Liesbeth Spies, who recently took over from Piet Hein Donner as home affairs minister, on Tuesday declared her candidacy in the Christian Democrat party’s contest to find a new leader ahead of the general election in September.

She joins Sybrand van Haersma Buma, who currently leads the CDA parliamentary party and played a pivotal role in the five-party agreement on an austerity package. He said he would stand for the party leadership contest last Friday.
Spies’ decision to run was welcomed by CDA historian and party member Pieter Gerrit Kroeger. ‘It will now be a real contest,’ he told the Volkskrant. However, Kroeger says he does have reservations because Spies has so recently become a minister. This could lead to voters asking ‘Liesbeth who?,’ he pointed out.