Tuesday,
24 February 2026 - 14:30
Henk
Vermeer cites "secret talks" with Markuszower as reason for dropping
Mona Keijzer
BBB
lawmaker Henk Vermeer said Tuesday that trust in Mona Keijzer had been
irreparably damaged after she left the party the previous day. In an interview
with De Telegraaf, Keijzer referred to a “major breakdown in trust,” arguing
that Vermeer had been chosen to succeed departing party leader Caroline van der
Plas instead of her. Vermeer, for his part, claimed Keijzer conducted several
talks with former PVV member Gidi Markuszower without the party’s approval.
Vermeer
informed reporters that the three other MPs had unanimously chosen him as
leader of the parliamentary group on Tuesday morning. Keijzer has reacted
angrily, saying she had been assured she would take on the role. Vermeer
acknowledged that the faction’s decision must have been deeply disappointing
for her and that it likely came as a painful surprise.
Vermeer
disputes Keijzer’s version of events. According to him, the caucus agreed the
day after the late-October elections that it would make sense for Keijzer, as
second on the party list, to become parliamentary leader should Van der Plas
resign. However, he said that developments since then have eroded that
confidence.
Vermeer
said Keijzer’s exit did not come as a shock, noting her long history with the
CDA and claiming she had repeatedly hinted at stepping down. In his view, the
party leadership did not make a mistake by recruiting her as its prime
ministerial candidate in 2023. He described her as a vote-winner who brought
significant governing experience to the table.
Vermeer
accused Keijzer of conducting secret meetings with the Markuszower Group. While
the BBB faction had discussed potential collaboration following the split of
seven MPs from the PVV, Vermeer stressed that this never included forming a
joint parliamentary group, calling such a move “an attempt to take over the
BBB.”
Vermeer
expressed his disappointment with the current situation. “I find this entirely
unacceptable,” he said, adding that it undermines confidence in both the party
and politics. Some prominent BBB members have opposed his appointment. “I see
signs of discontent,” he noted.
Still,
Vermeer does not anticipate further departures from the party and says he has
received “substantial support” for taking on the role. In the last general
election, he received 3,469 preference votes compared with Keijzer’s 111,839.
Reporting
by ANP
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