Liberalism in the Netherlands
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In contemporary politics, there are both left and right-wing parties that refer to themselves as "liberal", with the former more often espousing social liberalism and the latter more often espousing liberalism. A common characteristic of these parties that they are nominally secular, in contrast to the traditionally dominant and still popular Christian democracy.[1]
In the contemporary economic situation, even though the markets for basic needs services like food and clothing are still subject to economic liberalism, this is not the case in housing, in child education, health care and payment services. For example the health care system does not satisfy basic requirements for being a market economy because in the distribution of goods and services the offered supply is not subject to patients demands, like this is the case in Germany.
This article gives an overview of liberalism in the Netherlands both as a movement politically espoused by the leading parties and what is actually implemented as liberal economic policy.
Background of economic liberalism
Even though the economic system is relatively highly ranked in terms of overall
There is no free-market in housing and building plots, because the municipal governments, through
Background of legal liberalism
The Dutch constitution was
The Netherlands has a European continental legal system, with an inquisitional prosecuting judge within the criminal justice system that is supposed to maintain the principles of natural justice alone instead of balancing prejudice and bias by allowing both sides to question. There is no possibility for private prosecution, which could help with criminally prosecuting government officials, in contrast with France, England, Germany and many USA states where this is possible.
The police services are all national instead of municipal.
The constitution has a limited implementation of
The justice system in the Netherlands, lacks
Punishment by legislative or executive (statutory) decision is allowed as demonstrated by the 'imported' EU parliament decision on Arkady_Volozh#Resignation_from_Yandex. This contrasts with the USA where bills of attainder are explicitly banned by the constitution, although in case of national emergency executive punishment is allowed through International_Emergency_Economic_Powers_Act. In liberal legal systems punishment by the state happens strictly via due process] of the justice system.
The constitution forwardly defines executive acts called
Background in democratic liberalism
The Netherlands has a limited form of democracy because members of the municipal government council, the regional board, provincial government council and the national government council are elected, but the municipal mayor, the provincial governor, the public prosecutors, the law enforcement commissioners, and the judges are all chosen by the national executive government, in contrast with many USA states. This allows very little opportunity for decentralized differences between provinces and municipalities. The delegation of the national legislative power to the
Background of liberal politics
The Netherlands has a long liberal political tradition. From the founding of the
Before 1918
In the early years of the
In the period following the constitutional amendment, liberalism was the dominant political force in the Netherlands. Liberalism also dominated the universities, the media and business.
Only in the late 19th century, when the opposition began to organise itself in the Anti-Revolutionary Party and the Roman Catholic State Party, the liberals followed suit. On 4 March 1885, the Liberal Union was established. In the 1890s some liberals, such as Samuel van Houten, Johannes Tak van Poortvliet and Kappeyne van de Coppello started to propose a more active role of the government, breaking with the Thorbeckian laissez-faire ideal. This led to the establishment of the progressive Free-thinking Democratic League in 1901. The liberals saw a second split with the establishment of the more conservative liberal League of Free Liberals in 1906. There are different names for these two tendencies. The more progressive liberals have been called "radical", "freeminded" or "democratic" liberals, while the more conservative liberals have been called "free" or "old" liberals. The issue which divided the liberals most was the question whether to extend the census or even to introduce universal suffrage, the progressive liberals favoured universal suffrage, the conservative liberals did not. The progressive liberals also favoured government intervention in the economy, such as Van Houten's ban on child labour.
Due to the two round electoral system the liberals were required to cooperate. In order to prevent the coalition of Catholics and Protestants win the second round of the elections, all the liberals united behind their candidates in the second round, often joined by social democrats. This alliance was called the concentration. On basis of concentration pluralities, often supported by social democrats for a majority several cabinets were formed in the early 20th century.
In 1917 under one of these liberal minority cabinets
1918-1994
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In 1922 the liberal parties reorganized: all conservative liberals, from the Liberal Union and the League Free Liberals as well as more conservative liberals from smaller parties, joined to form the
After the
The VVD remained a small party until the 1970s, with about 10% of the vote. They did however form part of the government both in the
In 1966 a
In the meanwhile the VVD had grown considerably. Under the leadership of
Between 1982 and 1986 the VVD cooperated in the centre-right
After 1994
In
The VVD however joined a coalition cabinet with the heirs of Fortuyn and the CDA. The cabinet fell shortly. After the 2003 elections the D66 replaced the LPF. The centre-right cabinet implemented reforms of the welfare state and oversaw declining migration figures.
Migration and integration and especially the place of the Islam in the Netherlands, however, remained controversial issues. In 2003 the VVD had invited social-democratic critic of Islam, Ayaan Hirsi Ali to join their parliamentary party. She together with MP Geert Wilders caused considerable controversy with her direct criticism of the Islam. In the cabinet VVD minister Rita Verdonk sought to limit migration and stimulate integration of minorities. Two years after Fortuyn's assassination, another murder, this time of filmmaker Theo van Gogh, put the country's liberal tradition at further risk.[8]
In 2004 Geert Wilders left the VVD to form the
In the
In the European Parliament election of 2009, the VVD and D66 both won 3 seats each, while PVV picked up 4 seats. The PVV was assigned the additional seat that went to the Netherlands after the Treaty of Lisbon was signed. The VVD and D66 joined the Liberal fraction in the European Parliament, while the PVV did not register as member of any fraction.
In the 2010 general election the VVD returned to previous strength and became the largest party the first time in history with 31 seats, leading to a liberal-led coalition for the first time since 1918. Also D66 increased their number of seats to 10. Ultimately, the VVD opted for a coalition with the CDA, with VVD leader Mark Rutte as prime minister—the first liberal to hold the post since 1918.
Individual Liberal Parties
Note: The ⇒ sign denotes parties which never achieved any representation in parliament.
From Liberal Union until People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
- 1885: Liberals formed the Liberal Union (Liberale Unie)
- 1892: A radical faction formed the ⇒ Radical League (Radicale Bond)
- 1894: A conservative faction formed the ⇒ Free Liberals
- 1901: A radical faction seceded to merge with the ⇒ Radical League into the ⇒ Freethinking Democratic League
- 1921: The LU merged with the ⇒ Economic League, the ⇒ League of Free Liberals, the Neutral Party and the Middle Class Party into the Freedom League (Vrijheidsbond)
- 1922: A conservative faction seceded as the ⇒ Liberal Party
- 1928: The Vrijheidsbond is renamed in Liberal State Party (Liberale Staatspartij)
- 1929: Staalman, founder of the Middle Class Party, leaves the LSP and found the Middle Party for City and Country
- 1945: The LSP is reorganised into the Freedom Party (Partij van de Vrijheid), including a faction of the ⇒ Freethinking Democratic League
- 1948: The Freedom Party merged with former members of the Freethinking Democratic League into the present-day People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie)
Radical League and Free-minded Democratic League
- 1892: A radical faction of the ⇒ Liberal Union formed the Radical League (Radicale Bond)
- 1901: A second radical faction of the ⇒ Liberal Union merged with the Radical League into the Free-minded Democratic League(Vrijzinnig Democratische Bond)
- 1917: A right-wing faction secededas the ⇒ Economic League
- 1946: The Free-minded Democratic League merged into the present-day Labour Party(Partij van de Arbeid), a faction joined the ⇒ Freedom Party
- 1948: Some former members left the Labour Party and merged into the ⇒ People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
(League of) Free Liberals
- 1894: A conservative faction of the ⇒ Liberale Union formed the Free Liberals (Vrije Liberalen), since 1906 renamed the League of Free Liberals (Bond van Vrije Liberalen)
- 1921: The league merged into the ⇒ Freedom League
Economic League
- 1917: A right-wing faction of the ⇒ Freethinking Democratic League formed the Economic League (Economische Bond)
- 1921: The league merged into the ⇒ Freedom League
Liberal Party
- 1922: A right-wing faction of the ⇒ Freedom League formed the Liberal Party (Liberale Partij) and disappeared in 1925
Democrats 66
- 1966: Independent progressive liberals formed the party Democrats 66 (Democraten '66), later without apostrophe
Volt
- 2018: Volt Netherlands (Volt Nederland) was founded.
Liberal leaders
- Liberals in the 19th century
- Johan Rudolf Thorbecke
- Joannes Kappeyne van de Coppello
- Pieter Cort van der Linden
- Liberal Union
- Radical League/Economic League
- League of Free Liberals
- Free-thinking Democratic League
- Liberal Party
- Freedom Party
- Liberal State Party
- People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
- Pieter Oud
- Edzo Toxopeus
- Molly Geertsema
- Hans Wiegel
- Ed Nijpels
- Rudolf de Korte
- Joris Voorhoeve
- Frits Bolkestein
- Hans Dijkstal
- Gerrit Zalm
- Jozias van Aartsen
- Mark Rutte
- Dirk Stikker
- Johan Witteveen
- Otto van Lidth de Jeude
- Harm van Riel
- Klaas Dijkhoff
- Arie Pais
- Hans de Koster
- Annemarie Jorritsma
- Haya van Someren
- Annelien Kappeyne van de Coppello
- Henk Kamp
- Uri Rosenthal
- Henk Korthals
- Frits Korthals Altes
- Johan Remkes
- Leendert Ginjaar
- Hans Hoogervorst
- Neelie Kroes
- Jo Schouwenaar-Franssen
- Hans van Baalen
- Henk Vonhoff
- Ivo Opstelten
- Koos Rietkerk
- Democrats 66
Liberal thinkers
In the
- Erasmus (1466–1536)
- Hugo Grotius (1583–1645)
- Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677)
- Johan Rudolf Thorbecke(1798–1872)
Parliamentary representation
Election | VVD | D66 | Total seats | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seats | In gov't | Seats | In gov't | ||
1948 | 8 / 100
|
Yes | 8 / 100
| ||
1952 | 9 / 100
|
No | 9 / 100
| ||
1956 | 13 / 150
|
No | 13 / 150
| ||
1959 | 19 / 150
|
Yes | 19 / 150
| ||
1963 | 16 / 150
|
Yes | 16 / 150
| ||
1967 | 17 / 150
|
Yes | 7 / 150
|
No | 24 / 150
|
1971 | 16 / 150
|
Yes | 11 / 150
|
No | 27 / 150
|
1972 | 22 / 150
|
No | 6 / 150
|
Yes | 28 / 150
|
1977 | 28 / 150
|
Yes | 8 / 150
|
No | 36 / 150
|
1981 | 26 / 150
|
No | 17 / 150
|
Yes | 43 / 150
|
1982 | 36 / 150
|
Yes | 6 / 150
|
No | 42 / 150
|
1986 | 27 / 150
|
Yes | 9 / 150
|
No | 36 / 150
|
1989 | 22 / 150
|
No | 12 / 150
|
No | 34 / 150
|
1994 | 31 / 150
|
Yes | 24 / 150
|
Yes | 55 / 150
|
1998 | 38 / 150
|
Yes | 14 / 150
|
Yes | 52 / 150
|
2002 | 24 / 150
|
Yes | 7 / 150
|
No | 31 / 150
|
2003 | 28 / 150
|
Yes | 6 / 150
|
Yes | 34 / 150
|
2006 | 22 / 150
|
No | 3 / 150
|
No | 25 / 150
|
2010 | 31 / 150
|
Yes | 10 / 150
|
No | 41 / 150
|
2012 | 41 / 150
|
Yes | 12 / 150
|
No | 53 / 150
|
2017 | 33 / 150
|
Yes | 19 / 150
|
Yes | 52 / 150
|
2021 | 34 / 150
|
Yes | 24 / 150
|
Yes | 58 / 150
|
2023 | 24 / 150
|
TBD | 9 / 150
|
TBD | 33 / 150
|
See also
- Anarchism in the Netherlands
- History of the Netherlands
- Politics of the Netherlands
- List of political parties in the Netherlands
- Loevestein faction, Dutch States Party
- Orangism (Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- Socialism in the Netherlands
- Christian democracy in the Netherlands
- Pim Fortuyn List
- Party for Freedom
References
- ^ What's liberal politics in the Netherlands?, Expatica
- ^ Andeweg, R.B. and G.A. Irwin (2002) Governance and Politics of the Netherlands Basingstoke: MacMillan, p.47
- ^ a b "Liberalen". Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ a b Andeweg, R.B. and G.A. Irwin (2002) Governance and Politics of the Netherlands Basingstoke: MacMillan, p.48
- ^ "Bond van Vrije Liberalen". Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ Andeweg, R.B. and G.A. Irwin (2002) Governance and Politics of the Netherlands Basingstoke: MacMillan, p.25
- ^ "The paradox of Pim Fortuyn". 16 May 2002.
- ^ "The murder that shattered Holland's liberal dream". The Guardian. 7 November 2004.