People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie
Leader	Mark Rutte
Chairman	Benk Korthals
Leader in the Senate	Loek Hermans
Leader in the House of Representatives	Stef Blok
Leader in the European Parliament	Hans van Baalen
Founded	24 January 1948
Merger of	Freedom Party and Committee-Oud
Headquarters	Thorbeckehuis Laan Copes van Cattenburch 52 Den Haag
Youth wing	Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy
Thinktank	Teldersstichting
Ideology	Conservative liberalism
Political position	Centre-right
International affiliation	Liberal International
European affiliation	European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
European Parliament Group	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
Official colours	Blue and Orange
Senate	16 / 75
House of Representatives	31 / 150
States-Provincial	112 / 566
European Parliament	3 / 26
Website
www.vvd.nl
Politics of Netherlands Political parties Elections

The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) (Dutch: Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie) 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 (D66) alongside which it sits in the European Parliament. After the fourth Balkenende cabinet was formed, the VVD was the second largest opposition party in the House of Representatives. During the Dutch general-election of 2010 the VVD obtained the highest number of votes cast, resulting in their occupying 31 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives. The VVD is currently the senior party in a centre-right minority coalition with the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), the Rutte cabinet, supported by the Party for Freedom (PVV) to obtain a majority. Current Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte is the VVD party leader since May 31, 2006.

History

1948–1971

The VVD was founded in 1948 as a continuation of the Freedom Party, which was a continuation of the interbellum Liberal State Party, which in turn was a continuation of Liberal Union. They were joined by the Comité-Oud, a group of liberal members of the Labour Party (PvdA), led by Pieter Oud. The liberals within the PvdA were primarily members of the pre-war social-liberal Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB), who went on to join the PvdA in the post-war Doorbraak (breakthrough) movement. They were unhappy^{[citation needed]} with the social-democratic orientation^{[citation needed]} of the PvdA.

Pieter Oud, founder and party leader from 1948 until 1963

Between 1948 and 1952 the VVD took part in the broad cabinets led by the PvdA Prime Minister Willem Drees. The party was a junior partner with only eight seats to the Catholic People's Party (KVP) and PvdA, which both had around thirty seats. The party's leadership was in the hands of the respected former PvdA member Oud. The Drees cabinet laid the foundation for the welfare state^{[citation needed]} and decolonization of the Dutch East Indies^{[citation needed]}. In the Dutch general election of 1952 the VVD gained one seat, but did not join the government. In the Dutch general election of 1956 they increased their total, receiving thirteen seats, but were still kept out^{[citation needed]} of government until the Dutch general election of 1959, which were held early because of cabinet crisis. This time they gained nineteen seats and the party entered government alongside the Protestant Anti Revolutionary Party (ARP), Christian Historical Union CHU and the Roman Catholic KVP.

In 1963, Oud left politics, and was succeeded by the minister of Home Affairs Edzo Toxopeus. With the lead of Toxopeus VVD lost three seats in the 1963 elections, but remained in government. In 1962, a substantial group of disillusioned VVD-members founded the Liberal Democratic Centre (Liberaal Democratisch Centrum, LDC) which was intended to introduce a more twentieth-century liberal direction to the classical liberal VVD. In 1966, frustrated with their hopeless efforts, LDC-members departed the VVD altogether and went on now to form an entirely political party -- Democrats 66 (D66).

In 1965, there also occurred a conflict between VVD-ministers and their counterparts from KVP and ARP in Cabinet Marijnen. The cabinet fell and without elections it was replaced by the KVP-ARP-PvdA cabinet under Cals, which itself also fell the next year. In the following 1967 elections the VVD remained relatively stable and entered yet again the cabinet under Prime Minister Piet de Jong.

During this period the VVD had loose ties with other liberal organisations and together they formed the neutral pillar. This included the liberal papers Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant and the Algemeen Handelsblad, the broadcaster AVRO and the employers' organization VNO.

1971–1994

Hans Wiegel, party leader from 1971 until 1982

In the Dutch general election of 1971 the VVD lost one seat and the cabinet lost its majority. A cabinet was formed by the Christian-democratic parties, the VVD and the PvdA offshoot Democratic Socialists '70. This cabinet fell after a few months. Meanwhile the charismatic young MP Hans Wiegel had attracted considerable attention. He became the new leader of the VVD: in 1971 he became the new Parliamentary group leader, and in 1972 he was appointed lijsttrekker. With Wiegel the VVD oriented towards a new political course, reforming the welfare state, cutting taxes etc. Wiegel did not shrink from conflict with the PvdA and the trade unions. With this new course came a new electorate: working class and middle class voters, who because of individualization and depillarization were more easy to attract.

The course proved to be profitable: in the heavily polarized Dutch general election of 1972 the VVD gained six seats. The VVD was kept out of government by the social-democratic/Christian-democratic cabinet led by Den Uyl. Although the ties between the VVD and other organizations within the neutral pillar became ever looser, the number of neutral organizations, friendly to the VVD, expanded. The TROS and later Veronica, new broadcasters which entered the Netherlands Public Broadcasting were friendly to the VVD. In 1977 the VVD again won six seats bringing its total to twenty-eight seats. When lengthy formation talks between the Social-democrats and Christian-democrats eventually led to a final break between the two parties, the VVD formed cabinet with the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), with a majority of only two seats.

In the Dutch general election of 1981 the VVD lost two seats and its partner the CDA lost even more. The cabinet was without a majority and a CDA-PvdA-D66 cabinet was formed, falling after only a few months. In 1982 Hans Wiegel left Parliament to become Queen's Commissioner in Friesland and was succeeded by Ed Nijpels. In the Dutch general election of 1982 Nijpels' VVD won ten seats, bringing its total up to 36. It entered again cabinet with the CDA under CDA-leader Ruud Lubbers. The cabinet began a program of radical reform of the welfare state, which is still in place today. The VVD lost nine seats in the 1986 elections but the cabinet nonetheless retained its majority. The losses were blamed on Nijpels, who stood down as leader of the VVD. He was succeeded by Joris Voorhoeve. In 1989 the CDA-VVD cabinet fell over a minor point. In the subsequent elections the VVD lost five seats, leaving only twenty-two. The VVD was kept out of government. Voorhoeve was replaced by the charismatic intellectual Frits Bolkestein.

1994–present

Frits Bolkestein, party leader from 1990 until 1998

Bolkestein's VVD was one of the winners of the Dutch general election of 1994: they won nine seats. It formed an unprecedented government with the Labour Party (PvdA) and the social-liberal Democrats 66. The so-called "purple cabinet" led by Wim Kok was the first Dutch government without any confessional parties. Like many of his predecessors the VVD-leader Bolkestein remained in parliament, his political style was characterized by some as "opposition to one's own government". This style was very successful and the VVD won seven seats in the 1998 elections becoming the second largest party in parliament with thirty-eight seats. The VVD formed a second Purple cabinet with the PvdA and D66. Bolkestein left Dutch politics in 1999 to become European Commissioner. He was replaced by the more technocratic and socially liberal Hans Dijkstal.

In the heavily polarized Dutch general election of 2002, dominated by the rise and murder of Pim Fortuyn, the VVD lost fourteen seats, leaving only twenty-four. The VVD nonetheless entered a cabinet with the CDA and the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF). Dijkstal stood down, and was replaced by the popular former minister of finance Gerrit Zalm. After a few months Zalm "pulled the plug" on the VVD-CDA-LPF-cabinet, after infighting between LPF ministers Bomhoff and Heinsbroek.

In the Dutch general election of 2003 the VVD gained four seats, making a total of twenty-eight. The party had expected to do much better, having adopted most of Fortuyn's proposals on immigration and integration. The VVD unwillingly entered the VVD-CDA-D66-cabinet with Zalm returning to the ministry of Finance. He was replaced as party leader by Jozias van Aartsen, former foreign minister. On September 2, 2004, VVD MP Geert Wilders left the party after a dispute with parliamentary leader Van Aartsen. He has chosen to continue as an independent in the House of Representatives.

In 2006 the party lost a considerable number of seats in the municipal elections, prompting parliamentary leader Jozias van Aartsen to step down. Willibrord van Beek was subsequently appointed parliamentary leader ad interim. In the subsequent party leadership run-off Mark Rutte was elected as the leader, beating Rita Verdonk and Jelleke Veenendaal.

Gerrit Zalm, party leader from 2002 until 2004

The Dutch general election of 2006 did not start off well for VVD: top candidate Mark Rutte was criticized by his own parliamentary party for being invisible in the campaign, and he was unable to break the attention away from the duel between current Christian-Democratic Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and Wouter Bos of the Labour Party. However, the VVD's campaign started relatively late. The election polls showed losses for the VVD; the former VVD deputy Prime Minister Hans Wiegel blamed a poor VVD campaign for this, caused by the heavily contested VVD leadership run-off between Mark Rutte and Rita Verdonk earlier in the year. Verdonk had her eyes on the deputy-minister post, while cabinet posts are normally decided upon by the political leader of the VVD. On election day, the party received enough votes for twenty-two seats, a loss of six seats. When the official election results were announced on Monday 27 November 2006, preferential votes became known as well, showing that the second candidate on the list Rita Verdonk obtained more votes than the VVD's top candidate, Mark Rutte. Rutte received 553,200 votes, Verdonk 620,555. This lead Verdonk to call for a party commission that would investigate the party leadership position, as a consequence of the situation of her obtaining more votes in the general election than Rutte, creating a shortly-lived crisis in the party. A crisis was averted when Rutte called for an ultimatum on his leadership, which Verdonk had reconcile to, by rejecting her proposal for a party commission. During 2007, signs of VVD infighting continued to play in the media. In June 2007, the former VVD minister Dekker presented a report on the previous elections, showing that the VVD lacked clear leadership roles, however the report did not single out individuals for blame for the party's losses.

Mark Rutte, current party leader since 2006 and Prime Minister of the Netherlands

After Verdonk renewed her criticism of the party in September 2007, she was expelled from the parliamentary faction, and subsequently relinquished her membership of the party, after reconciliation attempts proved futile. Verdonk started her own political movement, Proud of the Netherlands, subsequently. In opinion polls held after Verdonk's exit, the VVD is set to lose close to ten parliamentary seats in the next elections.

Jan van Zanen, chairman of the VVD's party board, announced in November 2007 that he would step down in May 2008, a year before his term would end. The rest of the board also announced that they would step down. On the same day of his announcement, honorary member Hans Wiegel called for the resignation of the board, because it could not keep Verdonk in the party. Wiegel also opinioned that the VVD should become part of a larger liberal movement, that would encompass the social-liberals Democrats 66, the Party for Freedom of Geert Wilders and Rita Verdonk's Proud of the Netherlands movement, although he found little resonance for this ideas from others.

In 2008, the VVD chose a new party chairman, Ivo Opstelten, the outgoing mayor of Rotterdam. Mark Rutte announced at the celebration of the party's sixth decennial that he would rewrite the foundational program of the party that was enacted in the early 1980s, and offer the new principles for consideration to the party's members in the fall congress.

After the Dutch general election of 2010 the VVD became the largest party with 31 seats and is currently the senior party in a centre-right minority cabinet with the Christian Democratic Appeal supported by the Party for Freedom of Geert Wilders to obtain a majority. The VVD party leader Mark Rutte became the first VVD Prime Minister on October 14, 2010.

Name

The VVD was originally a merger of the Party of Freedom and Freethinking Democratic dissenters within the PvdA. In this name, both tendencies, classical liberalism ("Freedom") and social liberalism ("People's Party"; "Democracy") are represented. Although a liberal party, the VVD did not openly call itself "liberal", mainly because of the still lingering "negative" connotations of liberalism developed during the Great Depression and Second World War.^{[citation needed]}
The most common English translation of the name is the literal translation (People's Party for Freedom and Democracy),

Ideology and issues

The VVD is a party founded on liberal philosophy, traditionally being the most ardent supporter of 'free markets' of all Dutch political parties, promoting political and economic liberalism, classical liberalism and, in theory, committed to the idea of the welfare state if only by way of the aforesaid now being an irreversible and foregone conclusion.

Post 1971, the party became more populist, although conservative liberalism elements remain at the core and still course through the central party upper-circle. From this period on, the VVD became more sceptical towards the current welfare state, advocating reform of the welfare state and lower taxes. As such, it supported neoconservative reforms to the welfare state. The 2006 leadership election was interpreted by many as a conflict between a liberal group and a conservative group within the VVD, with the more liberal Rutte winning from conservative Verdonk. The election was rather close, with 52% voting for Rutte and 46% for Verdonk.

Liberal Manifesto

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Liberalism portal Politics portal

The principles of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) are outlined in the Liberal Manifesto ("Liberaal Manifest") and the election programs. The Liberal Manifesto is a general outlook on the direction of the party would like to mirror itself and is an expansion of the party's foundational principles. The election programs are more oriented to practical politics, for example, winning the elections on-the-day and by any means possible.

The last Liberal Manifesto of the VVD was published in September 2005. It develops a broad outline around the themes of democracy, security, freedom and citizenship, along with a vision of the future of party's internal structure. Below some of the points from the Manifesto are presented:

Democracy

• The Manifesto calls for a directly elected Minister-President, whereby voters can show their preference on the ballot.
• The question of (advisory) referendums is left open as a possibility.
• Mayors should be directly elected by the people.
• Commitment to the Four Freedoms of the European Union.

Security

• A common policy on defense and security in the European Union is called for.

Freedom

• The principle of non-discrimination should be given more importance than the exercise of religion.
• 'Social rights' are to be continued. These are not simple 'rights', but they also create 'obligations'.
• Euthanasia is part of a person's 'right' to self-determination.
• Commitment to an open economy, with a 'regulated free-market', including Patents.
• Support for the freedom of contract. No right for workers to enter into nationally-binding collective bargaining agreements.

Citizenship

• Minimize the option of dual citizenship.
• Social security should only be fully open for Dutch nationals. Migrants will have to integrate in order to become citizens.

Election results

Seats in the European parliament

• 1979–1984: 4 seats
• 1984–1989: 5 seats
• 1989–1994: 3 seats
• 1994–1999: 6 seats
• 1999–2004: 6 seats
• 2004–2009: 4 seats
• 2009–2014: 3 seats

VVD MEPs are part of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe EP group

Municipal and provincial government

Provincial government

The VVD provides three of twelve Queen's Commissioners, former party-leader Ed Nijpels is Queen's Commissioner in Friesland. The VVD is part of every college of Gedeputeerde Staten (provincial executive) except for Friesland.

In the following figure one can see the election results of the provincial election of 2003, 2007 and 2011 per province. It shows the areas where the VVD is strong, namely the Randstad urban area that consists out of the provinces North and South Holland, Utrecht and (parts of) Flevoland. The party is weak in peripheral provinces like Friesland, Overijssel, Zeeland and Limburg.

Province	Votes 2003 (%)	Result 2003 (seats)	Votes 2007 (%)	Result 2007 (seats)	Votes 2011 (%)	Result 2011 (seats)
Groningen	13.4%	7	11.7%	5	13.2%	6
Friesland	10.9%	6	10.8%	5	13.8%	6
Drenthe	18.0%	9	16.8%	8	19.0%	9
Overijssel	13.7%	9	13.6%	6	15.8%	8
Flevoland	22.7%	11	22.8%	9	22.9%	9
Gelderland	16.9%	13	16.6%	9	19.1%	11
Utrecht	20.7%	14	20.1%	10	22.1%	11
North Holland	23%	20	22.7%	13	22.3%	13
South Holland	21.4%	18	20.3%	12	20.7%	12
Zeeland	14.5%	7	14.5%	6	16.8%	7
North Brabant	19.0%	15	18.9%	11	20.8%	12
Limburg	14.5%	9	14.5%	7	16.0%	8
source: www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl

Municipal government

109 of the 414 Dutch mayors are member of the VVD. Furthermore the party has about 250 aldermen and 1100 members of municipal councils.

Electorate

Historically the VVD electorate consisted mainly of secular middle-class voters. Under the leadership of Wiegel, the VVD expanded its appeal to working class voters.

Organization

Leadership

• Party leader
  • 2006– Mark Rutte
  • 2004–2006 Jozias van Aartsen
  • 2002–2004 Gerrit Zalm
  • 1998–2002 Hans Dijkstal
  • 1990–1998 Frits Bolkestein
  • 1986–1990 Joris Voorhoeve
  • 1986 Rudolf de Korte
  • 1982-1986 Ed Nijpels
  • 1971-1982 Hans Wiegel
  • 1969-1971 Molly Geertsema
  • 1963-1969 Edzo Toxopeus
  • 1948-1963 Pieter Oud

• Party chair
  • 2011- Benk Korthals
  • 2010-2011 Mark Verheijen (Acting)
  • 2008-2010 Ivo Opstelten
  • 2003-2008 Jan van Zanen
  • 1999-2003 Bas Eenhoorn
  • 1994-1999 Willem Hoekzema
  • 1991-1994 Dian van Leeuwen-Schut
  • 1986-1991 Leendert Ginjaar
  • 1981-1986 Jan Kamminga
  • 1975-1981 Frits Korthals Altes
  • 1969-1975 Haya van Someren
  • 1963-1969 Kornelis van der Pols
  • 1949-1963 Pieter Oud
  • 1948 Dirk Stikker

• Parliamentary leader - Senate
  • 2011- Loek Hermans
  • 2010 Fred de Graaf (Acting)
  • 2005-2010 Uri Rosenthal
  • 1999-2005 Nicoline van den Broek-Laman Trip
  • 1997-1999 Leendert Ginjaar
  • 1995-1997 Frits Korthals Altes
  • 1987-1995 David Luteijn
  • 1980-1987 Guus Zoutendijk
  • 1976-1982 Haya van Someren
  • 1958-1976 Harm van Riel
  • 1948-1958 Anthonie Nicolaas Molenaar

• Parliamentary leader - House of Representatives
  • 2010- Stef Blok
  • 2006-2010 Mark Rutte
  • 2006 Willibrord van Beek (Acting)
  • 2003-2006 Jozias van Aartsen
  • 2002-2003 Gerrit Zalm
  • 1998-2002 Hans Dijkstal
  • 1990-1998 Frits Bolkestein
  • 1986-1990 Joris Voorhoeve
  • 1982-1986 Ed Nijpels
  • 1981-1982 Hans Wiegel
  • 1977-1981 Koos Rietkerk
  • 1971-1977 Hans Wiegel
  • 1969-1971 Molly Geertsema
  • 1966-1969 Edzo Toxopeus
  • 1963-1966 Molly Geertsema
  • 1963 Edzo Toxopeus
  • 1948-1963 Pieter Oud

Current Party Board

• Benk Korthals (Party chair)
• Mark Verheijen (1st Deputy Party chair)
• Wiet de Bruin (2nd Deputy Party Chair)
• Judith Tielen (Party secretary)
• Mart van de Ven (Treasurer)
• Pieter van de Stadt (International Party secretary)
• Wobine Buijs-Glaudemans
• Marianne Schuurmans-Wijdeven

Organizational structure

The highest organ of the VVD is the General Assembly, in which all members present have a single vote. It convenes usually twice every year. It appoints the party board and decides on the party program.

The order of the First Chamber, Second Chamber and European Parliament candidates list is decided by a referendum under all members voting by internet, phone or mail. If contested, the lijsttrekker of a candidates lists is appointed in a separate referendum in advance. Since 2002 the General Assembly can call for a referendum on other subjects too. The present chairman of the board was elected this way.

About 90 members elected by the members in meetings of the regional branches form the Party Council, which advises the Party Board in the months that the General Assembly does not convene. This is important forum within the party. The party board handles the daily affairs of the party.

Linked organisations

The independent youth-organization that has a partnership agreement with the VVD is the Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy (Jongeren Organisatie Vrijheid en Democratie; JOVD), which as a member of the Liberal Youth Movement of the European Union and the International Federation of Liberal and Radical Youth.

The education institute of the VVD is the Haya van Someren Foundation. The Scientific institute Prof.mr. B.M. Telders Foundation publishes the magazine Liberaal Reveil every two months. The party published the magazine Liber bi-monthly.

International organisations

The VVD is a member of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR), the party of Liberals and Democrats in the European Union, which is a component of Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. Internationally it is a member of the Liberal International.

The VVD participates in the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, a democracy assistance organisation of seven Dutch political parties.

Relationships to other parties

The VVD has always been a very independent party. The VVD cooperates on the European and the international level with the social-liberal Democraten 66. It has a long history of coalitions with the Christian Democratic Appeal and its Christian-democratic predecessors, but was in government with the social democratic Labour Party from 1994 to 2002.

International comparison

The VVD is more of a market liberal party, committed to the free market, and is comparable to the German Free Democratic Party, the Swiss FDP.The Liberals or the Danish Liberal Party. In its economic policies the VVD is closer to the British Conservative Party than to the Liberal Democrats, but in social issues closer to the Liberal Democrats.

In the United States it could be compared to politicians such as Michael Bloomberg, Lincoln Chafee and Rudy Guliani. While the VVD's support for the free market and national security resembles that of the Republicans, its support for individual choice in personal matters resembles that of the Democrats.

See also

• Liberalism:
  • Contributions to liberal theory
  • Liberal democracy
  • Liberalism in the Netherlands
  • Liberalism worldwide

External links

• People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) official site