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PRO elects former FNV leader Kitty Jong as its first party chair, party joins social democrats in EU

Progressief Nederland has elected former FNV vice-chair Kitty Jong as its first party chair following a member referendum. Additionally, the party has officially chosen to join the Party of European Socialists in the European Parliament while committing to cooperate closely with the European Green Party.

Progressief Nederland (PRO), the merger party of GroenLinks and PvdA, has elected former FNV vice-chair Kitty Jong as its inaugural party chair. Jong, who secured just over 50 percent of the member votes, will begin her term on October 1, succeeding current interim chairs Katinka Eikelenboom and Esther-Mirjam Sent. She describes herself as unapologetically left-wing and aims to focus on member engagement and organizational unity. Her election follows a week-long referendum in which 39,000 of the party's 100,000 members participated.

In addition to electing a leader, PRO members voted to join the Party of European Socialists (PES) in the European Parliament, with 66 percent supporting the move over joining the European Green Party. The decision followed an emotional debate, leading the party to mandate close cooperation with the Greens moving forward. Furthermore, members confirmed former PvdA parliamentary leader Mariëtte Hamer as the candidate for the upcoming Senate elections, as the incumbent Paul Rosenmöller plans to step down from politics.

Politics Netherlands

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Based on reporting by ad. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

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