Oranjestad, St. Eustatius- Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij will leave St. Eustatius on the short term to become interim-president of his Christian Democratic CDA party in The Netherlands.

The party is in a bit of a disarray now that the dissident member of Parliament, Pieter Omzigt has turned out to be hugely popular in the last Parliamentary elections. A leaked-out note suggests that the party of Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) might have wanted to get rid of Omzigt, by naming him to some position outside of Parliament.

CDA party leader, Wopke Hoekstra, in the meantime has turned out not to be as popular as thought by many. Many also wonder if the note was not as much inspired by Hoekstra as party leader, as by PM Rutte.

Interim-chairman

Marnix van Rij has been unanimously appointed interim party chairman by the Party Board of the CDA. He will take office next week and the anticipated interim period will in any case run until the next conference in the autumn of 2021.

Current Minister of Defense, Ank Bijleveld-Schouten, know to most on the islands as State Secretary of Constitutional Affairs, will also advise the party’s Board as an extraordinary advisor.

Francis

After Van Rij’s departure, deputy Government Commissioner Alida Francis will continue to lead the Government on St. Eustatius, till a replacement is appointed.