Lijsttrekker

Lijsttrekker ("list puller") is a Dutch term for the top candidate of a party on a party list. After the election this person usually functions as party leader, either as leader of the parliamentary party, as minister or as minister-president. During the election campaign these persons attract the most attention, for example in lijsttrekker-debates, where the lijsttrekkers debate important issues with other lijsttrekkers on television. For example in the 2003 elections, Wouter Bos was lijsttrekker for the social-democratic PvdA; the miraculous recovery of the PvdA in that period is often credited to his personality. If, however, the party is unsuccessful in the elections, the lijsttrekker will often resign his post or leave politics entirely. This for instance happened to Thom de Graaf, who instead of gaining seats as expected, lost a seat in the Dutch general election of 2003.