Rutte or Rita?

Yesterday we had a premiere in Dutch parlementary history: the number 2 on the election list for the Liberal Party (VVD) got more preference votes than the number 1, the party leader. The interesting issue here is that the number 1, Mark Rutte has been elected party leader by the party members, above the current minister of integration Rita Verdonk. She became the runner up on the VVD-election list that was used on Nov. 22nd. However, the final election results show that Verdonk achieved about 70.000 votes more than Rutte. What next? Rutte reacted that he was glad for Rita, but that he was elected by the party members and as a consequence his leadership is not at stake. Verdonk was enthousiastic about so many personal votes for her (about 620.000!). Should she take over the lead? Well, she did not firmly deny this suggestion anymore. In the past few months she consequently used to answer that Mark Rutte is the leader of the Liberal Party. Yesterday (27-11), she didn't do that. Instead, she answered that she would evaluate the current situation and come up with an answer later today. What will be her answer? (1) Claiming the leadership, which will cause an immediate crisis in the party or (2) accepting her second position, even when the voters have indicated something else. The problem of the 2nd scenario is that Rutte will have an authority problem within his own party. He is formally the leader, but everybody knows that the people prefer Verdonk instead of Rutte. Of course, there is also a third scenario: (3) Verdonk will leave politics and look for a job elsewhere. That way she can make a statement that she is not willing to play the runner up role in a situation where she actually is the winner. At the same time it creates space for Rutte to be the undisputed leader for the liberals. Rita is not there to undermine his leadership. Well, in my opinion if the VVD would take the 'D' (stands for Democrats) in their name seriously, they should listen to the voice of the voter. Neglecting the election result by saying 'I stay at my position because the member have elected me, no matter what' can be considered a form of disrespect to the voter. In any scenario, the result must feel pretty awkward for Rutte. Maybe, just maybe he will have lunch with Rita today. If he takes his responsibility seriously, he shoud leave. An electoral loss (both for the party and personally for him as a party leader) are two reasons that should convince him to leave. That would show true leadership.