FILE PHOTO: First Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans speaks at the Bloomberg Global Business Forum in New York City, U.S., September 20, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid//File Photo

EU climate chief Timmermans tapped for Dutch election lead

The Netherlands' Labour and Green Left parties proposed EU climate chief Frans Timmermans as the only candidate to lead their joint ticket in a parliamentary election due in November.

THE HAGUE (Reuters) -The Netherlands' Labour and Green Left parties proposed EU climate chief Frans Timmermans as the only candidate to lead their joint ticket in a parliamentary election due in November, the Green Left party said on Friday.

In July, Timmermans said he wanted to become the next prime minister and would be a candidate to lead the joint ticket.

Both parties now have until Aug. 22 to vote on his candidacy.

The elections follow the collapse of the four-party coalition government of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, over a failure to reach an agreement on restricting immigration.

If the parties confirm Timmermans as their lead candidate, he would need to leave his EU post.

A European Commission spokesperson said in July that Timmermans would not be required to immediately step down, since his candidacy "remains hypothetical" until the parties confirm him as their pick in late August.

(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by John Stonestreet)