THE HAGUE, 30/01/03 - Lower House Speaker Frans Weisglas dealt out a royal honor to Paul Rosenmoller yesterday at the last session of the outgoing parliament. The former leftwing Green (GroenLinks) leader departed the Lower House along with 45 other MPs.

Rosenmoller, 46, was an MP for 13.5 years, including over eight as GroenLinks leader. In mid-November, he passed on the party leadership to Femke Halsema due to persistent threats against him and his family following the murder of his political rival, Pim Fortuyn. "In a period in which the political battle is primarily played out in the media and voters appear adrift, politicians are held to account super-fast. The sell-by date of political leaders is getting ever shorter," the visibly moved Rosenmoller commented yesterday. "

As well as Rosenmoller, the departing conservative (VVD) MPs Van Blerck, Te Veldhuis and Van den Doel were also made Knights of the Order of Oranje Nassau. The new Lower House is being sworn in today.