EU climate czar Timmermans switches jobs to lead center-left in Dutch elections

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s climate chief will lead a broad center-left coalition of social democrats and greens going into the Dutch elections in November  But he’ll have to quit his job in the EU’s executive branch. Social Democrat Frans Timmermans  was the only candidate and won 91.8% of votes cast by party members of both groups Tuesday. The 62-year-old will be seeking to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who will not run in the Nov. 22 election. Timmermans is a well-traveled politician who was the Dutch foreign minister before starting work at the EU’s Commission. He has been leading the EU’s climate push for the past four years. He will be seeking to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte.