European Commissioner for European Green Deal Frans Timmermans speaks during a media conference on threats of climate change and environmental degradation on peace, security, and defense at EU headquarters in Brussels, on June 28, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

THE HAGUE - Frans Timmermans, the European Commission's executive vice-president responsible for the European Green Deal, was elected leader of the Dutch Labor and Green left-wing alliance on Tuesday.

The election result means Timmermans will return to his native country the Netherlands for the forthcoming general elections.

After the Dutch government collapsed on July 7 and fresh elections became necessary, Timmermans announced he could return to national politics as leader of the alliance between PvdA (Labor) and GroenLinks (GreenLeft).

Since Timmermans was the only candidate, a vote by around 38,000 members of the two parties which ended on Tuesday was a mere formality.

The new left-wing alliance will participate in the general elections in November for the first time as one party.

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Timmermans is not the first new party leader for the forthcoming Dutch elections. The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Democrats 66 and the Christian Democratic Appeal all have new leaders.