Former PvdA chairwoman Lilianne Ploumen has criticised Job Cohen. But is she entirely blameless?

‘Lilianne Ploumen has not won a single election during her four year tenure. She herself could have done more to initiate a debate on innovation. She did well as far as organisation and finance is concerned but ideologically we still have much work ahead of us.’ Rick Jonker, chairman of the Young Socialists in the Volkskrant.

‘Ploumen’s criticism of Cohen is questionable. Cohen’s primary task is in The Hague: he must lead the parliamentary party and keep an eye on the cabinet. As leader of the biggest opposition party it is his job to formulate alternative policies. At the moment he is not doing too good a job. But as far as the internal party debate is concerned it is the party chairman’s task to lead the way, especially since the functions of party chairman and party leader are two completely separate entities.’ Editorial Nrc.
‘Ploumen thinks of Cohen as an immoveable object and she got fed up’. Former Amsterdam mayor Ed van Thijn in The Parool.
‘It is odd that Ploumen should want to leave on such a shrill note. She could have done more to initiate discussion in the party. As far as that is concerned she has not done her job properly. It would be best if she left straight away.’ Former PvdA mayor or Rotterdam Bram Peper, Trouw.
‘Ploumen is hitting out at Cohen, unheard of and incomprehensible behaviour at a time when the party is in trouble.’ Former PvdA minister Willem Vermeend, BNR News radio.