‘Dutch Trudeau’ picked to lead left-wing grouping

Jesse Klaver gestures during an interview in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

The Hague, Netherlands -- The Dutch Green/Labour left-wing grouping picked the youthful, social media-savvy Jesse Klaver as its new head Monday, replacing former European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans, who quit after a disappointing election.

Klaver’s first task will likely be coalition talks with election winner Rob Jetten, who wants a broad team spanning the left and right of Dutch politics.

“Jesse is one of the driving forces behind our left-wing collaboration,” the Green/Labour group said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, after Klaver was elected without opposition.

The 39-year-old Klaver, who many say bears a striking resemblance to former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, has long been one to watch in Dutch politics.

He cites John F. Kennedy as his biggest inspiration, drinking coffee from a mug engraved with JFK’s words: “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.”

Even his full name “Jesse Feras Klaver” is a nod to the former U.S. president, but also his immigrant background.

As the only child of an absentee father of Moroccan descent and a Dutch-Indonesian mother, Klaver knows about growing up in the Netherlands as an outsider.

He has been described as the “anti-Wilders,” a reference to the far-right, anti-Islam leader Geert Wilders, who campaigns to limit immigration.

The country’s youngest-ever party leader, Klaver was raised mainly by his grandparents in social housing, in a sprawling suburb of the southern city of Roosendaal.

Unlike “what certain politicians will lead you to believe, the Netherlands is an immigrant country,” Klaver told AFP in a 2017 interview.

“I am a product of that immigration,” added Klaver.

Timmermans stepped down on Wednesday after leading the grouping to election defeat -- they dropped from 25 seats in parliament to 20.

“It is clear that I, for whatever reason, have not been able to persuade people to vote for us,” said Timmermans.

“It is therefore right that I take a step back and hand over the leadership of our movement to the next generation,” added the 64-year-old.

Klaver connects with a younger electorate. He is known for holding large rallies and creative use of social media, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Klaver and Jetten have come in for light-hearted social media teasing for a bromance, with people dubbing the pair “Resse” (Rob and Jesse).

The difficulty will be whether the Green/Left group will work with the centre-right VVD liberals -- and vice-versa.

Klaver and VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz at least have one thing in common -- they are both fans of football giants Ajax.

By Richard Carter, AFP