two candidates will progress to the second round, which will consist of a ballot of party members. The winner will be declared at an extraordinary party conference on 18 November.

Background

Rupert van Bleiswijk was elected as leader of the SAP in 2015. He led them to a first place finish at the 2017 federal election, and again in 2021. In the months leading up to the 2021 election, it was widely speculated that van Bleiswijk was considering a run for the presidency of the Euclean Community (EC), which raised questions about his long-term ambitions as party leader and as premier.

On 24 June 2022, van Bleiswijk formally declared his intention to seek the Socialist Alternative for Euclea (SAE) nomination for EC President, launching his primary campaign on the same day. In the first and only round of the primary, van Bleiswijk finished in third place out of the three candidates, garnering just 18 votes in the electoral college system. Van Bleiswijk was criticised domestically by a number of political figures, including some in his own party, for prioritising his own Euclean election campaign over his role as premier, which resulted in mounted pressure on him to consider his position following his primary defeat.

On 25 September, van Bleiswijk told a private gathering of SAP members of the Senate of his intention to resign as leader of the party and as premier, which he announced publicly the following day. He will remain in place in both positions until the new party leader is elected.

Candidates

Declared

Candidate(s)	Date of birth	Notable positions	Region	Announced
Brent Bekaert	(1973-01-19)19 January 1973 (age 49)	Flamish Vice Minister of Climate Change and the Natural Environment (2018-2022) Other offices Member of the Flamish Assembly (since 2018) Vice President of Future SAP (1998-2000)	Flamia	5 October
Carolijn Broeksma	(1969-08-05)5 August 1969 (age 53)	Minister of Finance (since 2021) Other offices Minister of Education (2017-2021) Member of the Second Chamber for Grotevlakte (since 2014) Member of the Euclean Parliament (2009-2014)	Grotevlakte	5 October
Ad Joosten	(1958-11-11)11 November 1958 (age 63)	Minister of Transport and Infrastructure (since 2021) Other offices Minister of State for Taxation and Public Finances (2017-2021) Minister of Economic Affairs (2007-2010) Minister of Defence (2002-2007) Minister of State for Welfare and Disabilities (1998-2002) Member of the Second Chamber for Lower Stegeren (since 1994)	Lower Stegeren	10 October
Paula Russo	(1974-04-29)29 April 1974 (age 48)	Member of the Second Chamber for Zilverzee (since 2021) Other offices Chair of the Labour Affairs Committee in the Zilverzee City Assembly (2018-2021) Zilverzee Vice Minister of Welfare (2014-2018) Member of the Zilverzee City Assembly (2006-2021)	Zilverzee	7 October
Mirjam Schutte	(1968-09-16)16 September 1968 (age 54)	Minister of Health and Social Affairs (since 2017) Other offices Member of the Second Chamber for Lower Stegeren (since 2014) Deputy Director-General of the Federal Health Board (2009-2014)	Lower Stegeren	6 October