Reformatory Political Federation
Encyclopedia
The Reformatory Political Federation (Reformatorische Politieke Federatie; RPF) was a minor Protestant Christian
political party in the Netherlands
.
, secondly the National Evangelical Union, a small party which had earlier left the ARP, and several independent electoral committees. The founders opposed the formation of the Christian Democratic Appeal
, because the Protestant ARP and Christian-Historical Union would join the Catholic People's Party. During the period of pillarisation
, the Catholics and Protestants had lived in a form of cold war.
The RPF sought to unite all other orthodox Protestant Christian parties, namely the Reformatory Political Union (GPV) and the Reformed Political Party
(SGP).
In the subsequent 1977 elections the RPF was unable to win any seats. In 1981 it won two seats in House of Representatives (Meindert Leerling
and Aad Wagenaar). In the period 1981 to 2002 it had one to three members. It also won seats in the Dutch Senate. The remained in opposition throughout its existence.
In 1985 one of its two members of parliament seceded form the party to form the Anti-Revolutionaries 1985, the party never got any seat.
In 1996 RPF party leader Leen van Dijke
came under public criticism when magazine Nieuwe Revu had suggested that in an interview he had declared: "Why would stealing, for example committing social welfare fraud, be less of a sin than going against the seventh commandment? Yes, why should someone in a homosexual relationship be better than a thief?" When turmoil broke out, Van Dijke explained that he had meant to convey a universally accepted vision within Christianity that trespassing one of God's commandments makes a man guilty before God, and that all breaches herein are equal. But the general public, and especially the Dutch gay movement, criticized the statement as printed in Nieuwe Revu heavily, considering it discrimination
. As such, a gay magazine (Gaykrant) reported it to the Attorney General. In 1999 the Dutch high court ruled that Van Dijke's views were not discriminatory according to Dutch law.
From 1998 the RPF and GPV began to work closely together in parliament. In 2000 the Christian Union, in which both would unite was officially founded. In 2002 it first contested in elections and won 5 seats.
had strong personal and ideological links with the RPF, but it was never officially linked to the party.
norms and values. The political differences between the GPV and SGP, the two other orthodox Protestant parties, were marginal and based on theological
differences.
The RPF was a staunch defender of the Dutch monarchy and a strong government. It opposed abortion
, euthanasia
and same-sex marriage
. In economic and environmental issues, the RPF was in favour of strong government influence.
Internationally the party was comparable to the American
Christian Right
and the small Protestant parties of Scandinavia, such as the Christian Democratic Party of Norway, the Swedish
and Danish
Christian Democrats. The RPF never took part in a government coalition, instead it chose to voice its concerns over government policies, while acknowledging that the party itself (a testimonial party
) was not big enough to force its opinion upon others.
and the Dutch Reformed Church
. But also members of newer churches such as the Evangelical
Church and the Pentecostal
community supported this party. The electorate was concentrated in Zeeland
, the Veluwe
, parts of Overijssel
, forming what is known as the Dutch Bible Belt
.
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...
political party in 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...
.
History
The RPF was founded in 1975 by three groups of orthodox Christians. The first group were members of the Protestant-Christian Anti-Revolutionary PartyAnti 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...
, secondly the National Evangelical Union, a small party which had earlier left the ARP, and several independent electoral committees. The founders opposed the formation of 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...
, because the Protestant ARP and Christian-Historical Union would join the Catholic People's Party. During the period of pillarisation
Pillarisation
Pillarisation is a term used to describe the politico-denominational segregation of Dutch and Belgian society. These societies were "vertically" divided into several segments or "pillars" according to different religions or ideologies.These pillars all had their own social institutions: their own...
, the Catholics and Protestants had lived in a form of cold war.
The RPF sought to unite all other orthodox Protestant Christian parties, namely the Reformatory Political Union (GPV) and 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).
In the subsequent 1977 elections the RPF was unable to win any seats. In 1981 it won two seats in House of Representatives (Meindert Leerling
Meindert Leerling
Meindert Leerling is a Dutch former politician, television director and journalist.As a member of the Reformatory Political Federation he was a member of the Dutch House of Representatives as well as Parliamentary leader from 1981 to 1994.Previously he worked as a television director and RTV...
and Aad Wagenaar). In the period 1981 to 2002 it had one to three members. It also won seats in the Dutch Senate. The remained in opposition throughout its existence.
In 1985 one of its two members of parliament seceded form the party to form the Anti-Revolutionaries 1985, the party never got any seat.
In 1996 RPF party leader Leen van Dijke
Leen van Dijke
Leendert Cornelis van Dijke is a Dutch manager and former politician and carpenter.As a member of the Reformatory Political Federation and its successor the ChristianUnion he was a member of the Dutch House of Representatives from 1994 to 2003 as well as Parliamentary leader from...
came under public criticism when magazine Nieuwe Revu had suggested that in an interview he had declared: "Why would stealing, for example committing social welfare fraud, be less of a sin than going against the seventh commandment? Yes, why should someone in a homosexual relationship be better than a thief?" When turmoil broke out, Van Dijke explained that he had meant to convey a universally accepted vision within Christianity that trespassing one of God's commandments makes a man guilty before God, and that all breaches herein are equal. But the general public, and especially the Dutch gay movement, criticized the statement as printed in Nieuwe Revu heavily, considering it discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
. As such, a gay magazine (Gaykrant) reported it to the Attorney General. In 1999 the Dutch high court ruled that Van Dijke's views were not discriminatory according to Dutch law.
From 1998 the RPF and GPV began to work closely together in parliament. In 2000 the Christian Union, in which both would unite was officially founded. In 2002 it first contested in elections and won 5 seats.
Linked organisations
The Party magazine was called RPF signal and the scientific foundation Marnix van St. Aldegonde Stichting. The Evangelical Broadcasting AssociationEvangelische Omroep
Evangelische Omroep is one of the twelve member-based broadcasting associations contributing to the Netherlands Public Broadcasting system. It has as its mission to bring people into contact with Jesus Christ and its statement of faith is a form of Evangelicalism...
had strong personal and ideological links with the RPF, but it was never officially linked to the party.
Ideology
The RPF believed that society should be based on BiblicalBible
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...
norms and values. The political differences between the GPV and SGP, the two other orthodox Protestant parties, were marginal and based on theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
differences.
The RPF was a staunch defender of the Dutch monarchy and a strong government. It opposed 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 same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. In economic and environmental issues, the RPF was in favour of strong government influence.
Internationally the party was comparable to the American
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
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...
and the small Protestant parties of Scandinavia, such as the Christian Democratic Party of Norway, the Swedish
Christian Democrats (Sweden)
The Christian Democrats ) is a political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1964 but did not enter parliament until 1985 in an electoral cooperation with the Centre Party and on the Christian Democrats' own accord in 1991. The leader since April 3, 2004 is Göran Hägglund. He succeeded Alf...
and Danish
Christian Democrats (Denmark)
The Christian Democrats are a political party in Denmark. The party was founded in 1970 to oppose the liberalization of restrictions on pornography and the legalization of abortion....
Christian Democrats. The RPF never took part in a government coalition, instead it chose to voice its concerns over government policies, while acknowledging that the party itself (a testimonial party
Testimonial party
Testimonial party is a political party that focuses on its principles, instead of adapting them to local or temporal issues in the pursuit of coalition government participation...
) was not big enough to force its opinion upon others.
Electorate
The RPF was supported by orthodox Reformed of many denominations, such as the Reformed ChurchesReformed 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:...
and 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...
. But also members of newer churches such as the Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Church and the Pentecostal
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
community supported this party. The electorate was concentrated in Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
, the Veluwe
Veluwe
The Veluwe is a forest-rich ridge of hills in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. The Veluwe features many different landscapes including woodland, heath, some small lakes and Europe's largest sand drifts....
, parts of Overijssel
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
, forming what is known as the Dutch Bible Belt
Bible Belt
Bible Belt is an informal term for a region in the southeastern and south-central United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism is a significant part of the culture and Christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation's average.The...
.
Party leaders
- Meindert LeerlingMeindert LeerlingMeindert Leerling is a Dutch former politician, television director and journalist.As a member of the Reformatory Political Federation he was a member of the Dutch House of Representatives as well as Parliamentary leader from 1981 to 1994.Previously he worked as a television director and RTV...
: 1980 - 1994 - Leen van DijkeLeen van DijkeLeendert Cornelis van Dijke is a Dutch manager and former politician and carpenter.As a member of the Reformatory Political Federation and its successor the ChristianUnion he was a member of the Dutch House of Representatives from 1994 to 2003 as well as Parliamentary leader from...
: 1994 - 2001