Under the Microscope

The Netherlands

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      CNN Election Watch:  The Netherlands

The last parliamentary election for the popular house in The Netherland's bicameral legislature was held on May 15, 2002.

The legislative coalition formed between the CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal), LPF (Lijst Pim Fortuyn)and VVD (People's Party for Freedom and Democracy parties collapsed due to political in-fighting.  After consultation with Queen Beatrix (The Netherland's Head of State), care-taker Minister-President Jan Peter Balkenende (CDA) announced on October 16 that new elections would be held to replace parliament. They were held less than two weeks ago --January 23, 2003.

 

Election Results from the January 23, 2003 Parliamentary Elections

Party % Voter Support Seats % Seats Number Change from 2002 election Change from 1989 election
Christian Democratic Appeal 28.6 0 44 +1 -10
Labour Party 27.3 0 42 +19 -7
Liberals 17.9 0 28 +4 +6
Socialist Party 6.3 0 9 0 0
Lijst Pim Fortuyn 5.7 0 8 -18 0
Green Left 5.1 0 2 -2 -4
Democrats '66 4.1 0 6 -1 -6
Christian Union 2.1 0 3 -1 0
Political Reformed Party 1.6 0 2 0 -1
Party for Animals 0.5 0 0 0 0
Livable Netherlands 0.4 0.0 0 -2 0
Total 100.0 100.0 150 0 0

 

Election Results from the 1989 Parliamentary Elections

Party % Voter Support Seats % Seats Number
Christian Democratic Appeal 35.3 35.9 54
Labour Party 31.9 32.7 49
Liberals  (People's Party for Freedom and Democracy) 14.6 14.7 22
Democrats '66 7.9 8.0 12
Green Left 4.1 4.0 6
Political Reformed Party 1.9 2.0 3
Reformed Political Union 1.0 0.7 1
Reformed Political Federation 1.0 0.7 1
Center Democrats 0.9 .7 1
Others 1.2 0 0
Total 100.0 100.0 150

 

 

Christian-Democratic Appeal  conservative, Christian-democratic
Labour Party social-democratic
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy conservative 'liberal'
Socialist Party socialist
List Pim Fortuyn conservative, anti-immigration
Green Left ecologist and socialist
Democrats 66  liberal
Christian Union  Christian, social conservative
Political Reformed Party  Christian, conservative
Party for Animals one issue

Livable Netherlands

 centrist

Source: NRC Handelsblad