Social Democracy

I returned to The Netherlands and resumed my position at the ISS. In the same year I decided to run for the position of Chairman of the Dutch Labour Party, PvdA. I had been a member since 1965 and served the party in different positions, at the local as well as national and international level. So, for instance, in the 1960s I was Chairman of the local department of my party in Krimpen aan de Lek and in the 1980s national Vice-Chairman. However. I was defeated by Lilianne Ploumen, who requested me to chair the Labour Party Committee drafting the program for the elections of the European Parliament in 2009. This was my last political responsibility. In 2013, half a century after I had joined the PvdA, I left the party, because in my view they did no longer adhere to social democratic values.  (see this website: Weblog/Dutch and a Statement)