Christian democracy in the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
This article gives an overview of christian democracy
in the Netherlands
, which is also called confessional politics
, including political Catholicism and Protestantism. It is limited to Christian democratic parties
with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ means a reference to another party in that scheme.
, although before 1977 it was called "confessionele politiek
" (politics based on the Christian confession
).
Christian Democracy in the Netherlands is separated by roughly two kinds of cleavages: religious cleavages
and political cleavages
, which sometimes coincide.
The strongest religious cleavage is between Catholicism and Protestantism. Before the 1920s Catholics were treated as second class citizens and they were strongly despised by Protestants, who combined their Dutch nationalism with fierce anti-papism. There also are strong cleavages within Protestantism, most notably between the Dutch Reformed Church
(hervormd) and the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
(gereformeerd). There are also cleavages within the Reformed Churches. The religious cleavages were reinforced by pillarization - self-imposed religious segregation.
Christian Democratic parties were also divided on political matters. The left-right cleavage
split leftwing, centrist and rightwing strands of Christian democracy within the movement.
Before the 1880s the dominant political division in the Netherlands was between liberalism
and conservatism. Orthodox strands of Protestantism were allied with the conservatives, while political Catholicism was allied with liberalism.
In 1880 the Anti Revolutionary Party
was founded. It was part of the formation of a separate orthodox Protestant pillar, social group, which involved a separate church, the gereformeerde Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and a separate system of Protestant schools, including the Free University
. This separate organization was based on a particular interpretation of the separation between church and state, namely sphere sovereignty
. The ARP had one practical political goal: equalization of payment between public and religious schools. It had one political strategy: the anti-thesis
between religious and non-religious parties, which meant that he sought to break the cooperation between liberals and Catholics and to create an alliance between Catholics and Protestants. It also advocated the extension of suffrage
to all fathers of households
.
The Catholics lacked a political organization, but had a solid electoral base in the predominantly Catholic south and an organization in the Catholic Church. They lacked a shared political position, but tended to favour the extension of suffrage and equal finance for Catholic schools.
In the 1880s the ARP's strategy became successful, both electorally, as it became an important political actor, and politically, as it was able to form an alliance, the coalition
, with the Catholics. In 1888 this resulted in the first coalition cabinet led by Æneas Baron Mackay.
In the 1890s tensions within the Protestants began to rise, which resulted in the formation of the Christian Historical Union
in 1908. Four issues divided a group led by Abraham Kuyper
from a group led by Alexander de Savorin Lohmann:
The internal conflict weakens the support for the ARP and their alliance with the Catholics, who support a conservative government between 1894 and 1897
In the 1900s the ARP and Catholics, now organized in the federal General League returned to government. In 1901 they formed a cabinet led by Kuyper, which was backed by the CHU. In 1913 a liberal cabinet was formed which sought to address all the major political issues of the time in the constitutional change of 1917, which involved the extension of suffrage, the implementation of proportional representation and equalization of school finance. Although in opposition, the Catholics and Protestants participated in the reform talks.
The extension of suffrage proved especially favourable for the religious parties. Since the 1918 election
they have always got a majority. Between 1918 and 1939 the Catholics, CHU and ARP always formed the governing coalition, sometimes joined by liberals. The policy of these cabinets was characterized by conservatism: in the social sense, by strengthening pillarization and enforcing public morality; in the economic sense, by keeping income and expenditure on the same level
, which proved detrimental in the Great Depression
; and in foreign policy, by adhering to armed neutrality
and maintaining colonialism
. These cabinets were led in turn by the Catholic Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
, the Anti-Revolutionary Hendrikus Colijn
and the CHU politician Dirk Jan de Geer
.
The extension of suffrage also gave smaller Christian Democratic parties a chance to enter Parliament. A pair of leftwing Protestant parties entered Parliament, the Christian Democratic Party
and Christian Social Party
, as did a pair of anti-papist orthodox religious parties, the Political Reformed Party (which is still reprasented in Parliament) and the Reformed Reformed State Party
. In both pairs the first is the gereformeerd and the second is the hervormd variant. A Smaller leftwing Catholic party also gained representation, the Roman Catholic People's Party
. In response the Catholics reformed their party to the more centralized Roman Catholic State Party.
Between 1940 and 1945 the Netherlands was occupied by Nazi Germany
. Prominent Catholic and Protestant politicians were involved in resistance work, while their political leaders
were in London. There a national cabinet was formed including the liberals and the socialists.
In 1945 the first cabinet was formed after the Second World War. The Queen appointed an explicitly progressive cabinet composed of the KVP and the Labour Party, a new party formed by the SDAP
, the VDB, the leftwing Protestant CDU
and several prominent Catholics. This started a series of Roman-Red
cabinets formed by the KVP and PvdA, most of which are led by social-democrat Willem Drees
. The two main coalition partners, which gained around 30% of the vote were joined by smaller parties, including the CHU and the ARP, which gained only 10% of the vote. The cabinets were progressive, implementing a broad range of reforms, including the formation of a welfare state
, a mixed economy
, decolonization of the Dutch Indies and the abandonment of neutrality in favour of NATO and the European Economic Community
. Decolonization proved a vital issue as the ARP and prominent KVP-members opposed it. This led to a split within the KVP and the formation of the short-lived Catholic National Party
in 1948. In 1948 a religious conflict within the Dutch Reformed Church also led to a split between the ARP and the Reformed Political Alliance.
In the 1960s the position of the religious parties weakened. In 1957 they swapped the PvdA for the conservative-liberal VVD. This led to internal dissent. More importantly however the religious parties were affected by the decline of pillarization. Since the mid-1960s the Christian-Democrats have lost their natural majority and need to rely on the VVD for a majority. In 1968 a group of leftwing, Labour-oriented Catholics broke away from the KVP to form the Political Party of Radicals, and in 1971 they were joined by prominent Protestants. It joined an alliance with the Labour Party and the progressive liberal D'66. This alliance was unsuccessful at gaining a majority however in the 1971
and 1972 elections
and they were forced to form a tenuous coalition with the KVP and ARP.
Meanwhile, under pressure of their declining vote, the KVP, ARP and CHU formed a federation (in 1973), a common electoral list (in 1977) and a new party, the Christian Democratic Appeal (in 1981). The formation of this centre-right broad Christian democratic party led to splits: on the right flank by the anti-papist orthodox reformed (the Reformed Political Party
) and on the left by radical evangelicals (the Evangelical People's Party). Between 1977 and 1994 the CDA formed the main party of government coalition, between 1977 and 1981 and 1982 and 1989 with the conservative liberals, between 1981 and 1982 and 1989 and 1994 with the social-democrats. Their prime minister, Ruud Lubbers
, personified their no-nonsense policies of welfare state reform and privatization. In 1989 the two leftwing Christian parties merged with the Pacifist Socialist Party
and the Communist Party of the Netherlands
to form GreenLeft
, a Green party without a strict Christian-democratic profile.
In 1994
the CDA suffered a decisive electoral defeat. The party lost half its vote and was confined to opposition for the following eight years. It took this period to renew its political program. Meanwhile the orthodox Protestant RPF and the GPV merged to form the social-Christian ChristianUnion
. In the 2002 elections
, which were characterized by considerable insecurity, the CDA performs particularly well. Since then it has led a series of cabinets, a rightwing cabinet with the populist LPF and the conservative liberal VVD, a centre-right cabinet with the VVD and the progressive liberal D'66 and since 2007 a centre-left cabinet with the Labour Party and the ChristianUnion.
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, which is also called confessional politics
Confessionalism (politics)
Confessionalism is a system of government that refers to de jure mix of religion and politics. It can mean distributing political and institutional power proportionally among religious communities.-Debate:...
, including political Catholicism and Protestantism. It is limited to Christian democratic parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ means a reference to another party in that scheme.
Overview
Christian Democracy is the second oldest political ideology in the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, although before 1977 it was called "confessionele politiek
Confessionalism (politics)
Confessionalism is a system of government that refers to de jure mix of religion and politics. It can mean distributing political and institutional power proportionally among religious communities.-Debate:...
" (politics based on the Christian confession
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
).
Christian Democracy in the Netherlands is separated by roughly two kinds of cleavages: religious cleavages
Religion in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is historically characterized by multitude of religions. Since the mid of the Middle Ages, the Netherlands was a predominantly Christian country until late into the 20th century. Although religious diversity remains to the present day, there is a major decline of religious adherence...
and political cleavages
Politics of the Netherlands
The politics of the Netherlands take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a decentralised unitary state. The Netherlands is described as a consociational state...
, which sometimes coincide.
The strongest religious cleavage is between Catholicism and Protestantism. Before the 1920s Catholics were treated as second class citizens and they were strongly despised by Protestants, who combined their Dutch nationalism with fierce anti-papism. There also are strong cleavages within Protestantism, most notably between the Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
(hervormd) and the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands was the second largest Protestant church in the Netherlands until it merged into the Protestant Church in the Netherlands in 2004.-History:...
(gereformeerd). There are also cleavages within the Reformed Churches. The religious cleavages were reinforced by pillarization - self-imposed religious segregation.
Christian Democratic parties were also divided on political matters. The left-right cleavage
Political spectrum
A political spectrum is a way of modeling different political positions by placing them upon one or more geometric axes symbolizing independent political dimensions....
split leftwing, centrist and rightwing strands of Christian democracy within the movement.
Before the 1880s the dominant political division in the Netherlands was between liberalism
Liberalism in the Netherlands
This article gives an overview of liberalism in the Netherlands. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament.-Background:...
and conservatism. Orthodox strands of Protestantism were allied with the conservatives, while political Catholicism was allied with liberalism.
In 1880 the Anti Revolutionary Party
Anti Revolutionary Party
The Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch Protestant Christian democratic political party. The ARP is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal. After 1917 the party never received more than twenty percent of the vote.-History before 1879:The anti-revolutionary parliamentary caucus...
was founded. It was part of the formation of a separate orthodox Protestant pillar, social group, which involved a separate church, the gereformeerde Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and a separate system of Protestant schools, including the Free University
Vrije Universiteit
The Vrije Universiteit is a university in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch name is often abbreviated as VU and in English the university uses the name "VU University". The university is located on a compact urban campus in the southern part of Amsterdam in the Buitenveldert district...
. This separate organization was based on a particular interpretation of the separation between church and state, namely sphere sovereignty
Sphere sovereignty
In Neo-Calvinism, sphere sovereignty is the concept that each sphere of life has its own distinct responsibilities and authority or competence, and stands equal to other spheres of life. Sphere sovereignty involves the idea of an all encompassing created order, designed and governed by God...
. The ARP had one practical political goal: equalization of payment between public and religious schools. It had one political strategy: the anti-thesis
Antithesis (Netherlands)
The Antithesis is a conflict between Christian-democratic, confessional parties, united in the Coalition and Liberal parties, united in the Concentratie between 1888 and 1918. The conflict concerned the equalization of payment for religious schools...
between religious and non-religious parties, which meant that he sought to break the cooperation between liberals and Catholics and to create an alliance between Catholics and Protestants. It also advocated the extension of suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
to all fathers of households
Householder Franchise
Householder Franchise or census suffrage is where a homeowner has the right to vote in an election. This is a limited form of suffrage, but different from equal voting because, to borrow a dictum, householder franchise is one Household, one vote because it entitles only the householder one vote....
.
The Catholics lacked a political organization, but had a solid electoral base in the predominantly Catholic south and an organization in the Catholic Church. They lacked a shared political position, but tended to favour the extension of suffrage and equal finance for Catholic schools.
In the 1880s the ARP's strategy became successful, both electorally, as it became an important political actor, and politically, as it was able to form an alliance, the coalition
Coalition (Netherlands)
The Coalition is a historic coalition of the three confessional parties of the Netherlands, the Christian Historical Union, Anti-Revolutionary Party and Roman Catholic State Party. They were united in their common plight for equal financing for religious schools. They were opposed to the...
, with the Catholics. In 1888 this resulted in the first coalition cabinet led by Æneas Baron Mackay.
In the 1890s tensions within the Protestants began to rise, which resulted in the formation of the Christian Historical Union
Christian Historical Union
The Christian Historical Union was a Dutch conservative Protestant political party. The CHU is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.-History before 1908:...
in 1908. Four issues divided a group led by Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuijper generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian...
from a group led by Alexander de Savorin Lohmann:
- A large group of Anti-Revolutionary MPs, supporters and voters were still hervormd. They would split from the ARP.
- They also opposed the extension of suffrage, because they favoured divine sovereigntyDivine Right of KingsThe divine right of kings or divine-right theory of kingship is a political and religious doctrine of royal and political legitimacy. It asserts that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving his right to rule directly from the will of God...
over popular sovereigntyPopular sovereigntyPopular sovereignty or the sovereignty of the people is the political principle that the legitimacy of the state is created and sustained by the will or consent of its people, who are the source of all political power. It is closely associated with Republicanism and the social contract...
. - Many Anti-Revolutionaries were still anti-papist and opposed the alliance with the Catholics.
- The leadership style of Abraham Kuyper, and especially the issue of party disciplineParty disciplineParty discipline is the ability of a parliamentary group of a political party to get its members to support the policies of their party leadership. In liberal democracies, it usually refers to the control that party leaders have over its legislature...
was also a source of conflict.
The internal conflict weakens the support for the ARP and their alliance with the Catholics, who support a conservative government between 1894 and 1897
In the 1900s the ARP and Catholics, now organized in the federal General League returned to government. In 1901 they formed a cabinet led by Kuyper, which was backed by the CHU. In 1913 a liberal cabinet was formed which sought to address all the major political issues of the time in the constitutional change of 1917, which involved the extension of suffrage, the implementation of proportional representation and equalization of school finance. Although in opposition, the Catholics and Protestants participated in the reform talks.
The extension of suffrage proved especially favourable for the religious parties. Since the 1918 election
Dutch general election, 1918
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on July 3, 1918. It was the first election in which universal male suffrage was applied, and the first in which a system of proportional representation was used...
they have always got a majority. Between 1918 and 1939 the Catholics, CHU and ARP always formed the governing coalition, sometimes joined by liberals. The policy of these cabinets was characterized by conservatism: in the social sense, by strengthening pillarization and enforcing public morality; in the economic sense, by keeping income and expenditure on the same level
Balanced budget
A balanced budget is when there is neither a budget deficit or a budget surplus – when revenues equal expenditure – particularly by a government. More generally, it refers to when there is no deficit, but possibly a surplus...
, which proved detrimental in the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
; and in foreign policy, by adhering to armed neutrality
Neutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
and maintaining colonialism
Dutch Empire
The Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
. These cabinets were led in turn by the Catholic Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
Jhr. Charles Joseph Maria Ruijs de Beerenbrouck was a Dutch nobleman and Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1918 to 1925 and again from 1929 to 1933...
, the Anti-Revolutionary Hendrikus Colijn
Hendrikus Colijn
Hendrikus Colijn was a successful Dutch soldier, businessman and politician.-Early life:He was born in 1869 in the Haarlemmermeer to Antonie Colijn and Anna Verkuil, who had migrated to the Haarlemmermeer polder from the Land of Heusden and Altena for religious reasons...
and the CHU politician Dirk Jan de Geer
Dirk Jan de Geer
Jonkheer Dirk Jan de Geer was a Dutch nobleman, lawyer, conservative statesman and prime minister of the Netherlands . He was disgraced for advocating a peace settlement between the Kingdom and Nazi Germany in 1940.Born in Groningen, he was a descendant of the de Geer family painted by Rembrandt...
.
The extension of suffrage also gave smaller Christian Democratic parties a chance to enter Parliament. A pair of leftwing Protestant parties entered Parliament, the Christian Democratic Party
Christian Democratic Party
Christian democratic parties are those political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and...
and Christian Social Party
Christian Social Party (Netherlands)
The Christian Social Party was a Dutch Christian socialist political party. The CSP played only a minor role in Dutch politics and is historically linked to the Labour Party.-Party History:...
, as did a pair of anti-papist orthodox religious parties, the Political Reformed Party (which is still reprasented in Parliament) and the Reformed Reformed State Party
Hervormd Gereformeerde Staatspartij
The Hervormd Gereformeerde Staatspartij was a Dutch orthodox Protestant political party during the interbellum...
. In both pairs the first is the gereformeerd and the second is the hervormd variant. A Smaller leftwing Catholic party also gained representation, the Roman Catholic People's Party
Roman Catholic People's Party
The Roman Catholic People's Party was a Dutch Social Catholic political party. The RKVP played only a marginal role in Dutch politics.-Party History:...
. In response the Catholics reformed their party to the more centralized Roman Catholic State Party.
Between 1940 and 1945 the Netherlands was occupied by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. Prominent Catholic and Protestant politicians were involved in resistance work, while their political leaders
Dutch government in exile
The Dutch government in exile was the government of the Netherlands, headed by Queen Wilhelmina, that evacuated to London after the German invasion of the country at the outset of World War II....
were in London. There a national cabinet was formed including the liberals and the socialists.
In 1945 the first cabinet was formed after the Second World War. The Queen appointed an explicitly progressive cabinet composed of the KVP and the Labour Party, a new party formed by the SDAP
Social Democratic Workers' Party (Netherlands)
The Social Democratic Workers' Party was a Dutch socialist political party and a predecessor of the social-democratic PvdA.-1893-1904:...
, the VDB, the leftwing Protestant CDU
Christian Democratic Union (Netherlands)
The Christian-Democratic Union was a minor Christian left party in the Netherlands in the interbellum.-History:...
and several prominent Catholics. This started a series of Roman-Red
Roman/Red
Roman/Red is a the nickname of coalitions of catholic and social-democratic parties in the Netherlands and Belgium. Roman refers to Roman Catholic and Red to the colour of social democrats...
cabinets formed by the KVP and PvdA, most of which are led by social-democrat Willem Drees
Willem Drees
Willem Drees was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from August 7, 1948 until December 22, 1958....
. The two main coalition partners, which gained around 30% of the vote were joined by smaller parties, including the CHU and the ARP, which gained only 10% of the vote. The cabinets were progressive, implementing a broad range of reforms, including the formation of a welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
, a mixed economy
Mixed economy
Mixed economy is an economic system in which both the state and private sector direct the economy, reflecting characteristics of both market economies and planned economies. Most mixed economies can be described as market economies with strong regulatory oversight, in addition to having a variety...
, decolonization of the Dutch Indies and the abandonment of neutrality in favour of NATO and the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
. Decolonization proved a vital issue as the ARP and prominent KVP-members opposed it. This led to a split within the KVP and the formation of the short-lived Catholic National Party
Catholic National Party
The Catholic National Party was a Dutch conservative Catholic political party. The KNP served as a catholic protest party against Indonesian independence.-Party History:...
in 1948. In 1948 a religious conflict within the Dutch Reformed Church also led to a split between the ARP and the Reformed Political Alliance.
In the 1960s the position of the religious parties weakened. In 1957 they swapped the PvdA for the conservative-liberal VVD. This led to internal dissent. More importantly however the religious parties were affected by the decline of pillarization. Since the mid-1960s the Christian-Democrats have lost their natural majority and need to rely on the VVD for a majority. In 1968 a group of leftwing, Labour-oriented Catholics broke away from the KVP to form the Political Party of Radicals, and in 1971 they were joined by prominent Protestants. It joined an alliance with the Labour Party and the progressive liberal D'66. This alliance was unsuccessful at gaining a majority however in the 1971
Dutch general election, 1971
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on April 28, 1971.-National summary:turnout: 79.1%...
and 1972 elections
Dutch general election, 1972
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 29, 1972.-National summary:...
and they were forced to form a tenuous coalition with the KVP and ARP.
Meanwhile, under pressure of their declining vote, the KVP, ARP and CHU formed a federation (in 1973), a common electoral list (in 1977) and a new party, the Christian Democratic Appeal (in 1981). The formation of this centre-right broad Christian democratic party led to splits: on the right flank by the anti-papist orthodox reformed (the Reformed Political Party
Reformed Political Party
The Reformed Political Party is an orthodox Protestant Dutch political party. The term Reformed is not a reference to political reform, but is a synonym for Calvinist. The SGP is the oldest political party in the Netherlands in its current form, and for its entire existence has been in opposition...
) and on the left by radical evangelicals (the Evangelical People's Party). Between 1977 and 1994 the CDA formed the main party of government coalition, between 1977 and 1981 and 1982 and 1989 with the conservative liberals, between 1981 and 1982 and 1989 and 1994 with the social-democrats. Their prime minister, Ruud Lubbers
Ruud Lubbers
Rudolphus Franciscus Marie "Ruud" Lubbers is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from November 4, 1982 until August 22, 1994....
, personified their no-nonsense policies of welfare state reform and privatization. In 1989 the two leftwing Christian parties merged with the Pacifist Socialist Party
Pacifist Socialist Party
The Pacifist Socialist Party was a Dutch left-socialist political party. The PSP played a small role in Dutch politics. It is a predecessor of the GreenLeft.-Before 1957:...
and the Communist Party of the Netherlands
Communist Party of the Netherlands
The Communist Party of the Netherlands was a Dutch communist political party. The CPN is one of the predecessors of the GreenLeft.- Foundation :...
to form GreenLeft
GreenLeft
GreenLeft is a green political party operating in the Netherlands.GreenLeft was formed on 1 March 1989 as a merger of four left-wing political parties: the Communist Party of the Netherlands, Pacifist Socialist Party, the Political Party of Radicals and the Evangelical People's Party...
, a Green party without a strict Christian-democratic profile.
In 1994
Dutch general election, 1994
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 3, 1994.-Results:...
the CDA suffered a decisive electoral defeat. The party lost half its vote and was confined to opposition for the following eight years. It took this period to renew its political program. Meanwhile the orthodox Protestant RPF and the GPV merged to form the social-Christian ChristianUnion
ChristianUnion
The ChristianUnion , abbreviated to CU, is a Dutch Christian democratic political party. A centrist party, the CU's policies combine social conservatism and soft euroscepticism with more centre-left positions on economic, immigration, and environmental issues.Founded in 2000 as a merger of the...
. In the 2002 elections
Dutch general election, 2002
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 15, 2002....
, which were characterized by considerable insecurity, the CDA performs particularly well. Since then it has led a series of cabinets, a rightwing cabinet with the populist LPF and the conservative liberal VVD, a centre-right cabinet with the VVD and the progressive liberal D'66 and since 2007 a centre-left cabinet with the Labour Party and the ChristianUnion.
ARP
- 1879 The Anti Revolutionary PartyAnti Revolutionary PartyThe Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch Protestant Christian democratic political party. The ARP is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal. After 1917 the party never received more than twenty percent of the vote.-History before 1879:The anti-revolutionary parliamentary caucus...
is founded by Abraham KuyperAbraham KuyperAbraham Kuijper generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian...
. - 1894 The group around Alexander de Savorin Lohman left the ARP.
- 1905 The ⇒CDP split from the ARP.
- 1918 The ⇒ SGP split from the ARP.
- 1926 The ⇒ CDU is formed by several groups, including former members of the ARP.
- 1942 The ARP is forbidden by the GermanNazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupying force. Prominent members join the Dutch ResistanceDutch resistanceDutch resistance to the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II can be mainly characterized by its prominent non-violence, summitting in over 300,000 people in hiding in the autumn of 1944, tended to by some 60,000 to 200,000 illegal landlords and caretakers and tolerated knowingly...
. - 1948 The GPV splits from the ARP.
- 1971 Several prominent Anti Revolutionaries left the ARP for the ⇒PPR.
- 1972 The Evangelical Progressive People's Party split from the ARP, in 1981 it would form the ⇒EVP.
- 1974 The ARP joins the CDA federation together with the CHU and the KVP
- 1975 The⇒ RPF splits from the ARPAnti Revolutionary PartyThe Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch Protestant Christian democratic political party. The ARP is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal. After 1917 the party never received more than twenty percent of the vote.-History before 1879:The anti-revolutionary parliamentary caucus...
. - 1977 ARP candidates on a common list of the CDA in the 1977 electionsDutch general election, 1977The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 25, 1977....
. - 1980 The ARP merged into the ⇒CDA.
CHK
- 1897 The Christian Historical Voters' LeagueChristian Historical Voters' LeagueThe Christian Historical Voters' League is a Dutch conservative protestant political party. The CHK is historically linked to the Christian Democratic Appeal which is currently one of the major parties of the Netherlands.-Party History:The CHK was founded in 1897...
is formed. - 1903 The CHK merges with the ⇒VAR to form the ⇒CHP.
VAR
- 1894 The group around Alexander de Savorin Lohman leaves the ARP.
- 1898 This group formed the Free Anti Revolutionary PartyFree Anti Revolutionary PartyThe Free Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch conservative Reformed political party, which existed from 1898 to 1903...
. - 1903 The VAR merged with the ⇒CHK to form the ⇒CHP.
Frisian League
- 1898 The Frisian LeagueFrisian LeagueThe League of caucuses on Christian Historical foundation in the province of Friesland is a Dutch conservative Reformed political party...
is formed. - 1908 The League merged with the ⇒CHP to form the ⇒CHU.
CHP
- 1903 The Christian Historical PartyChristian Historical PartyThe Christian Historical Party was a Dutch conservative Reformed political party, which existed from 1903 to 1908...
is formed by the ⇒VAR and ⇒CHK. - 1907 The ⇒CSP splits from the CHP.
- 1908 The CHP merged with the ⇒Frisian League to form the ⇒CHU.
General League
- 1904 The General LeagueAlgemeene Bond van RK-kiesverenigingenThe General League of Roman Catholic Caucuses was a Dutch Catholic political party...
is formed by Catholic MPs. - 1922 The RKVP splits from the General League.
- 1926 The General League is reformed and renamed to ⇒RKSP.
CDP
- 1905 The Christian Democratic Party (Netherlands)Christian Democratic Party (Netherlands)The Christian Democratic Party was a Dutch left-wing Christian-democratic political party. The CDP played only a minor role in parliament...
splits from the ⇒#ARP. - 1925 The CDP splits, some members join the ⇒ARP, others join the Social Democratic Workers' PartySocial Democratic Workers' Party (Netherlands)The Social Democratic Workers' Party was a Dutch socialist political party and a predecessor of the social-democratic PvdA.-1893-1904:...
, and others remain independent and form the ⇒CDU with the ⇒CDP and former members of the ⇒#BCS in 1926.
BCS
- 1907 The League of Christian SocialistsLeague of Christian SocialistsThe League of Christian Socialists was a Dutch Christian socialist political party. The BCS is historically linked to the Dutch Labour Party and GreenLeft.-Party History:The BCS was founded in 1907...
(Dutch: Bond Christen Socialisten; BCS) is founded. - 1918 The BCS form a common parliamentary party with SDP and SP.
- 1919 The BCS splits, some members leave to join the Communist Party of the NetherlandsCommunist Party of the NetherlandsThe Communist Party of the Netherlands was a Dutch communist political party. The CPN is one of the predecessors of the GreenLeft.- Foundation :...
, others join the Social Democratic Workers' PartySocial Democratic Workers' Party (Netherlands)The Social Democratic Workers' Party was a Dutch socialist political party and a predecessor of the social-democratic PvdA.-1893-1904:...
and others remain independent and form the ⇒CDU with the ⇒CSP and former members of the ⇒CDP in 1926.
CSP
- 1907 The Christian Social PartyChristian Social Party (Netherlands)The Christian Social Party was a Dutch Christian socialist political party. The CSP played only a minor role in Dutch politics and is historically linked to the Labour Party.-Party History:...
splits from the ⇒CHP. - 1926 The CSP joins former members of the ⇒BCS and the ⇒CDP to form the ⇒CDU.
CHU
- 1908 The Christian Historical UnionChristian Historical UnionThe Christian Historical Union was a Dutch conservative Protestant political party. The CHU is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.-History before 1908:...
is formed by the ⇒Frisian League and the ⇒CHP. - 1921 The ⇒HGS splits from the CHU.
- 1942 The CHU is forbidden by the German occupying force.
- 1946 The Labour Party is founded several prominent CHU-members join the newly founded party.
- 1974 The CHU joins the CDA federation together with the ARP and the KVP
- 1977 CHU candidates on a common list of the CDA in the 1977 electionsDutch general election, 1977The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 25, 1977....
. - 1980 The CHU merged into the ⇒CDA.
SGP
- 1918 The Political Reformed Party split from the ⇒ARP
- 1942 The SGP is forbidden by the GermanNazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupying force. - 1945 The SGP is refounded after the Second World War.
HGS
- 1921 The Reformed Reformed State PartyHervormd Gereformeerde StaatspartijThe Hervormd Gereformeerde Staatspartij was a Dutch orthodox Protestant political party during the interbellum...
split from the ⇒CHU - 1942 The HGS is forbidden by the GermanNazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupying force.
RKVP
- 1922 The Roman Catholic People's PartyRoman Catholic People's PartyThe Roman Catholic People's Party was a Dutch Social Catholic political party. The RKVP played only a marginal role in Dutch politics.-Party History:...
split from the General League. - 1933 The RKVP merges with the Catholic Democratic League to form the Catholic Democratic Party.
- 1937 The Catholic Democratic Party merges into the RKSP.
CDU
- 1926 The Christian Democratic UnionChristian Democratic Union (Netherlands)The Christian-Democratic Union was a minor Christian left party in the Netherlands in the interbellum.-History:...
is formed by the ⇒CSP and former members of the ⇒ARP and the ⇒BCS and ⇒CDP. - 1942 The CDU is forbidden by the GermanNazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupying force. - 1946 The CHU joins the Social Democratic Workers' PartySocial Democratic Workers' Party (Netherlands)The Social Democratic Workers' Party was a Dutch socialist political party and a predecessor of the social-democratic PvdA.-1893-1904:...
and the Freethinking Democratic League to form the Labour Party.
RKSP
- 1926 The ⇒General League is reformed and renamed to Roman Catholic State Party.
- 1937 The Katholic Democratic Party merges into the RKSP.
- 1942 The RKSP is forbidden by the GermanNazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupying force. - 1945 The RKSP is reformed and renamed to ⇒KVP.
GPV
- 1948 The Reformed Political Alliance splits from the ⇒ARP.
- 2001 The GPV merges with the ⇒RPF to form the ⇒CU.
RPF
- 1975 The Reformatory Political FederationReformatory Political FederationThe Reformatory Political Federation was a minor Protestant Christian political party in the Netherlands.-History:The RPF was founded in 1975 by three groups of orthodox Christians...
splits from the ARP. - 2001 The RPF merges with the ⇒GPV to form the ⇒CU.
EVP
- 1981 The Evangelical People's Party is formed by members of the Evangelical Progressive People's Party, which previously split from the ⇒ARP and members of the ⇒CDA, who also had a background in the ARP.
- 1989 The EVP merges with the Communist Party of the NetherlandsCommunist Party of the NetherlandsThe Communist Party of the Netherlands was a Dutch communist political party. The CPN is one of the predecessors of the GreenLeft.- Foundation :...
, the Pacifist Socialist PartyPacifist Socialist PartyThe Pacifist Socialist Party was a Dutch left-socialist political party. The PSP played a small role in Dutch politics. It is a predecessor of the GreenLeft.-Before 1957:...
and the ⇒PPR to form GreenLeftGreenLeftGreenLeft is a green political party operating in the Netherlands.GreenLeft was formed on 1 March 1989 as a merger of four left-wing political parties: the Communist Party of the Netherlands, Pacifist Socialist Party, the Political Party of Radicals and the Evangelical People's Party...
.
KVP
- 1945 The ⇒RKSP is reformed and renamed to Catholic People's PartyCatholic People's PartyThe Catholic People's Party was a Catholic Christian democratic Dutch political party. During its entire existence, the party was in government. The party is one of the precursors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.- 1945-1965 :The KVP was founded on 22 December, 1945...
. - 1948 The ⇒KNP splits from the KVP.
- 1955 The KNP merges into the KVP.
- 1968 The ⇒PPR splits from the KVP.
- 1974 The KVP joins the CDA federation together with the CHU and the ARP
- 1977 KVP candidates on a common list of the CDA in the 1977 electionsDutch general election, 1977The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 25, 1977....
. - 1980 The KVP merged into the ⇒CDA.
KNP
- 1948 The Catholic National PartyCatholic National PartyThe Catholic National Party was a Dutch conservative Catholic political party. The KNP served as a catholic protest party against Indonesian independence.-Party History:...
split from the ⇒KVP - 1955 The KNP merges into the ⇒KVP
PPR
- 1968 The Political Party of Radicals split from the ⇒KVP.
- 1971 Several prominent Anti Revolutionaries left the ⇒ARP for the PPR.
- 1971 The PPR forms an electoral alliance with the Labour Party and the Pacifist Socialist PartyPacifist Socialist PartyThe Pacifist Socialist Party was a Dutch left-socialist political party. The PSP played a small role in Dutch politics. It is a predecessor of the GreenLeft.-Before 1957:...
. - 1972 The PPR forms an electoral alliance with the Labour Party and the Democrats 66Democrats 66Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
. - 1981 The PPR official abandons its Christian-social course and alliance with the Labour Party and becomes a leftwing-oriented green party.
- 1989 The PPR merges with the ⇒EVP, Pacifist Socialist PartyPacifist Socialist PartyThe Pacifist Socialist Party was a Dutch left-socialist political party. The PSP played a small role in Dutch politics. It is a predecessor of the GreenLeft.-Before 1957:...
and the Communist Party of the NetherlandsCommunist Party of the NetherlandsThe Communist Party of the Netherlands was a Dutch communist political party. The CPN is one of the predecessors of the GreenLeft.- Foundation :...
to form GreenLeftGreenLeftGreenLeft is a green political party operating in the Netherlands.GreenLeft was formed on 1 March 1989 as a merger of four left-wing political parties: the Communist Party of the Netherlands, Pacifist Socialist Party, the Political Party of Radicals and the Evangelical People's Party...
.
CDA
- 1973 The Christian Democratic AppealChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
is formed as a federation of the ⇒KVP, the ⇒CHU and the ⇒ARP. - 1980 The member parties dissolve themselves to form the CDA.
Christian democratic leaders
- ARP: Abraham KuyperAbraham KuyperAbraham Kuijper generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian...
, Hendrikus ColijnHendrikus ColijnHendrikus Colijn was a successful Dutch soldier, businessman and politician.-Early life:He was born in 1869 in the Haarlemmermeer to Antonie Colijn and Anna Verkuil, who had migrated to the Haarlemmermeer polder from the Land of Heusden and Altena for religious reasons... - CHU: Alexander de Savorin Lohman, Dirk Jan de GeerDirk Jan de GeerJonkheer Dirk Jan de Geer was a Dutch nobleman, lawyer, conservative statesman and prime minister of the Netherlands . He was disgraced for advocating a peace settlement between the Kingdom and Nazi Germany in 1940.Born in Groningen, he was a descendant of the de Geer family painted by Rembrandt...
- General League and RKSP: Herman SchaepmanHerman SchaepmanHerman Johannes Aloysius Maria Schaepman was a Dutch politician and poet.-Life:...
, Willem Hubert NolensWillem Hubert NolensMgr. mr. dr. Wilhelmus Hubertus Nolens was a Dutch politician and a Roman Catholic priest.-Life:Willem Hubert Nolens was born to Martin Nolens, a tanner, and Hermina Hubertina Linskens...
, Charles Ruijs de BeerenbrouckCharles Ruijs de BeerenbrouckJhr. Charles Joseph Maria Ruijs de Beerenbrouck was a Dutch nobleman and Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1918 to 1925 and again from 1929 to 1933... - SGP: Rev. Gerrit Hendrik KerstenGerrit Hendrik KerstenGerrit Hendrik Kersten was a Dutch Christian minister and politician. In 1907, Kersten founded the Netherlands Reformed Congregations. Eleven years later, in 1918, Kersten established the Reformed Political Party. He was the party's first member of the House of Representatives, after being elected...
(founder), Bas van der VliesBas van der VliesBastiaan Johannis van der Vlies is a former Dutch politician of the Reformed Political Party . He was a member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands from June 10, 1981 until June 17, 2010. However, this does not make him the longest serving MP, Duymaer van Twist served for almost 45...
(1986-2010), Kees van der StaaijKees van der StaaijCornelis Gerrit "Kees" van der Staaij born September 12, 1968) is a Dutch politician of the Reformed Political Party . As a member of the Reformed Political Party he has been an MP since May 19, 1998...
(current) - HGSHervormd Gereformeerde StaatspartijThe Hervormd Gereformeerde Staatspartij was a Dutch orthodox Protestant political party during the interbellum...
: Rev. Casper Andries Lingbeek - KVP: Carl Romme, Norbert SchmelzerNorbert SchmelzerWilhelm Klaus Norbert Schmelzer was a Dutch politician of the defunct Catholic People's Party now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal . Serving numerus positions in his career including Minister of Foreign Affairs from July 6, 1971 until May 11, 1973...
- PPR: Bas de Gaay FortmanBas de Gaay FortmanBastiaan de Gaay Fortman is a Dutch politician and scholar. He has been a member of both the Dutch House of Representatives and the Senate for the PPR and GroenLinks parties...
- EVP: Cathy Ubels (MP 1982-1986)
- CDA: Ruud LubbersRuud LubbersRudolphus Franciscus Marie "Ruud" Lubbers is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from November 4, 1982 until August 22, 1994....
(1982-1994, PMPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
), Jan Peter BalkenendeJan Peter BalkenendeJan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende is a Dutch politician of the party Christian Democratic Appeal .He was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 14 October 2010, having led four coalition governments, cabinets Balkenende I, II, III and IV, none of which served a full...
(2001-2002; Prime Minister 2002-2010), Maxime VerhagenMaxime VerhagenMaxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen is a Dutch politician in the Christian Democratic Appeal party. He is the Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister since October 14, 2010 in the Cabinet Rutte.He previously served as a Member of the European Parliament for...
(current informal leader of the CDA; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Economic Affairs 2010-), Jan Kees de JagerJan Kees de JagerJan Cornelis "Jan Kees" de Jager is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He is the Minister of Finance first in the Cabinet Balkenende IV from February 23, 2010 until October 14, 2010, and in the Cabinet Rutte since that date.He previously served as State Secretary for Finance...
(Minister of Financial Affairs 2010- [previous State Secretary of Financial Affairs 2007-2010]) - CU: Andre RouvoetAndré RouvoetAndré Rouvoet is a former Dutch politician of the ChristianUnion . First as a member of the RPF until the party merged with the Reformed Political League to form the ChristianUnion. He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from May 17, 1994 until February 22, 2007...
(2002-2007, 2010-2011; Deputy Prime Minister 2007-2010), Arie SlobArie SlobArie Slob is a Dutch politician and former history teacher. He has been a member of the Dutch House of Representatives for the ChristianUnion party since November 19, 2002. Since April 28, 2011 he has also been both Party leader and Parliamentary leader, in both cases succeeding André Rouvoet...
(2007-2010, 2011-)
See also
- History of the NetherlandsHistory of the NetherlandsThe history of the Netherlands is the history of a maritime people thriving on a watery lowland river delta at the edge of northwestern Europe. When the Romans and written history arrived in 57 BC, the country was sparsely populated by various tribal groups at the periphery of the empire...
- Politics of the NetherlandsPolitics of the NetherlandsThe politics of the Netherlands take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a decentralised unitary state. The Netherlands is described as a consociational state...
- List of political parties in the Netherlands
- Liberalism in the NetherlandsLiberalism in the NetherlandsThis article gives an overview of liberalism in the Netherlands. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament.-Background:...
- Socialism in the NetherlandsSocialism in the NetherlandsThis article gives an overview of socialism in the Netherlands, including communism and social democracy. It is limited to socialist, communist and social-democratic parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament...