List of political parties in the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
This article lists political parties in the Netherlands. 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...

 has a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...

 with numerous political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...

, in which any one party has little chance of gaining power alone, and parties often work with each other to form coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...

s.

The lower house of the legislature, the Second Chamber (House of Representatives), is elected by a national party-list system of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...

. There is no threshold for getting a seat, making it possible for a party to get a seat with only two-thirds percent of the vote--roughly one seat for every 50,000 votes. Since this system was implemented in 1918, no party has even approached the seats needed for an outright majority. However, there is a broad consensus on the basic principles of the political system, and all parties must adjust their goals to some extent in order to have a realistic chance at being part of the government.

Parliamentary parties

Parties with representation in the First Chamber (Senate), Second Chamber (House of Representatives) or European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...

, as of July 2010:

Name Abbr. Political Leader International Affiliation Votes (2010
Dutch general election, 2010
The 2010 Dutch general election was held on Wednesday, 9 June 2010. After the fall of the cabinet Balkenende IV on 20 February, Queen Beatrix accepted the resignation of the Labour Party ministers on 23 February...

)
House
of Rep.
seats
Senate
seats
European
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...


Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...


seats
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...

VVD Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician who has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 October 2010, as well as Minister of General Affairs in the Rutte cabinet...

*
Liberal International
Liberal International
Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...

, ELDR
European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party is a European political party mainly active in the European Union, composed of 56 national-level liberal and liberal-democratic parties from across Europe...

1,929,575 31 16 3
Labour Party
Labour Party (Netherlands)
The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...

PvdA Job Cohen
Job Cohen
Marius Job Cohen is a Dutch social democratic politician and former legal scholar of Jewish background. Since 2010 he has been the leader of the Labour Party and since June 17, 2010 he has been a member of the House of Representatives, where he also is the Parliamentary group leader of the Labour...

Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...

, PES
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...

1,848,805 30 14 3
Party for Freedom
Party for Freedom
The Party for Freedom is a Dutch right-wing political party. Founded in 2005 as the successor to Geert Wilders' one-man party in the House of Representatives, it won nine seats in the 2006 general election, making it the fifth largest party in parliament, and third largest opposition party. It...

PVV Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders is a Dutch right-wing politician and leader of the Party for Freedom , the third-largest political party in the Netherlands. He is the Parliamentary group leader of his party in the Dutch House of Representatives...

none, future International Freedom Alliance
International Freedom Alliance
The International Freedom Alliance is a proposed group announced in July 2010 by Dutch politician Geert Wilders. Wilders revealed the IFA will be an umbrella organization for groups and individuals who "are fighting for freedom against Islam"...

1,454,493 24 10 5
Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The 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...

CDA Maxime Verhagen
Maxime Verhagen
Maxime 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...

* (ad int
Ad interim
The Latin phrase ad interim literally means "in the time between" denotes the meaning of "in the meantime", "for an intervening time" or "temporarily" in the English language...

)
Centrist Democrat International
Centrist Democrat International
The Centrist Democrat International was until 2001 the Christian Democrat International and before that the Christian Democrat and People's Parties International...

, EPP
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...

1,281,886 21 11 5
Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Netherlands)
The Socialist Party is a democratic socialist political party in the Netherlands. After the 2006 general election, the Socialist Party became one of the major parties of the Netherlands with 25 seats of 150, an increase of 16 seats. The party was in opposition against the fourth Balkenende cabinet...

SP Emile Roemer
Emile Roemer
Emile Gerardus Maria Roemer is a Dutch politician of the Socialist Party . He has been a Member of the House of Representatives since 30 November 2006. On 5 March 2010 he was elected the new Party leader of the Socialist Party following the resignation of Agnes Kant...

UEL/NGL 924,696 15 8 2
Democrats 66
Democrats 66
Democrats 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...

D66 Alexander Pechtold
Alexander Pechtold
Alexander Pechtold is a Dutch politician of the Democrats 66 party. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 30 November 2006 as well as Parliamentary group leader since 23 November 2006...

Liberal International
Liberal International
Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...

, ELDR
European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party is a European political party mainly active in the European Union, composed of 56 national-level liberal and liberal-democratic parties from across Europe...

654,167 10 5 3
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...

GL Jolande Sap
Jolande Sap
Johanna Catharina Maria Sap is a Dutch GreenLeft politician and former educator and civil servant. She replaced Wijnand Duyvendak as an MP on September 3, 2008, after he left the Dutch House of Representatives...

Global Greens
Global Greens
The Global Greens is a global network of Green parties and political movements. It was founded in 2001 in Canberra, Australia at the First Global Greens Congress, where the Global Green Charter was approved. The Second Global Greens Congress was held in 2008 in Sao Paolo, Brazil...

, EGP
European Green Party
The European Green Party is the Green political party at European level. As such it is a federation of green parties in Europe.-History:...

628,096 10 5 3
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...

CU Arie Slob
Arie Slob
Arie 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...

ECPM
European Christian Political Movement
The European Christian Political Movement, abbreviated to ECPM, is a political party at European level that unites national parties from across Europe that share Christian democratic politics. The member parties are generally more socially conservative and Eurosceptic than the European People's...

, ECR
European Conservatives and Reformists
The European Conservatives and Reformists, abbreviated to ECR, is a conservative anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament. The group currently comprises 57 MEPs, making it the fourth-largest group in the European Parliament....

305,094 5 2 1
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...

SGP Kees van der Staaij
Kees van der Staaij
Cornelis 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...

EFD
Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Europe of Freedom and Democracy is a Eurosceptic political group in the European Parliament. Formed after the European parliamentary election in 2009, it is mostly made up of elements of the now defunct Independence/Democracy and Union for a Europe of Nations groups from the out-going...

163,581 2 1 1
Party for Animals PvdD Marianne Thieme
Marianne Thieme
Marianne Louise Thieme is a Dutch politician of the Party for the Animals . She has been Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives since November 23, 2006 and an MP since November 30, 2006....

none 122,317 2 1 0
50Plus
50PLUS
50PLUS is a Dutch political party. The party was founded in 2009 by Maurice Koopman, Alexander Münninghoff, and Jan Nagel, a politician formerly connected to the Dutch Labour Party and Leefbaar Nederland. Nagel is the party leader....

50+ Jan Nagel
Jan Nagel
Johan George Nagel is a Dutch politician first of the Labour Party, and later for his own formed parties. Currently for the Pensioners' Party 50PLUS....

*
none 0 did not compete 0 1 0
Independents Senate Fraction OSF Kees de Lange* none 0 did not compete 0 1 0
Total (includes Others; turnout 75.4%) 9,442,977 150 75 25

*: These political leaders are not President of the parliamentary parties in the House of Representatives.
  • The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
    People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
    The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...

     (VVD) is a conservative liberal
    Conservative liberalism
    Conservative liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal values and policies with conservative stances, or, more simply, representing the right-wing of the liberal movement....

     party. It thus attaches great importance to private enterprise and the freedom of the individual in political, social, and economic affairs. The party is generally supportive of European economic integration, but is less supportive of political integration. VVD is a member of the Liberal International
    Liberal International
    Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...

    .

  • The Labour Party
    Labour Party (Netherlands)
    The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...

     (PvdA), a social-democratic party, and centre-left
    Centre-left
    Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...

     in orientation. Its program is based on more social, political, and economic equality for all citizens. Former PvdA-prime minister Joop den Uyl
    Joop den Uyl
    Johannes Marten den Uijl, known as Joop den Uyl was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from May 11, 1973 until December 19, 1977....

     has called it an "equal distribution of knowledge, income and power." In recent years the PvdA has espoused a Third Way
    Third way (centrism)
    The Third Way refers to various political positions which try to reconcile right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating a varying synthesis of right-wing economic and left-wing social policies. Third Way approaches are commonly viewed from within the first- and second-way perspectives as...

     programme. The PvdA is generally supportive of European integration. Although called the Labour Party, it has no formal links to the trade union
    Trade union
    A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...

    s. In practice, however, strong links exist, with PvdA politicians often beginning their careers in the FNV
    Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging
    The Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging is a federation of trade unions of the Netherlands.-History:...

     trade union. The party is led by Job Cohen
    Job Cohen
    Marius Job Cohen is a Dutch social democratic politician and former legal scholar of Jewish background. Since 2010 he has been the leader of the Labour Party and since June 17, 2010 he has been a member of the House of Representatives, where he also is the Parliamentary group leader of the Labour...

    . The PvdA is a member of the Socialist International
    Socialist International
    The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...

    .

  • The Party for Freedom
    Party for Freedom
    The Party for Freedom is a Dutch right-wing political party. Founded in 2005 as the successor to Geert Wilders' one-man party in the House of Representatives, it won nine seats in the 2006 general election, making it the fifth largest party in parliament, and third largest opposition party. It...

     (PVV) is a right-wing conservative party. It was founded by Geert Wilders
    Geert Wilders
    Geert Wilders is a Dutch right-wing politician and leader of the Party for Freedom , the third-largest political party in the Netherlands. He is the Parliamentary group leader of his party in the Dutch House of Representatives...

    , who split from the VVD in 2004. The PVV seeks to lower taxation
    Taxation in the Netherlands
    The Netherlands has a rich history dealing with taxation, predating the Romanic period.Some of the most important taxes are that of the income tax , the wage withholding tax , the value added tax and the corporate tax .-Income tax:The Netherlands has...

    . It is Eurosceptical
    Euroscepticism
    Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state...

     and seeks to limit immigration, especially from non-Western countries.

  • The Christian Democratic Appeal
    Christian Democratic Appeal
    The 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 a centre-right
    Centre-right
    The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...

     Christian democratic
    Christian democracy in the Netherlands
    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...

     party. It supports free enterprise and holds to the principle that government activity should supplement but not supplant communal action by citizens. On the political spectrum, the CDA sees its philosophy as standing between the "individualism
    Individualism
    Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own...

    " of the VVD and the "statism
    Statism
    Statism is a term usually describing a political philosophy, whether of the right or the left, that emphasises the role of the state in politics or supports the use of the state to achieve economic, military or social goals...

    " of the Labour Party. The CDA favours European economic, cultural and political integration. The party is led by Maxime Verhagen
    Maxime Verhagen
    Maxime 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...

     (ad interim
    Ad interim
    The Latin phrase ad interim literally means "in the time between" denotes the meaning of "in the meantime", "for an intervening time" or "temporarily" in the English language...

    ). The CDA is a member of the Centrist Democrat International
    Centrist Democrat International
    The Centrist Democrat International was until 2001 the Christian Democrat International and before that the Christian Democrat and People's Parties International...

    .

  • The Socialist Party
    Socialist Party (Netherlands)
    The Socialist Party is a democratic socialist political party in the Netherlands. After the 2006 general election, the Socialist Party became one of the major parties of the Netherlands with 25 seats of 150, an increase of 16 seats. The party was in opposition against the fourth Balkenende cabinet...

     (SP) is a left-wing party. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was a People's Republic of China
    People's Republic of China
    China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

    -supported Maoist
    Maoism
    Maoism, also known as the Mao Zedong Thought , is claimed by Maoists as an anti-Revisionist form of Marxist communist theory, derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong . Developed during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding...

     party, but in 1991 the SP dropped its communist course, and chose a more independent and less radical democratic socialist
    Democratic socialism
    Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...

     course, denouncing Maoism
    Maoism
    Maoism, also known as the Mao Zedong Thought , is claimed by Maoists as an anti-Revisionist form of Marxist communist theory, derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong . Developed during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding...

     and the People's Republic of China
    People's Republic of China
    China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

    . The party itself has called it a move "from socialism to a social ism." The party opposes what it sees as the European Superstate. The SP operates as an independent party within the European United Left–Nordic Green Left
    European United Left–Nordic Green Left
    European United Left/Nordic Green Left is a left-wing political group with seats in the European Parliament since 1995.-Position:According to its 1994 constituent declaration, the group is opposed to the present European political structure, but committed to integration...

     in the European Parliament. Emile Roemer
    Emile Roemer
    Emile Gerardus Maria Roemer is a Dutch politician of the Socialist Party . He has been a Member of the House of Representatives since 30 November 2006. On 5 March 2010 he was elected the new Party leader of the Socialist Party following the resignation of Agnes Kant...

     is the leader of the SP.

  • 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...

     combines environmentalist
    Environmentalist
    An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...

     green politics
    Green politics
    Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...

     with left-wing ideals. It operates to the left of the PvdA. The party was founded in 1989 as a merger of left-radical, pacifist
    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:...

    , communist
    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 :...

     and Christian left parties. In 2004, the party leader Femke Halsema
    Femke Halsema
    is a former Dutch politician. She was a member of the House of Representatives from 1998 till 2011. She was also the leader of the GreenLeft parliamentary party in the House of Representatives from 2002 till 2010.-Pre-political career:...

     announced she saw her own party as a left-wing liberal party, possibly breaking with its socialist roots. GreenLeft is a member of the Global Greens
    Global Greens
    The Global Greens is a global network of Green parties and political movements. It was founded in 2001 in Canberra, Australia at the First Global Greens Congress, where the Global Green Charter was approved. The Second Global Greens Congress was held in 2008 in Sao Paolo, Brazil...

    .

  • The 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...

     is a socially conservative Christian party, which mostly concentrates on ethical issues, such as a resistance against abortion
    Abortion
    Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...

    , euthanasia
    Euthanasia
    Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....

     and gay marriage. In other areas (e.g. immigration and the environment), the party often is closer to the left-wing parties. It is sceptical about European integration. The CU operates within the European Conservatives and Reformists
    European Conservatives and Reformists
    The European Conservatives and Reformists, abbreviated to ECR, is a conservative anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament. The group currently comprises 57 MEPs, making it the fourth-largest group in the European Parliament....

     group within the European Parliament and is a founding member of the European Christian Political Movement
    European Christian Political Movement
    The European Christian Political Movement, abbreviated to ECPM, is a political party at European level that unites national parties from across Europe that share Christian democratic politics. The member parties are generally more socially conservative and Eurosceptic than the European People's...

    . Arie Slob
    Arie Slob
    Arie 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...

     leads the party.

  • Democrats 66
    Democrats 66
    Democrats 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...

     (D66) has had widely fluctuating electoral fortunes since the party's founding in 1966. It is a centrist social liberal
    Social liberalism
    Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...

     party, generally portrayed as between the VVD and GreenLeft. It professes a pro-European
    Pro-European
    Pro-European is a subjective term applied to a person who supports the idea of European unification and generally supports further 'deepening' of European integration, specifically in the context of political argument over the current and future status of the EU and its policies.-The Pro-European...

     platform of ethnic and religious tolerance. Alexander Pechtold
    Alexander Pechtold
    Alexander Pechtold is a Dutch politician of the Democrats 66 party. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 30 November 2006 as well as Parliamentary group leader since 23 November 2006...

     leads the party. D66 is a member of the Liberal International
    Liberal International
    Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...

    .

  • Party for the Animals
    Party for the Animals
    The Party for the Animals is a political party in the Netherlands.Among its main goals are animal rights and animal welfare, though it claims not to be a single-issue party...

     (PvdD) is a one issue animal rights
    Animal rights
    Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...

     party. It is led by Marianne Thieme
    Marianne Thieme
    Marianne Louise Thieme is a Dutch politician of the Party for the Animals . She has been Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives since November 23, 2006 and an MP since November 30, 2006....

    .

  • 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...

     (SGP) is a party of the Christian right
    Christian right
    Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...

    , with stronger ethical points of view than the ChristianUnion. Although a small party on a national level, it is an important political power in some orthodox reformed municipalities. The party sees governments (local, regional, national and international) as unconditional servants of God. The party bases all of its views directly on the Bible
    Bible
    The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...

    . The party opposes European integration and operates within the Europe of Freedom and Democracy
    Europe of Freedom and Democracy
    Europe of Freedom and Democracy is a Eurosceptic political group in the European Parliament. Formed after the European parliamentary election in 2009, it is mostly made up of elements of the now defunct Independence/Democracy and Union for a Europe of Nations groups from the out-going...

     group. Kees van der Staaij
    Kees van der Staaij
    Cornelis 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...

     leads the SGP.

  • 50Plus
    50PLUS
    50PLUS is a Dutch political party. The party was founded in 2009 by Maurice Koopman, Alexander Münninghoff, and Jan Nagel, a politician formerly connected to the Dutch Labour Party and Leefbaar Nederland. Nagel is the party leader....

     (50+) is a one issue pensioners' interest party. It is led by political entrepeneur Jan Nagel
    Jan Nagel
    Johan George Nagel is a Dutch politician first of the Labour Party, and later for his own formed parties. Currently for the Pensioners' Party 50PLUS....

    .

  • The Independent Senate Group (Dutch: Onafhankelijke Senaatsfractie, OSF) is a parliamentary party in the Dutch Senate with one senator, representing several provincial parties.

Other parties (not represented in parliament)

  • Ad Bos Collectief (ABC)
  • AOV/Unie 55+
  • De conservatieven.nl
  • Continue Directe Democratie Partij - CDDP
  • Duurzaam Nederland
  • Eén NL
  • Groen Vrij Internet Partij
  • De Groenen
    The Greens (Netherlands)
    The Greens are a Dutch deep green party, which has been of only marginal importance in Dutch politics, as it has never gained national representation on its own.-History:...

  • Hizb ut-Tahrir
    Hizb ut-Tahrir
    Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international Sunni. pan-Islamic political organisation but keeps it open for all including shias,some of its beliefs are against sunni school of thought, whose goal is for all Muslim countries to unify as an Islamic state or caliphate ruled by Islamic law and with a caliph...

  • Internationale Socialisten
    International Socialists (Netherlands)
    International Socialists is a revolutionary, Trotskyist organisation in the Netherlands. It is part of the International Socialist Tendency led by the British Socialist Workers Party.-Ideology:...

     - IS
  • Islam Democraten
  • Katholiek Politieke Partij - KPP
  • Leefbaar Nederland - LN
  • Liberaal Democratische Partij - LibDem
  • Libertarische Partij
    Libertarian Party (Netherlands)
    The Libertarian Party is a Dutch political party. It was founded in 1993 and took part in the elections of 1994 for the Dutch House of Representatives...

  • Lijst Poortman
  • Lijst Veldhoen
  • Lijst Vijf Fortuyn / Lijst Pim Fortuyn - LPF
  • LRVP - Het Zeteltje
  • Natuurwetpartij
  • Nederland Mobiel
    Mobile Netherlands
    The Mobile Netherlands is a political party in the Netherlands without parliamentary representation.It was founded on December 5, 1997 by members of the PRO AUTO transport advocacy organization out of dissatisfaction with the policies of the Purple Kok coalition cabinet...

     - NLMobiel
  • Nederland Transparant
  • Nederlandse Christen Democraten - NCD
  • Nederlandse Klokkenluiders Partij (NKP)
  • Nieuwe Communistische Partij Nederland - NCPN
  • Nieuwe Midden Partij
    New Middle Party
    The New Middle Party is a Dutch small business-interest political party. The NMP is a marginal party and was only successful during the 1971 elections.-History:...

     - NMP
  • Offensief
    Offensive (Netherlands)
    Socialist Alternative is a Trotskyist organisation, member of the Committee for a Workers' International.Socialist Alternative was founded as Inter in 1977. The name was shortly after changed to Voorwaarts and from the early 1980's to 2010 it was called Offensief...

  • Ons Nederland
  • Pacifistisch Socialistische Partij 1992 - PSP'92
  • Party for Neighborly Love, Freedom and Diversity
    Partij voor Naastenliefde, Vrijheid en Diversiteit
    The Party for Neighbourly Love, Freedom, and Diversity was a Dutch political party with no representation in parliament, and only three known members...

     (Partij voor Naastenliefde, Vrijheid en Diversiteit - PNVD)
  • Partij voor het Noorden
  • Partij voor Nederland
  • Partij voor Rechtvaardigheid, Daadkracht en Vooruitgang - PRDV
  • Partij van de Toekomst
  • Piratenpartij Nederland
  • P.V.D.M. en alle overige aardbewoners
  • Republikeinse Socialisten - RS
  • Ruim Baan voor Nederland
  • Senioren 2000
  • Socialistische Alternatieve Politiek
    Socialist Alternative Politics
    The Socialist Alternative Politics is a socialist political party in the Netherlands without parliamentary representation...

     - SAP
  • Solide Multiculturele Partij - SMP
  • Tamara's Open Partij
  • Verenigde Senioren Partij - VSP
  • Vooruitstrevende Integratie Partij
    Progressive Integration Party
    The Progressive Integration Party is a political party in the Netherlands without parliamentary representation. Its seeks its voters within the ethnic minorities in the country....


Regional parties

  • Brabant Party
    Brabant Party
    The Brabant Party is a provincial political party in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It has no parliamentary representation, but it is linked to the Independent Senate Group....

     (Brabantse Partij), active in North Brabant
    North Brabant
    North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...

    .
  • Frisian National Party
    Frisian National Party
    The Frisian National Party is a Frisian nationalist political party in the Netherlands. The FNP is mostly involved in Frisian politics...

     (FNP - Fryske Nasjonale Partij), active in Friesland
    Friesland
    Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...

    .
  • New Limburg Party
    Party New Limburg
    The Party New Limburg is a provincial political party in the Dutch province of Limburg. It has no parliamentary representation, but it is linked to the Independent Senate Group....

     (PNL - Partij Nieuw Limburg), active in Limburg
    Limburg (Netherlands)
    Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...

    .

Defunct parties

  • Algemeen Ouderen Verbond (AOV) (General Elderly Alliance)
  • Algemeene Bond van RK-kiesverenigingen
    Algemeene Bond van RK-kiesverenigingen
    The General League of Roman Catholic Caucuses was a Dutch Catholic political party...

     (General League of Roman Catholic Caucuses) {became the RKSP}
  • Alliantie voor Vernieuwing en Democratie (Alliance for Renewal and Democracy)
  • Algemeene Nederlandsche Fascisten Bond
    General Dutch Fascist League
    The General Dutch Fascist League was a minor Dutch fascist party founded in 1932. The party sought to create a volksfascisme, although they failed to fully define this aim and were considered closer to Mussolini than Hitler despite their rhetoric. The party failed to gain support in the 1932...

     (General Dutch Fascist League)
  • Anti-Revolutionaire Partij (ARP) (Anti-Revolutionary Party) {1879-1980} {merged into Christen Democratisch Appèl (CDA)
    Christian Democratic Appeal
    The 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...

    }
  • Arabic-European League (Arabisch-Europese Liga, AEL) {initially founded in Belgium, active in the Netherlands between 2003–2005, now MDP}
  • Arbeiderspartij van Nederland (opbouworganisatie)
    Workers Party of the Netherlands (build-up organisation)
    Workers Party of the Netherlands was a communist party in the Netherlands. APN was founded in 1980, following a split from the Communist Workers Organisation . It upheld the line of the Albanian Party of Labour after the Sino-Albanian split...

     (APN(o)) (Workers Party of the Netherlands (build-up organisation))
  • Boerenpartij (BP) (Farmers' Party)
  • Bond Christen Socialisten (BCS) (League of Christian Socialists)
  • Bond van Nederlandse Marxisten-Leninisten
    League of Dutch Marxist-Leninists
    League of Dutch Marxist-Leninists was a communist organisation in the Netherlands.By the time of the 21st party congress of the Communist Party of the Netherlands in 1964 two pro-China fractions existed inside the party. One was the Marxist-Leninist Centre in Rotterdam...

     (BNML) (League of Dutch Marxist-Leninists) {merged into KAO(ml)}
  • Bond van Vrije Liberalen (Association of Free Liberals) {merged into Liberale Staatspartij}
  • Centrumdemocraten
    Centre Democrats (Netherlands)
    The Centre Democrats was a political party in the Netherlands. Founded in 1984 by members who split out from the Centre Party , the Centre Democrats was joined one month later by the only CP Member of Parliament—Hans Janmaat. Janmaat went on to become the leader of the party, which...

     (CD) (Centre Democrats) {split from the Centrumpartij}
  • Centrumpartij
    Centre Party (Netherlands)
    The Centre Party was a Dutch nationalist extreme right-wing political party espousing an anti-immigrant program. The party was founded by Henry Brookman in 1980, and was represented by Hans Janmaat in the Dutch House of Representatives from 1982, until he was expelled from the party in 1984 and...

     (CP) (Centre Party) {later Centrumpartij '86}
  • Centrumpartij '86 (CP'86) (Centre Party '86)
  • Christen Democratische Partij
    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...

     (Christian Democratic Party)
  • Christelijk-Democratische Unie (CDU) (Christian-Democratic Union) {merged into Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA)}
  • Christelijk-Historische Unie (CHU) (Christian-Historical Union) {merged into Christen Democratisch Appèl
    Christian Democratic Appeal
    The 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...

     (CDA)}
  • Christelijk Sociale Party (CSP)
  • Christelijk-Historische Kiezersbond (CHK) (Christian Historical Voters' League) {merged into the Christian Historical Party}
  • Christelijk-Historische Partij
    Christian Historical Party
    The Christian Historical Party was a Dutch conservative Reformed political party, which existed from 1903 to 1908...

     (CHP) (Christian Historical Party) {merged into the Christian Historican Union}
  • Communistische Partij Nederland (CPN) (Communist Party Netherlands) {merged into GroenLinks, some members formed the NCPN}
  • deConservatieven.nl (The Conservatives)
  • Democratisch Socialisten '70 (DS'70) (Democratic Socialists '70)
  • Duurzaam Nederland (Sustainable Netherlands)
  • Economische Bond (EB) (Economic League)
  • Europa Transparant (ET) (Europe Transparant)
  • Evangelische Volkspartij (EVP) (Evangelical Peoples Party) {merged into GroenLinks}
  • Friesche Bond
    Frisian League
    The League of caucuses on Christian Historical foundation in the province of Friesland is a Dutch conservative Reformed political party...

     (Frisian League) {merged into the Christian Historical Union}
  • Gereformeerd Politiek Verbond (GPV) (Reformed Political Union) {merged into ChristenUnie}
  • Hervormd Gereformeerde Staatspartij
    Hervormd Gereformeerde Staatspartij
    The Hervormd Gereformeerde Staatspartij was a Dutch orthodox Protestant political party during the interbellum...

     {dissolved in 1946}
  • Independent Socialist Party
    Independent Socialist Party (Netherlands)
    The Independent Socialist Party was a revolutionary socialist political party in the Netherlands.-History:...

     (OSP)
  • Islamitische Partij Nederland (Islamic Party Netherlands) {founded in 1998}
  • Katholieke Nationale Partij (KNP) (Catholic National Party) {merged into the KVP}
  • Katholieke Volkspartij (KVP) (Catholic People's Party) {merged into Christen Democratisch Appèl (CDA)
    Christian Democratic Appeal
    The 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...

    }
  • Kommunistische Arbeidersorganisatie (marxistisch-leninistisch)
    Communist Workers Organisation (marxist-leninist)
    Communist Workers Organisation was a communist group in the Netherlands. It was founded in March 1978, through the merger of the League of Dutch Marxist-Leninists , the Communist Workers Organisation and the Communist Circle of Breda...

     (KAO(ml) (Communist Workers Organisation (Marxist-Leninist)) {dissolved around 1980}
  • Kommunistische Eenheidsbeweging Nederland (marxistisch-leninistisch)
    Communist Unity Movement of the Netherlands (marxist-leninist)
    Communist Unity Movement of the Netherlands was a communist organization in the Netherlands....

     (KEN(ml)) (Communist Unity Movement of the Netherlands) {dissolved in mid-1980s}
  • Leefbaar Nederland (LN) (Liveable Netherlands)
  • Liberale Staatspartij
    Liberal State Party
    The Liberal State Party, "the Freedom League" , was a Dutch conservative liberal political party from 1921 to 1948...

     (LSP) (Liberal State Party) {merged into Partij van de Vrijheid (PvdA)}
  • Liberale Partij
    Liberal Party (Netherlands)
    The Liberal Party was a Dutch conservative liberal political party. The LP played only a marginal role in Dutch politics.-Party history:...

     (Liberal Party) {merged into the Vaderlandsch Verbond}
  • Liberale Unie (Liberal Union) {merged into Liberale Staatspartij}
  • Lijst Pim Fortuyn (LPF) (Pim Fortuyn List) {disbanded in 2007}
  • Lijst Ratelband (Ratelband List)
  • Lijst Veldhoen (Veldhoen List)
  • Marxistisch-Leninistische Partij Nederland
    Marxist-Leninist Party of the Netherlands
    The Marxist-Leninist Party of the Netherlands was a fake pro-China communist party in the Netherlands set up by the Dutch secret service BVD to develop contacts with the Chinese government for espionage purposes. It existed from 1968 to the early 1990s...

     (MLPN) - a fake party founded in 1970 by the Dutch Intelligence Service BVD and the CIA
    Central Intelligence Agency
    The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...

    , to research support for Maoism and to fool the People's Republic of China
    People's Republic of China
    China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

    .
  • Middenpartij voor Stad en Land (MPSL) (Middle Party for City and Country)
  • Middenstandspartij (MP) (Middle Class Party)
  • Moslimpartij (Muslim Party) {founded in 1993}
  • Nationaal-Socialistische Nederlandsche Arbeiderspartij
    National Socialist Dutch Workers Party
    The National Socialist Dutch Workers Party was a minor Dutch national socialist party founded in 1931 and led by Ernst Herman van Rappard...

     (NSNAP) (National Socialist Dutch Workers Party) {1931-1941}
  • Nationale Alliantie
    National Alliance (Netherlands)
    The National Alliance was a Dutch nationalist political party. The party was disbanded in 2007.The party was formed on 12 November 2003, by Jan Teijn and Virginia Kapić. Teijn kicked off his political career in the Centrum Democraten in Rotterdam, before going over to the CP'86, where he was one...

     (NA) (National Alliance)
  • Nederlands Blok
    Dutch Block
    The Dutch Block was a Dutch nationalist political party espousing an anti-immigrant program. It was founded by Alfred Vierling, Ton Steemers en Hans Lindenburg, modeled on the Flemish Block and later taken over by Wim Vreeswijk, who became council member in Utrecht.The party was founded in 1992...

     (NB) (Dutch Block)
  • Neutrale Partij (Neutral Party)
  • Nieuwe Nationale Partij
    New National Party (Netherlands)
    The New National Party was a Dutch nationalist political party which existed between 1998 and 2005. It succeeded the "Volksnationalisten Nederland" party which had been founded in 1997...

     (NNP) (New National Party)
  • Nieuw Rechts
    New Right (Netherlands)
    New Right was a nationalist Dutch political party, founded by Michiel Smit in February 2003 and dissolved in December 2007.-History:...

     (NR) (New Right)
  • O O Den Haag (O O The Hague) {was initially registered for 2003 elections but withdrew}.
  • Pacifistisch-Socialistische Partij (PSP) (Pacifist-Socialist Party) {merged into GroenLinks}
  • Partij van de Vrijheid (PvdV) (Freedom Party) {became Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie}
  • Partij voor Rechtvaardigheid, Daadkracht en Vooruitgang
    Party for Justice, Action and Progress
    The Party for Justice, Action and Progress was a political party in the Netherlands without parliamentary representation. It was founded May 2005 by the crime journalist Peter R. de Vries. The abbreviation of the party's name, PRDV, is also his initials....

     (Party for Justice, Action and Progress)
  • Plattelandersbond (Peasants' League)
  • Politieke Partij Radicalen (PPR) (Political Party of Radicals) {merged into GroenLinks}
  • Radicale Bond
    Radical League
    The Radical League was a Dutch progressive liberal political party. The league is historically linked with the PvdA.-Party History:...

     (RB) (Radical League) {merged into VDB}
  • Reformatorische Politieke Federatie (RPF) (Reforming Political Federation) {merged into ChristenUnie}
  • Roomsch-Katholieke Staatspartij (RKSP) (Roman Catholic Political Party) {predecessor of KVP}
  • Senioren 2000 (Seniors 2000)
  • Sociaal-Democratische Arbeiders Partij (SDAP) (Social Democratic Workers Party) {merged into Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA)}
  • Sociaal-Democratische Bond - Social Democratic League merged into the SDAP
  • Socialistische Party
    Socialist Party (Netherlands, interbellum)
    The Socialist Party was a Dutch revolutionary syndicalist libertarian socialist political party. The SP played only a minor role in Dutch political history.-Party History:...

     {Socialist Party active before the Second World War, not the current Socialist Party
    Socialist Party (Netherlands)
    The Socialist Party is a democratic socialist political party in the Netherlands. After the 2006 general election, the Socialist Party became one of the major parties of the Netherlands with 25 seats of 150, an increase of 16 seats. The party was in opposition against the fourth Balkenende cabinet...

    }.
  • Solidair '93 (Solidarity '93) {Appears not to have contested elections after 1998}.
  • Unie 55+
    Union 55+
    Union 55+ was a Dutch pensioners' political party. The Union was somewhat successful in the 1994 elections but disappeared four years later.-Party History:...

     (General Senior Union/Union 55+)
  • Verbond tot Democratisering der Weermacht (Alliance for the Democratization of the Army)
  • Verbond van Communisten In Nederland
    League of Communists in the Netherlands
    The League of Communists in the Netherlands, in Dutch known as Verbond van Communisten in Nederland was a communist political party in the Netherlands. The VCN was the result of a split in 1984 in the Communist Party of the Netherlands , who disagreed with the revisionist and eurocommunist line of...

     (VCN) (League of Communists in the Netherlands) {split from 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 :...

     (CPN) in 1983 and merged with the remains of the CPN in 1992 to form the New Communist Party of the Netherlands (NCPN)}
  • Verbond voor Nationaal Herstel (Alliance for National Reconstruction)
  • Vrijzinnig Democratische Bond (VDB) (Freethinking Democratic League) {merged into Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA)}
  • Vrij Antirevolutionaire Partij
    Free Anti Revolutionary Party
    The Free Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch conservative Reformed political party, which existed from 1898 to 1903...

     (Free Anti Revolutionary Party) {merged in to Christian Historical Party}

See also

  • Politics of the Netherlands
    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...

  • List of political parties by country
  • Liberalism in the Netherlands
    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:...

  • Socialism in the Netherlands
    Socialism in the Netherlands
    This 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...

  • Christian democracy in the Netherlands
    Christian democracy in the Netherlands
    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...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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