Dear Mrs. Ploumen, hello Lilianne,

Asscher got caught up in his involvement in the benefits scandal and there you were, suddenly at the table with Jinek as the leader of the PvdA. You dismissed every suggestion that you should form a left-wing front, with a charming Limburg accent that gives away where you come from, because you hadn't had the chance to talk to Klaver or Marijnissen yet. You know, Mrs. Ploumen, I admire your confidence in the PvdA.

I grew up with Kok. He became prime minister when I was eight years old and finished it off when I was sixteen. My mother put me in front of the TV for every debate, because: that was important. A year after Kok, you became a member of the Labour Party. Now, eighteen years later, you are the leader and the PvdA is polling just a bit differently than back then. But you don't shy away from that. I think that's impressive and that's not the only thing I respect.

This week you got the five-day reflection period for abortion off the table. Rightly so, because who thought that a woman hadn't thought about it well enough in the five days prior? Besides being a politician, you are an activist and you stand up for us, women, and that's why I find it so right that you are the first female leader of the PvdA. Certainly fifty years too late, you must agree with me on that, but now at least.

At RTL you were not allowed to join the debate, which I found unfortunate. For different reasons than why Thierry Baudet was upset about it, by the way. But the criteria of RTL are clear and almost democratic (especially for the commercial), so that's fair enough. I just looked at your agenda and saw that on Saturday the talk show ‘For a country where women want to live’ is scheduled. I actually find that much more interesting than you having to correct Wilders to the point of exhaustion.

What I would find beautiful? That you manage to lift the PvdA again, because if I wish that for anyone, it is you.