International

Declaring that she was 'proud and grateful with heart and soul', Agnes Kant has resigned as leader of the Socialist Party. Kant was elected leader following the resignation of Jan Marijnissen on health grounds almost two years ago.

Her decision came in the wake of disappointing results on Wednesday's local elections, If repeated in the general election on June 9th, they would see a halving, or worse, of the SP's current 25-strong parliamentary team.

Saying that she was proud of her efforts in the difficult period following the loss of Jan Marijnissen's leadership, Kant said that her decision had been a difficult one, and that SP members had shown complete confidence in her.

“Unfortunately,” she added. “politics now is about more than that. Unmistakably the poor election results and low rating in the polls are linked to my performance. Opinion will be divided as to whether or not that is just. The chance is great that this linkage will continue to cast a shadow over the campaign in the coming months. I have therefore come to the opinion that I will serve the party's interests by giving up the lead position on the SP list for the election in June and immediately ending my leadership of the party.”

The SP's struggle for a better society, she concluded, would continue.