sentences:  For the election of 1971 the Catholic People's Party leadership refused to nominate De Jong as "Lijsttrekker" (top candidate) despite his popularity and instead nominated incumbent Minister of Education and Sciences Gerard Veringa as "Lijsttrekker".shortly thereafter De Jong announced that he wouldn't stand for the election of 1971 but wanted run for the Senate.After the Senate election of 1971 De Jong was elected as a Member of the Senate and was subsequently was selected as Parliamentary leader of the Catholic People's Party, taking office on 11 May 1971.