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People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

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For the Dutch footballer nicknamed "VVD", see Virgil van Dijk.

People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie
AbbreviationVVD
LeaderDilan Yeşilgöz (List)
ChairpersonEric Wetzels [nl] (List)
Leader in the SenateEdith Schippers
Leader in the HouseDilan Yeşilgöz
Leader in the European ParliamentMalik Azmani
Founded28 January 1948; 76 years ago (1948-01-28)
Merger ofFreedom Party, Committee-Oud
HeadquartersMauritskade 21, 2514 HD The Hague, South Holland
Youth wingYouth Organisation Freedom and Democracy
Policy instituteTelders Foundation
Membership (January 2024)Decrease 22,473[1]
IdeologyConservative liberalism
Political positionCentre-right[2]
Regional affiliationLiberal Group[3]
European affiliationAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
European Parliament groupRenew Europe
International affiliationLiberal International
Colours  Ultramarine
  Orange
Senate
10 / 75
House of Representatives
24 / 150
Provincial councils
63 / 570
European Parliament
4 / 31
Benelux Parliament
4 / 21
Website
vvd.nl

The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Dutch: Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie [ˈvɔl(ə)kspɑrˌtɛi voːr ˈvrɛiɦɛit ɛn deːmoːkra:ˈtsi], VVD) is a conservative-liberal political party in the Netherlands. The VVD, whose forerunner was the Freedom Party, is a party of the centre-right that tries to promote private enterprise and economic liberalism.[4]

History

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Founding

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In 1947, the Freedom Party led by Dirk Stikker and the Committee-Oud led by Pieter Oud started negotiations with the goal of a merger. The conservative liberal Freedom Party was a continuation of the Liberal State Party, but was disappointed with only six seats in the 1946 general election. The Committee-Oud was a group of former members of the social liberal Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB), who had been dissatisfied with the social-democratic character of the Labour Party (PvdA), in which the VDB had merged with the Social Democratic Workers' Party as part of the breakthrough movement. As a result, the part was founded on 24 January 1948.[5]

1948–1963: Oud

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Founders of the VVD, Dirk Stikker and Pieter Oud, in 1949.

Between 1948 and 1952, the VVD took part in the broad cabinets led by the Labour Party Prime Minister Willem Drees. The party was a junior partner with only eight seats to the Catholic People's Party (KVP) and Labour Party, which both had around thirty seats (out of 100). The Drees cabinets laid the foundation for the welfare state[6] and decolonisation of the Dutch East Indies.[7] In the general election of 1952 the VVD gained one seat, but did not join the government. In the general election of 1956 it increased its total, receiving thirteen seats, but was stayed out of government during the cabinet formation,[8] until the general election of 1959, which was held early because of a cabinet crisis. This time it gained nineteen seats, and the party entered government alongside the Protestant Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP), the Christian Historical Union (CHU) and the KVP.

1963–1971: Toxopeus and Geertsema

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In 1963, Oud retired from politics, and was succeeded by the Minister of the Interior Edzo Toxopeus. With Toxopeus as its leader, the VVD lost three seats in the 1963 election, but remained in government after the 1963 cabinet formation.[9] In 1962, a substantial group of disillusioned VVD members founded the Liberal Democratic Centre (Dutch: Liberaal Democratisch Centrum, LDC) which was intended to introduce a more twentieth-century liberal direction to the classical liberal VVD.[citation needed]

In 1966, frustrated with their hopeless efforts, left-wing LDC members joined a new political party, the Democrats 66 (D66). In 1965, there also occurred a conflict between VVD Ministers and their counterparts from the KVP and ARP in the Marijnen cabinet. The cabinet fell; without an election taking place, it was replaced by a KVP–ARP–PvdA cabinet under Jo Cals, which itself fell during the Night of Schmelzer the following year. In the subsequent 1967 election the VVD remained relatively stable and entered the De Jong cabinet.[citation needed]

During this period the VVD had loose ties with other liberal organisations; together, these formed the neutral pillar. They included the liberal papers Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant and Algemeen Handelsblad, the broadcaster AVRO and the employers' organisation VNO.[citation needed]

1971–1994

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Hans Wiegel, 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 Labour Party offshoot Democratic Socialists '70. This cabinet collapsed 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 leader, and he was appointed lead candidate in 1972. Under Wiegel's leadership, the party oriented towards a new political course, aiming to reform the welfare state and cut taxes. Wiegel did not shrink from conflict with the Labour Party and the trade unions.[citation needed] With this new course came a new electorate: working-class and middle-class voters who, because of individualisation and depillarisation, were more easy to attract.[citation needed]

The course proved to be profitable: in the heavily polarised general election of 1972, the VVD gained six seats. The VVD was kept out of government by the social democratic and Christian democratic Den Uyl cabinet. Although the ties between the VVD and other organisations within the neutral pillar became ever looser, the number of neutral organisations friendly to the VVD grew.[citation needed] 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 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, Labour and 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 general election of 1982 Nijpels' VVD gained ten seats, bringing its total up to 36. Once again, it formed the First Lubbers cabinet with the CDA. The cabinet began a programme of radical reform of the welfare state, which is still in place today.[citation needed] The VVD lost nine seats in the 1986 election 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 issue, and the VVD lost five seats in the subsequent election, leaving only twenty-two. The VVD was kept out of government, and Voorhoeve stood down and was succeeded by Frits Bolkestein.[citation needed]

1994–2006

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Frits Bolkestein, leader from 1990 until 1998

Bolkestein's VVD was one of the winners of the general election of 1994: the party gained 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 Christian parties since 1918. Like many of his predecessors, Bolkestein remained in parliament. His political style was characterised as "opposition to one's own government.[10] This style was very successful[citation needed] and the VVD gained another seven seats in the 1998 election, becoming the second largest party in parliament with thirty-eight seats. The VVD formed a second Purple cabinet with the Labour Party and D66. Bolkestein left Dutch politics in 1999 to become European Commissioner. He was replaced by the more technocratic and social liberal Hans Dijkstal.

In the heavily polarised 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 Christian Democratic Appeal 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 First Balkenende cabinet, after infighting between LPF ministers Eduard Bomhoff and Herman Heinsbroek.[citation needed]

Gerrit Zalm, Leader from 2002 until 2004

In the subsequent general election of 2003, the VVD with Gerrit Zalm as lead candidate 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 Second Balkenende cabinet with Zalm returning as Minister of Finance and as Deputy Prime Minister. On 2 September 2004, Geert Wilders, a Member of the House of Representatives, left the party after a dispute with parliamentary leader Van Aartsen. He chose to continue as an Independent in the House of Representatives. On 27 November 2004 Zalm was succeeded as party leader by the parliamentary leader in the House Jozias van Aartsen.

2006–2023: Rutte

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In 2006, the party lost a considerable number of seats in the municipal elections, prompting parliamentary leader Van Aartsen to step down. Willibrord van Beek was subsequently appointed parliamentary leader ad interim. In the subsequent party leadership election Mark Rutte was elected as the leader, defeating Rita Verdonk and Jelleke Veenendaal.[11]

The general election of 2006 did not start off well for the VVD: Mark Rutte was criticised by his own parliamentary party for being invisible in the campaign, and he was unable to break the attention away from the duel between then-Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende of the Christian democrats and Wouter Bos of the Labour Party. However, the VVD's campaign started relatively late.[12] 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.[13] 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 Rita Verdonk, the second candidate on the list, had obtained more votes than the VVD's lead candidate, Mark Rutte. Rutte had received 553,200 votes, while Verdonk had received 620,555.[14] This led 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 short-lived crisis in the party.[15] A crisis was averted when Rutte called for an ultimatum on his leadership, which Verdonk had to reconcile to, by rejecting her proposal for a party commission.[16] 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 election, showing that the VVD lacked clear leadership roles, however the report did not single out individuals for blame for the party's losses.[17]

Mark Rutte, leader from 2006 until 2023 and Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 2010 until 2024.

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 had proven futile.[18][19] Verdonk started her own political movement, Proud of the Netherlands, subsequently. In opinion polls held after Verdonk's exit, the VVD was set to lose close to ten parliamentary seats in the next election.[20][21][22]

After the 2010 general election the VVD became the largest party with 31 seats and was the senior party in a centre-right minority First Rutte cabinet with the Christian Democratic Appeal supported by the Party for Freedom (PVV) of Geert Wilders to obtain a majority. Rutte was sworn in as Prime Minister on 21 October 2010. Not only was it the first time that the VVD had led a government, but it was the first liberal-led government in 92 years. However, on 21 April 2012, after failed negotiations with the PVV on renewed budget cuts, the government became unstable and Mark Rutte deemed it likely that a new election would be held in 2012.[23] On election day, 12 September 2012, the VVD remained the largest party in parliament, winning 41 seats, a gain of 10 seats.

After the 2012 general election, the VVD entered into a ruling coalition with the Labour Party as its junior coalition partner. This coalition lasted a full term, but lost its majority at the 2017 election; the VVD itself lost eight seats, though remained the largest party with 33.[24] Rutte became Prime Minister again, forming a centre-right green cabinet with the Christian Democratic Appeal, Democrats 66 and the Christian Union. In March 2021, VVD was the winner of the general election, securing 34 out of 150 seats. Prime Minister Mark Rutte, in power since 2010, formed his fourth VVD-led coalition.[25]

2023–present: Yeşilgöz

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Dilan Yeşilgöz, party leader since 2023.

After the fourth Rutte cabinet broke down due to disagreements over migration policy, a new election was called for 22 November 2023. Rutte announced that he would step down as leader of the VVD.[26] Dilan Yeşilgöz became the new leader of the party in August 2023 after running unopposed in the leadership election.[27] Following the 2023 general election, the VVD was reduced to 24 seats in the House of Representatives. It entered formation talks with the Party for Freedom, the election winner, and the new parties New Social Contract and Farmer–Citizen Movement, leading to the right-wing Schoof cabinet.[28]

Ideology and policies

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The VVD is described as conservative-liberal,[29] liberal-conservative,[30] and conservative.[31] It was also described as classical liberal[32] and libertarian[33] by sources between 2006 and 2012.

The VVD describes itself as a party founded on a liberal philosophy.[34] Traditionally, the party is the most ardent supporter of 'free markets' of all Dutch political parties, promoting political, economic liberalism, classical liberalism, cultural liberalism. In contrast to this, it has helped build the welfare state since 1945.[35] After 1971, the party became more populist, although some conservative liberal elements remain.[36]

Liberal Manifesto

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The principles of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy were outlined in the "Liberal Manifesto" (Dutch: Liberaal Manifest) and latterly the election programmes. The Liberal Manifesto was a general outlook on the direction of the party would like to mirror itself and is an extension of the party's foundational principles. The election programmes 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 developed 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:[37]

Democracy

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  • The Manifesto calls for a directly elected Prime Minister, whereby voters could express their preference on the ballot.
  • The idea of (advisory) referendums is not supported by the party.
  • Mayors should be directly elected by the people.
  • Commitment to the four freedoms of the European Single Market.

Security

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

Freedom

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  • The principle of non-discrimination should be given more importance than the exercise of religion.
  • "Social rights" are to be continued. These are not simply 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

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

Migration

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The VVD has supported the free movement of goods and people within the European single market, and it has historically opposed limits to labor migration. Since the early 2020s, the party has argued in favor of reducing the reliance of the Dutch economy on unskilled foreign labor.[38]

Policy overview

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Election results

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House of Representatives

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Election Lead candidate List Votes % Seats +/– Government
1948 Pieter Oud List 391,908 7.9 New Coalition
1952 List 470,820 8.8 Increase 1 Opposition
1956 List 502,325 8.7 Steady Opposition
Increase 4 Opposition
1959 List 732,658 12.2 Increase 6 Coalition
1963 Edzo Toxopeus List 643,839 10.2 Decrease 3 Coalition
1967 List 738,202 10.7 Increase 1 Coalition
1971 Molly Geertsema List 653,092 10.3 Decrease 1 Coalition
1972 Hans Wiegel List 1,068,375 14.4 Increase 6 Opposition
1977 List 1,492,689 17.0 Increase 6 Coalition
1981 List 1,504,293 17.3 Decrease 2 Opposition
1982 Ed Nijpels List 1,897,986 23.1 Increase 10 Coalition
1986 List 1,595,377 17.4 Decrease 9 Coalition
1989 Joris Voorhoeve List 1,295,402 14.6 Decrease 5 Opposition
1994 Frits Bolkestein List 1,792,401 20.0 Increase 9 Coalition
1998 List 2,124,971 24.7 Increase 7 Coalition
2002 Hans Dijkstal List 1,466,722 15.4 Decrease 14 Coalition
2003 Gerrit Zalm List 1,728,707 17.9 Increase 4 Coalition
2006 Mark Rutte List 1,443,312 14.7 Decrease 6 Opposition
2010 List 1,929,575 20.5 Increase 9 Coalition
2012 List 2,504,948 26.6 Increase 10 Coalition
2017 List 2,238,351 21.3 Decrease 8 Coalition
2021 List 2,276,514 21.9 Increase 1 Coalition
2023 Dilan Yeşilgöz List 1,589,519 15.2 Decrease 10 Coalition

Senate

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Edith Schippers, leader in the Senate since 2023
Election Lead candidate List Votes Weight % Seats +/–
1948 List New
1951 List Increase 1
1952 List Steady
1955 List Steady
Apr 1956 List Steady
Oct 1956 List Increase 3
1960 List Increase 1
1963 List Decrease 1
1966 List Increase 1
1969 List Steady
1971 List Steady
1974 List Increase 4
1977 List Increase 3
1980 List Decrease 2
1981 List Decrease 1
1983 Guus Zoutendijk List Increase 5
1986 List Decrease 1
1987 David Luteijn List Decrease 4
1991 List Steady
1995 Frits Korthals Altes List Increase 11
1999 Nicoline van den Broek-Laman Trip List 39,809 25,3 Decrease 4
2003 List 31,026 19,2 Decrease 4
2007 Uri Rosenthal List 31,360 19,2 Decrease 1
2011 Loek Hermans List 111 34,590 20.83 Increase 2
2015 List 90 28,523 16.87 Decrease 3
2019 Annemarie Jorritsma List 78 26,157 15.11 Decrease 1
2023 Edith Schippers List 67 22,194 12.40 Decrease 2

European Parliament

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Malik Azmani, leader in the European Parliament since 2019
Election List Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
1979 List 914,787 16.14 New LD
1984 List 1,002,685 18.93 Increase 1 LDR
1989 List 714,745 13.63 Decrease 2
1994 List 740,443 17.91 Increase 3 ELDR
1999 List 698,050 19.69 Steady 0
2004 List 629,198 13.20 Decrease 2 ALDE
2009 List 518,643 11.39 Decrease 1
Steady 0
2014 List 571,176 12.02 Steady 0
2019 List 805,100 14.64 Increase 1 RE
Increase 1
2024 List 707,141 11.35 Decrease 1

Representation

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Cabinet

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Main article: Schoof cabinet

Members of the States General

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Members of the House of Representatives

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Further information: Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands for People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and List of members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2023–present

Members of the Senate

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Further information: List of members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2023–2027

Representation in EU institutions

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Main article: List of members of the European Parliament for the Netherlands, 2024–2029

In the European Committee of the Regions, VVD sits in the Renew Europe CoR Group, with one full and two alternate members for the 2020-2025 mandate.[40][41] Martijn van Gruijthuijsen is Coordinator in the ECON Commission.[42]

Electorate

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Historically, the VVD electorate consisted mainly of secular middle-class[43] and upper-class voters, with a strong support from entrepreneurs. Under the leadership of Wiegel, the VVD started to expand its appeal to working class voters.

Organisation

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Leadership

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Organisational structure

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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 programme.

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 lead candidate 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.

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 an important forum within the party. The party board handles the daily affairs of the party.

Linked organisations

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The independent youth organisation that has a partnership agreement with the VVD is the Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy (Dutch: Jongeren Organisatie Vrijheid en Democratie, JOVD), which is 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 Telders Foundation is the party's scientific institute and publishes the magazine Liberaal Reveil every two months. The party published the magazine Liber bi-monthly.

International organisations

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The VVD is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party and Liberal International.

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

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ledentallen Nederlandse politieke partijen per 1 januari 2024" [Membership of Dutch political parties as of 1 January 2024]. University of Groningen (in Dutch). Documentation Centre Dutch Political Parties. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  2. ^
  3. ^ "Politieke fracties". Benelux Parliament (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  4. ^ Multiple sources:
  5. ^ Documentatiecentrum Nederlandse politieke partijen. "Geschiedenis 1948" (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  6. ^ Cox, Robert H. (1993). The Development of the Dutch Welfare State: From Workers' Insurance to Universal Entitlement. University of Pittsburgh Press. ISBN 978-0-8229-3760-9.
  7. ^ Jong, Wim De (2 November 2022). "Decolonizing citizenship: democracy, citizenship and education in the Netherlands, 1960–2020". European Review of History: Revue européenne d'histoire. 29 (6): 1002–1023. doi:10.1080/13507486.2022.2131507. ISSN 1350-7486.
  8. ^ "Kabinetsformatie 1956".
  9. ^ Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (2010). Elections in Europe: A data handbook. p. 1396. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7.
  10. ^ https://decorrespondent.nl/14344/deze-politicoloog-ziet-de-kiezer-is-klaar-met-allemansvrienden/2c3961ba-9a91-0c6d-3961-2442ea1ef979
  11. ^ "Mark Rutte nieuwe lijsttrekker VVD". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 31 May 2006.
  12. ^ "Rutte: "Het karwei begint nu pas"". NOS Nieuws. 4 November 2006. Archived from the original on 29 May 2007.
  13. ^ "Wiegel leest Rutte en Verdonk de les". trouw.nl. Retrieved 15 November 2006.
  14. ^ "Kiesraad.nl - Uitslag van de Tweede Kamerverkiezing van 22 november 2006". Archived from the original on 8 December 2006. Retrieved 29 November 2006.
  15. ^ "Verdonk wil onderzoek naar leiderschap VVD" (in Dutch). Elsevier. 28 November 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
  16. ^ "Verdonk haalt bakzeil over leiderschap VVD" (in Dutch). Elsevier. 29 November 2006. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
  17. ^ "Rutte pleased with committee report". Expatica. 13 June 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 15 June 2007.
  18. ^ "Ex-minister Verdonk expelled from parliamentary party". Radio Netherlands. 13 September 2007. Archived from the original on 11 March 2008. Retrieved 13 September 2007.
  19. ^ "Verdonk zegt lidmaatschap VVD op". Nu.nl. 15 October 2007. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007.
  20. ^ "Politieke Barometer week 42–19 oktober 2007". Interview-NSS. 19 October 2007. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007.
  21. ^ "Politieke Barometer week 43–26 oktober 2007". Interview-NSS. 26 October 2007. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007.
  22. ^ "Nieuw Haags Peil van 21 oktober 2007". Peil.nl. 26 October 2007. Archived from the original on 12 March 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2007.
  23. ^ "Dutch government unravels over Brussels budget rules". EUobserver. 22 April 2012. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  24. ^ Kiesraad (21 March 2017). "Kerngegevens Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2017". www.kiesraad.nl. Archived from the original on 22 March 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  25. ^ "Dutch election: PM Mark Rutte claims victory and fourth term". BBC News. 18 March 2021. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  26. ^ "Rutte stopt als partijleider VVD en kondigt vertrek aan uit politiek". nos.nl (in Dutch). 10 July 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  27. ^ "Dilan Yesilgöz officieel lijsttrekker voor de VVD, geen tegenkandidaten". nos.nl (in Dutch). 14 August 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  28. ^ De Koning, Petra; Valk, Guus (25 May 2024). "Weinig blijdschap, veel bange stilte in de VVD" [Not much joy, lots of anxious silence within the VVD]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  29. ^ Multiple sources:
  30. ^ Multiple sources:
  31. ^ Multiple sources:
  32. ^ Kenneth Benoit; Michael Laver (2006). Party Policy in Modern Democracies. Routledge. p. 112. ISBN 1-134-20618-6. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  33. ^ Multiple sources:
  34. ^ "VVD's Official page - Liberale Beginselen". Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
  35. ^ "Wat is de VVD?".
  36. ^ Andeweg R.B. and G.A. Irwin, Government & Politics in the Netherlands (2002), Palgrave, p. 48
  37. ^ "Om de vrijheid. Liberaal Manifest" (PDF) (in Dutch). September 2005.
  38. ^ Verkerk, Jorit (26 August 2024). "VVD bepleit 'slimmere' arbeidsmigratie in visiestuk, dreigt met fiscale ingrepen" [VVD argues for 'smarter' labor migration in white paper, threatens with changes in taxation]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  39. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "VVD Standpunten". VVD. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  40. ^ "CoR Members Page". Archived from the original on 30 December 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  41. ^ "CoR Members Page". Archived from the original on 30 December 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  42. ^ "Coordinators". Renew Europe CoR. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  43. ^ Andeweg, R. (1982) Dutch voters adrift. On explanations of electoral change 1963–1977. Leiden: Leiden University. p. 17, 23
  44. ^ "Eerste Kamerfractie Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD)". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  45. ^ "Tweede Kamerfractie Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD)". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 October 2024.

Further reading

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