Party leader of the Dutch Socialist Party (SP) Agnes Kant announced her resignation during a press conference on Thursday.
The SP suffered heavy losses in local elections on Tuesday and Kant has been widely criticized for her overly aggressive style of debating and for being permanently worked-up.
The resignation, however, comes as a surprise to many since she recently told press she intended to stay party leader for many years.
“Undeniably, the poor election results and low polls are connected to my performance as a figurehead of the SP,” Kant said in a statement on the party Web site.
Commentators say Kant could not bear the pressure of succeeding founder Jan Marijnissen. The SP is expected to announce a new leader on Friday.
