Former state secretary Frans Weekers announced his candidacy to lead the VVD in the Senate, challenging Micky Adriaansens, whom the party board has nominated. Weekers said he wanted to help make the VVD more liberal again and argued that the party should not exclude any party from cooperation. He said the VVD is not doing well and that many members are leaving.

A single report said Halbe Zijlstra and Johan Remkes support his candidacy. If Weekers maintains his candidacy, VVD members will vote digitally between 9 and 15 December, with the result to be announced on 16 December. The same report said Weekers had not informed party leader Dilan Yesilgöz of his plans beforehand.