The police were forced to intervene to restore order after a dispute between members of the pensioners’ party 50Plus during a vote on the election campaign leader on Saturday.

One person was removed from the meeting by using “light force”, a police spokesman told news agency ANP.

Party members are in dispute about who should lead 50Plus’ campaign for the November general election.

The party board wants to install Zuid-Holland provincial councillor Ellen Verkoelen as campaign leader, but that is opposed by former board member Gerard van Hooft, who also wants the job and was forcibly removed from the meeting.

50Plus currently has one seat in parliament and most polls predict it will be wiped out in the November vote.

The meeting itself ended early without a decision about the election manifesto or campaign leader.