Lead candidate
In politics, a lead candidate is the candidate placed first on a party list. In parliamentary systems, it is often the party's nominee for the position of head of government, and the party chair or party leader.
Usage by country
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, which uses a system of open-list proportional representation, the lead candidates in elections for the House of Representatives are almost always the parties' political leaders. When elected, the lead candidate usually becomes the party's parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives. When a coalition is formed, the lead candidates of the governing parties may be offered senior positions in the Cabinet, requiring them to vacate their seats in parliament. Traditionally, the lead candidate of the largest party in the governing coalition becomes Prime Minister. However, following the 2023 Dutch general election, PVV leader Geert Wilders was not Prime Minister despite being the lead candidate of the largest party in the Schoof cabinet.File:Politiek debat lokale partijen Spijkenisse gemeenteraadsverkiezingen.jpg|thumb|Lead candidates of the 2018 Dutch municipal election in Nissewaard
The term is also used in provincial, municipal, water board and island council elections, as well as in elections to the European Parliament and the Senate. In these elections, the lead candidates of national parties tend to be different from the party leaders. They are also not the parties' nominees for the positions of King's commissioner, mayor, dike-reeve or lieutenant governor.