Proefexemplaar Getting to Know Dutch Society (TTO) havo/vwo 2022

spend money on. ey have to make choices. erlands is an indirect democracy. e people
Politicians also have to explain to voters what do not make decisions directly; that task is le
they do and do not do with the tax money. to elected representatives in Parliament. is
Direct and indirect democracy form is more practical than a direct democracy,
A democracy is a form of government in which because a smaller group of people reaches deci-
the people directly or indirectly in uence political sions more quickly. In addition, these elected
decision-making. o cials can dig deeper into complex topics that
you yourself would have time for as a private cit-
e oldest known example of a direct democ- izen. Indirect democracy is o en referred to as
racy is Athens, a city in ancient Greece. e parliamentary democracy, when the elected
people of Athens gathered in the city square and representatives collectively form the parliament.
voted on important decisions. It was a limited
democracy, because only men were allowed to Parliamentary democracy
take part. Women, slaves and ‘foreigners’ did not e rule of law and the fundamental rights it
have a vote. Some countries today have a form
of direct democracy known as a referendum, a establishes are the foundations of our democracy
public vote about a speci c political issue. (see section 2.2). e key characteristics of a par-
Like most other democratic countries, the Neth- liamentary democracy in the Netherlands are as
follows:
“Attack on our democracy” • e rights of minorities are respected. As a

American democracy seemed to be under result, fundamental rights cannot be casually
threat in January 2021, when supporters of set aside, even if a majority of the people were
former President Trump forced their way into to want that.
the Capitol building, the seat of the US national • ere is a separation of powers, so a small
government. They made their move during the group of people cannot get acquire too much
session in which Congress was supposed to power.
certify the election results. Trump had called • e people elect representatives who become
on his supporters to march to the government members of Parliament (Kamerleden).
buildings, because he claimed the elections had • e government (regering) and the Parliament
been “stolen”. In the fighting that followed, four make the laws together. Proposed laws are not
people were killed and 14 police officers were o cial until a majority in Parliament approves
injured. President Joe Biden later referred to the them.
events as an “attack on our democracy” and “a • ere is individual freedom. You can express
horrifying spectacle”. SOURCE: DE VOLKSKRANT your opinion and structure your life the way
you like.
SOURCE 1 • Citizens have fundamental political rights:
– Anyone aged 18 and over can vote in the

elections and run for o ce as an elected
representative.
– Anyone can establish a political party or as-
sociation.
– Elections are free and fair, held by secret
vote. A secret ballot means that it is up to
you whether you tell anyone who you voted
for.
– Anyone can hold a protest or demonstra-
tion.
• ere is freedom of the press. Journalists
decide independently which news to report.
ey do not require permission from the gov-
ernment.

What is democracy? – –6499

Authoritarian regime Another form is a religious regime, such as
In an authoritarian regime, all power is held by in Iran. In that country, the regime is based on
one person (dictator), one family, a small group of Islamic law (sharia). e people are allowed
people, or the military. People living in a country to vote, but the religious leaders (who are not
under an authoritarian regime have limited elected) have to approve all decisions.
freedom and rights. is form of government is
very di erent from a democracy in many ways. ere are also military regimes, where the army
has complete control and the head of govern-
e inhabitants cannot remove a leader from ment is a military o cial. Military regimes were
o ce by holding elections. common in South America a er the Second
Groups with di erent opinions or other inter- World War, for example in Argentina and Chile.
ests are viewed by the authorities not as political In Myanmar, the army took control of the
opponents, but as enemies. In such countries, country in 2021 a er a coup.
you always have to be careful about what you A country under an authoritarian regime is not
say and do, because the police can arrest and a state governed by the rule of law, because it is
imprison you without cause. e world map lacking many fundamental rights and freedoms.
on pages 72 and 73 shows the countries that
have authoritarian regimes. e most extreme e key characteristics of an authoritarian
form is a totalitarian regime, also known as a regime are:
dictatorship. • ere is no separation of powers, because a

Some authoritarian regimes are based on an single person or a small group of people hold
ideology, such as in North Korea and China. all the power.
In those countries, the communist parties have • ere are no independent judges. e
complete control. In Germany, Italy, Spain and authorities appoint judges themselves, or con-
in many South American countries, fascist par- trol what they do.
ties controlled the government for years. Fascists • Elections o en involve electoral fraud,
are strongly nationalistic and want strong leaders manipulation and violence. e people in
who make decisions independently. power assure their victory by manipulating
election results, banning other political par-
ties, or intimidating voters.
• Opposition parties are o en banned. ese
are political parties that are not in the coalition
government.
• ere is no rule of law and fundamental
rights are not respected:
– Citizens do not have the right to freedom of

expression or assembly, and are not allowed
to hold protests.
– Critics and political opponents run the risk
of torture or imprisonment, and could even
be killed.
• ere is no freedom of the press. Journalists
get into trouble if they release critical reports
about the authorities. Sometimes the govern-
ment determines what can be shown on TV
or on the internet. is is known as censor-
ship: government control of the media.
• e military plays a major role in politics in
order to suppress public resistance.

5700–– Parliamentary democracy

Between authoritarian and “I am grateful for every
democratic day that I am here”
Most European countries did not become
democracies until the 19th century. Since 1848, When she was just seven, Anna Nooshin
the Netherlands has no longer been controlled fled from Iran to the Netherlands with her
by the king, but by elected representatives. At parents and younger sister. Until she was 10,
they lived in asylum-seekers centres. “That’s
rst, the vote was limited to rich men. at did not a pleasant place to live,” Anna says.
not change until the introduction of general suf- “There are lots of families living together
frage (algemeen kiesrecht), in 1917 for men and in a small space. But it felt normal to me,
in 1919 for women. Some countries came later; because I was just a child and I lived there
Spain did not become a democracy until the with my family.” She does not remember
1970s, a er the death of dictator Franco. much from her early years in Iran. Her
parents were political refugees. They did not
ere are also many countries that have both agree with the strict religious regime in Iran
democratic and authoritarian characteristics. One and chose to flee the country so they could
example is Indonesia, where the people have been build a safer life here.
able to elect their president and parliament since
2004. But the country does not have freedom Anna had to look after her younger sister
of the press: critical journalists are sometimes early on and was left to her own devices for
arrested. Corruption is also a problem; judges and most of her life. She got her first job working
police o cers o en take bribes. at a cactus nursery when she was just 13,
followed by many other side jobs, then
reats may also emerge that put a democracy in university and starting her own company.
jeopardy. We saw that happen in the USA, where Now Anna is a well-known influencer with
President Trump frequently referred to the more than a million followers and presents
media as “the enemy of the people” during his TV shows.
time in o ce. As a result, some journalists felt
less protected and less able to do their work well. Anna says: “I think that anything is possible
He also falsely claimed that there had been mas- in your life. I decided early on that my past
sive fraud in the national elections, and called on does not define me: I am grateful for every
his voters to protest the results. A democracy can day that I am here.”
only stand if a government that loses the elec-
tions respects the results. SOURCE: TEDXAMSTERDAMWOMEN

What is the best system? SOURCE 2
People who live in a democracy have obligations,
but they also have rights. ere are things you What is democracy? ––7511
have to do, like going to school and paying taxes.
You also have a lot of freedom to say what you
want and dress however you like. If you grew
up in the Netherlands, that probably feels com-
pletely normal to you. In many other countries,
the people who live there have hardly any rights
and are not allowed to criticise the government.
Does the Netherlands have the best political
system, or are there better options? You may have
di erent opinions on this topic. One person may
feel that it would be better for people to have more
say. For example, why can’t citizens cast a digital
vote about important laws? Another person may
like it that we elect representatives who make the
most important decisions on our behalf.

How democratic is the world?

This map of the world shows which countries are democratic, which have an authoritarian regime, and
which are somewhere in between. A democracy is often presented as the opposite of an authoritarian
regime, but that is not completely accurate. As the map shows, there are hybrid forms. In a hybrid
regime, a small group holds all the power, but the people do have some freedoms. The Netherlands has
been in the top 10 on this list for years. North Korea is all the way at the bottom, ranked in 167th place.

Legend Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2020

Full democracy
Flawed democracy
Hybrid regime
Authoritarian regime
Totalitarian regime
No data available

5722–– Parliamentary democracy

Number of countries per category

Totalitarian Full
regime democracy

11 23

Authoritarian 46 Flawed
regime democracy
52

35

Hybrid regime

How the Democracy Index is calculated

For each country, experts answer various questions in five categories.

Elections and Government Democratic Political Civil
pluralism integrity political culture participation liberties

Are people safe and Is the national How high is Are the people Do people have un-
free to vote for a government cor- voter turnout positive about restricted access to
political party of rupt? Are judges during elections? democracy? the internet? Is there
their choice? independent? freedom of the press?

What is democracy? ––7533

3.2 Political movements

When is a life completed? nasia. Christian parties are fiercely opposed to
such legislation. ChristenUnie wants to give the
Clara Jas (81) is holding a silvery paper sachet. elderly “real attention” and good care instead.
“There’s some powder in here. I always keep it “Especially if life is hard for them. ChristenUnie
hidden. If you take it, you fall asleep and never will never cross the line towards a society in
wake up again. I want to be able to decide for which we help healthy people end their lives,” the
myself, without depending on doctors.” Nico party has stated. SOURCE: NOS, ALGEMEEN DAGBLAD
van Hasselt (93) considers it selfish. “We live in
a community. It’s not just about you. You also
have to think of the people around you, your
family and so on.” He does not think that people
should be allowed to decide when they die.
Opinions are similarly divided in politics.
D66, PvdA, VVD and GroenLinks are parties
that want to have a ‘Completed Life Act’ (Wet
Voltooid Leven). It would allow elderly people to
decide whether to terminate their life, regardless
of health, and to receive assistance with eutha-

In your opinion, should an elderly person be allowed to decide whether their life is complete?

In politics, the crucial question is: what do we Two questions are speci cally relevant here.
want our society to look like? How do we deal 1. Which norms and values are the main focus?
with big di erences between rich people and
those living in poverty? As you read in the rst chapter, norms are
Which aspects should be arranged by the govern- based on values. In an ideology that values
ment, and which should not? Opinions di er. In personal freedom, the corresponding norm
politics, a vision for how society should work is would be that the elderly should be able to
referred to as a movement. Many political parties decide for themselves when their lives are
are associated with a political movement. If you complete. In an ideology that considers loving
know what movement is aligned with your views, your neighbour a value, the corresponding
it is easier to decide which party you want to vote norm is to care for the elderly.
for. is section looks at how political move- 2. What role should the government take in a
ments emerged and where they are di erent. socio-economic context?
Many political issues are about distributing
e underlying question is: which political ideas tasks and funding in socio-economic con-
feel most comfortable to you? texts: what is the government doing on behalf
of society and the economy? What can people
Ideologies do themselves and what should the govern-
Almost all political parties are formed based on an ment arrange? And what should businesses
ideology, a set of ideas about what is important in do? We can make a distinction between le -
society and about the best way for people to co-exist. wing, right-wing and centrist parties.

5744–– Parliamentary democracy

Parties on the le want to see active govern- tion are personal freedom, economic freedom,
ment intervention to reduce inequality between individual responsibility and tolerance. e
people. For example, this could be achieved liberal movement emerged towards the end of
by imposing higher taxes on rich people and the 18th century, during the French Revolution.
spending that money to ght poverty. From this
perspective, the government is mainly there to e bourgeoisie rose up against the unlimited
protect people who are in vulnerable positions powers held by the king. Wealthier citizens, such
because not everyone manages to take good care as merchants and factory owners, desired unre-
of themselves. stricted freedom to act as they pleased and were
Parties on the right believe that people are per- opposed to the high taxes.
sonally responsible for bettering their lives. From Even today, liberals value freedom and therefore
this perspective, the government should avoid support a free market economy. ey believe the
excessive interference and, for example, should government should promote personal responsi-
not impose more taxes on big companies or rich bility by providing low social bene ts, and only
people. for a short time. In socio-economic terms, the
If an ideology is somewhere between le and government should limit its activities to core
right, it is considered centrist or mainstream. tasks, such as public order, safety and security,
and basic services such as healthcare. Liberals
is model is not clear-cut in actual practice; do not reject the welfare state, but do not want
not everything can be categorised as le , right the government to arrange too much. Liberalism
or middle. Moreover, political parties can hold is considered a right-wing position in the Neth-
right-wing and le -wing ideas at the same time. erlands. In our country, the VVD is a typically
liberal party, but D66 and more recent addition
ree political ideologies are discussed below: lib- Volt also have liberal views.
eralism, social democracy and Christian democ-
racy. e terms ‘le ’ and ‘right’ are also relevant Social democracy
here. In addition to these three political move- Socialism emphasises that not everyone has
ments, we also look at ecologism and populism. equal opportunities and privileges. From this
perspective, the government should ensure sol-
Liberalism idarity: the strongest shoulders should bear the
According to liberalism, people are not the same, heaviest burdens.
but they are all equal. ey have to respect each Socialism emerged in the 19th century in
other’s opinions. Key values in the liberal tradi-

Political movements

Liberalism Government role in Values Political parties
socio-economics
• Freedom • VVD
• Limited role • Personal • D66
= right
responsibility
Social democracy • Active role • PvdA
= left • Equality • GroenLinks
• Solidarity • SP

Christian democracy • Complementary role • Stewardship • CDA
• CU
= political mainstream • Caring for others • SGP

SOURCE 3

Political movements – –7555

Stranded Christian democracy
on a remote island Confessionalism is a political movement based
on faith. e main faith practised in the Neth-
Think back to the remote island you’re erlands is Christianity, so confessionalists are
known as Christian democrats in this country.
stranded on, from the scenario on page 8. Christian democrats want to achieve a society
based on values from the Bible. One example
What ideology would you use to structure is stewardship (rentmeesterschap): people have
a responsibility to take good care of the earth
society on the island? You might prefer to see Christian democrats want to achieve a society
in which neighbourly love (naastenliefde) and
everyone arrange their own food and shelter, solidarity are key values. Citizens are part of a
community, and therefore everyone takes care of
like in liberalism. Or maybe you would rather the people around them. e government should
leave as much as possible up to civic organisa-
have rules for dividing all the food fairly, like in tions, such as churches, trade unions, business
associations and sports clubs. ese organisa-
a social democracy. tions are collectively referred to as civil society
(maatschappelijk middenveld). e government
Difficult choices? Absolutely – especially if you should focus on aspects that cannot be arranged
by local residents and civic organisations, such
don’t know if you are among the stronger or as distributing social bene ts and maintaining
public order.
weaker people on the island. SOURCE 4 CDA and ChristenUnie are Christian democratic
parties, but SGP, a strictly orthodox conservative
response to poor working conditions. Workers party, is also confessionalist. In socio-economic
had to work up to 16 hours a day for very little terms, Christian democrats are somewhere
pay. between le and right, placing them in a centrist
position.
ere was no social security in place: if you
fell ill or lost your job, you were dependent on Ecologism
charity. According to the socialists, the free e political movement of ecologism is based
market economy caused this situation because
factory owners were allowed to keep wages very on the concept that the most important task of
low. e socialists wanted to put an end to pov- the human race is to take good care of the earth.
erty and inequality, but did not agree on how to According to ecologism, that principle is more
achieve that goal: important than the economy. Factory farming
• Communists wanted workers to overthrow should be abolished, and agriculture and shing
should become sustainable. Key values are sus-
the government and “seize the means of pro- tainability and protection of our living envi-
duction”, taking power by revolution. Com- ronment. Ecologist principles are embraced by
munist parties still hold power in North le -wing parties, such as GroenLinks and PvdD.
Korea, Laos, Vietnam, China and Cuba.
• Social democrats wanted to join the govern-
ment and improve society from within the
system by getting elected.
Socialism is now called social democracy.
Socialists are no longer opposed to a free market
economy but believe that knowledge, income
and power should be distributed more fairly.
ere should be equal opportunities for all, for
example through good education and good,
a ordable healthcare. Solidarity and equality
are key values. Because they are in favour of a
strong role for the government, social democrats
are considered le -wing in the Netherlands.
PvdA, SP and GroenLinks are parties that clearly
support aspects of social democracy.

5766–– Parliamentary democracy

Populism “Most women stand by
Populism is more a style of how to practice pol- their choice”
itics than a true ideology. Populist politicians
state that they represent the interests of ‘ordi- Abortion has been legal in the Netherlands
nary people’ and explicitly want ‘the voice of the for 40 years, but the debate keeps flaring up.
people’ to be heard. ey oppose the political Eva de Goeij had an abortion when she unin-
elite, viewing them as corrupt. Populists do not tentionally got pregnant. Now she supports
have speci cally le -wing or right-wing views. women who went through the same thing
However, they o en embrace strongly nation- and launched a campaign proclaiming “We
alist positions: opposing immigration, as well as support the right to choose”. Research shows
any foreign in uence on national politics and the that millennials are more negative about
economy. Populist parties also focus strongly on abortion than previous generations. Women
maintaining cultural traditions, such as Zwarte who go to abortion clinics are sometimes
Piet and Christmas. Partij Voor de Vrijheid harassed and intimidated by people who
(PVV) is a good example of a populist party in oppose abortion. Eva says: “However, the
the Netherlands, as is Forum voor Democratie majority of the women stand by their choice
(FvD). and do not regret it.”

Progressive and conservative Lianne adds: “Some people believe that incest
As we have seen, political parties can be grouped and rape are the only valid reasons for having
based on their ideology or style and the concepts an abortion. But there are 100 good reasons.
of le , centrist and right. ere is also a distinc- Simply because you do not want to have a
tion between progressive and conservative parties. child. Because your partner doesn’t want it.
In a political context, progressive means moving Because it doesn’t work with your career.
forward, wanting to change society. is could Because the condom broke. Because you
include more personal freedoms, such as gay had an affair. It’s about the right to choose,
marriage, legalised abortion and euthanasia. It regardless of the reason for your choice.”
could also be about changes in general, such as
transitioning to green energy. Schreeuw om Leven, a Christian foundation,
Conservative means preserving what is already is opposed to abortion. “We say: if you are
there. Conservative politicians mainly emphasise having a baby, from that moment on you also
past achievements. For example, conservatives have the obligation to take care of it. That
are reluctant to transfer more power to the Euro- baby also has a right to live,” says Diederik
pean Union or to implement stringent environ- van Dijk, foundation spokesperson.
mental policies. ey are also eager to preserve
established traditions. SOURCE: RTL NIEUWS, ELLE
As we saw for le and right, most political parties
are not exclusively conservative or progressive. SOURCE 5
For example, SP wants to raise the minimum
wage (progressive), but also wants to preserve Political movements ––7577
job protections (conservative). To understand
where a party is positioned in the political land-
scape and what it stands for, we have to look at
its views as a whole.

Politicians from various parties work to address
problems in society and think about solutions.
You may already have good ideas for how to solve
some problems. ose ideas probably reveal a lot
about your political views.

3.3 Political parties

“Gigantic heap of litter after every New Year’s Eve”

During the countdown from 2020 to 2021, New ban for years. The party values tradi-
Year’s fireworks were banned to avoid overbur- tions, but feels that they are taken
dening police and emergency services during the too far when it causes people or
COVID-19 pandemic. Many people were upset animals to suffer. That is why only
about the measure, because they enjoy setting professional firework shows should
off fireworks. Michel Adam, a fireworks merchant be allowed.
from The Hague, agrees: “You’re depriving Parliamentary party chairperson Esther Ouwe-
people of their delights and traditions.” hand: “Hundreds of people are injured every
On the other hand, PvdD, a party that prioritises New Year’s Eve; about half of those just happen
animal welfare, has been advocating a fireworks to be passing by. In addition, fireworks contain
heavy metals and other toxic substances that
cause serious pollution of the air, soil and water.
And it results in a gigantic heap of litter.” Some
cities already have no-fireworks zones. Doctors,
mayors, fire departments and police have been
calling for a ban for some time.

SOURCE: PARTIJVOORDEDIEREN.NL, ALGEMEEN DAGBLAD

Do you support a total ban on fireworks? Why or why not?

Changing society almost always requires Action committees
political involvement. Whether it involves Action committees, like Milieudefensie and
banning reworks, legalising so drugs or ensu- Wakker Dier, work to achieve one speci c goal,
ring more a ordable housing for young people: such as nature conservation or animal welfare.
changes in society o en happen by changing
laws. Laws are amended (changed) by minis- ey call people to take action by campaigning
ters and members of Parliament who belong to against a company or protesting. Wakker
political parties. In this section, we explore why Dier wants supermarkets to stop selling facto-
political parties exist, what they do, and how they ry-farmed broiler chickens, while Milieudefensie
are di erent from action committees and interest
groups. led a lawsuit against Shell, because the oil com-
pany has continued its large-scale environmental
e most important question, of course, is: pollution despite the climate crisis.
Which party would you vote for?
Interest groups
Various types of groups Interest groups defend the interests of one spe-
First, let’s look at what action committees and ci c group of people. LAKS, for example, stands
interest groups do. Just like politicians, they want up for the interests of secondary school pupils
to improve things in society, but they take a dif- and opens a complaint hotline every year during
ferent approach. national nal exams.
Other examples include ANWB, which represents
5788–– Parliamentary democracy

Who represents the less educated? Political parties
A political party consists of a group of people
A significant majority of the members of who share the same general ideas about what
a good society looks like. e aim of a party is
Parliament hold one or more degrees, but 90 to help make decisions about governing our
country. Political parties take part in elections;
per cent of the Dutch population have not action committees and interest groups do not.
Another di erence is that a political party
completed a university degree. “What the people focuses on the entire scope of government policy,
while action committees and interest groups
want doesn’t get through to the Parliament,” only focus on one speci c area or group. Political
parties weigh up di erent interests and give their
wrote one reader of newspaper De Telegraaf, opinions on many di erent topics. ey look at
the public interest: is a plan good for society as a
who received lots of support on social media. whole? Does it cause too many disadvantages for
some groups? A few parties could be considered
“The consequence is that the concerns of the a single-issue party. ey represent one spe-
ci c target group, such as the BoerBurgerBewe-
less educated are not automatically placed on ging (farmers) and 50PLUS (people over 50), or
mainly focus on one aspect of society, like BIJ1.
the political agenda,” says public administration Political parties are allowed to have an opinion
about any and all topics, even if their opinions
researcher Mark Bovens. Like raising the pension are contrary to the constitution. at means that
there could be a party that wants to get rid of
age: “Many highly educated people do not have democracy. If non-democratic parties win the
elections, their victory could have huge conse-
a problem with that. But if you started working quences. We do not have any non-democratic
parties in the Netherlands right now.
when you were 17, it’s a different story. People
Functions of political parties
working in physically demanding professions are Political parties try to win elections to get
seats in Parliament, the municipal council
also more likely to have chronic health conditions (gemeenteraad), the provincial council (Provin-
ciale Staten) or the regional water board (water-
that force them to stop working sooner,” Bovens schap).

explains. SOURCE: ALGEMEEN DAGBLAD SOURCE 6

the interests of road users, or Vereniging Eigen
Huis for homeowners. Interest groups provide
public information, try to in uence politicians by
lobbying, and sometimes campaign for a cause.

Political parties Action committees / action
interest groups
• Have ideas about society
as a whole • Have ideas about
one specific area
• Weigh di erent interests
• Want political power as well as • Stand up for partial interests
• Want political influence, but not
administrative responsibility
• Take part in elections administrative responsibility
• Are represented in political bodies
• Do not take part in elections
• Represented in advisory bodies,

but lobby political parties

SOURCE 7

Political parties – –7599

The political spectrum

progressive

left-wing right-wing

Forum voor
Democratie

Source: Kieskompas 2021 conservative SOURCE 8

* Volt, BBB and Bij1 are new parties that were not included in the Kieskompas survey.

In our parliamentary democracy, parties serve for ‘ordinary citizens’ to in uence a political
di erent functions: party.
1. Compiling ideas about our society. Parties 4. Selecting candidates. Political parties select
candidates to run for political o ce, as mem-
come up with an election programme about a bers of Parliament or municipal council mem-
wide range of topics in society. bers. If you want to go into politics, you can
2. Informing voters. Politicians use media chan- get involved through an existing political
nels, such as Twitter or TV talk shows, to tell party or establish a party yourself.
the public their opinions about all sorts of
current issues. is helps you to form your Fewer members
own opinion. Political parties used to be large organisations
3. Citizen participation. If you want, you could that had many members. Membership has
become a member of a party and help dis- dropped signi cantly in recent decades, from
cuss the election programme. at is a way

6800–– Parliamentary democracy

almost 800,000 around 1950 to fewer than “Many young people
300,000 today. don’t talk about
Loss of members is most noticeable in ‘the big loneliness”
three’: CDA, PvdA and VVD. ese parties date
back to a time when people were still strongly “You often can’t see whether young people
engaged with their own ‘pillar of society’ and are lonely. It’s really a huge problem. This is a
associated ideology, such as the Christian Dem- taboo topic: many young people prefer not to
ocrats. Voters loyally voted for the same party all discuss it openly.” Juliette (16) brings this up
their lives, which was o en the party their par- during the National Youth Debate in the House
ents had voted for. As a result of depillarisation of Representatives. 125 pupils from all the Dutch
(ontzuiling), people were more likely to go their provinces took part in the debate. One group
own way and felt less connected to a single party. of pupils debated with the Minister of Health,
Declining membership has consequences for Welfare and Sport about loneliness among
how a party functions. For example, it is harder young people. The pupils want to develop an
to nd enough suitable candidates to become anti-loneliness app for sharing stories and seek-
mayors, members of Parliament or ministers. ing professional help – not just for young people
who are lonely, but for all young people who
The political spectrum want to chat via the app. The app is not only
e coordinate system on the previous page designed for young people to use; they will also
help develop it.
shows where the political parties are positioned
between le and right and between progressive The Minister was enthusiastic. “That app will be
and conservative. is political map reveals sim- made alongside the anti-loneliness campaign,”
ilarities between the parties. For example, all the he said. “As a minister for CDA, I am opposed
Christian Democratic parties tend to be more to unrestricted individualism. The point is that
conservative than progressive. It also shows the people care for each other. Young and old.
di erences. SP is farther le than PvdA and Society needs to make every effort to break free
GroenLinks. Moreover, clustering the parties of the spiral of loneliness.”
that are in the current cabinet shows the political
‘colour’ of the government. Are the governing SOURCE: NATIONAL YOUTH DEBATE 2020
parties more towards the le or the right? And
are they more progressive or conservative? SOURCE 9

Reflection of the population? Political parties ––8611
Parliament is made up of our elected represent-
atives. You would expect it to be a re ection of
our society, with su cient representation of
each population group. at is not the case.
It has hardly anyone who does not have more
than a secondary school diploma (see source
6). Women, people with disabilities, and people
from migration backgrounds are also under-
represented. is raises the question of whether
this elected body is su ciently representa-
tive. As a result, people from these groups feel
less represented in what politicians say and do.
Political parties still play a key role in our parlia-
mentary democracy. You can in uence what the
Netherlands will look like: by voting, taking part
in public consultation events, or standing for
election. Which party appeals to you?

Political parties in the House of Representatives

This is a simplified overview of the di erent positions held by political parties that are in the House
of Representatives. It also shows how many seats they hold, and where they are positioned in the
Plenary Hall.* For more details on each party’s ideas, you can visit their website.

SP 9 GroenLinks 8

The Socialist Party (Socialistische Partij - SP) is The Green Left Party (GroenLinks - GL) is a
the most left-wing party in the House of Repre- left-wing party with some progressive views. The
sentatives and stands up for the interests of party works to achieve a more inclusive society and
low-income citizens. According to SP, the less inequality between people. The party believes
government should prioritise good social that rich people should pay higher taxes and wants
benefits and a ordable housing. to spend more money on environmental protection.

PvdA 9 D66 24

The Labour Party (Partij van de Arbeid - PvdA) is a Democraten 66 (D66) was founded in 1966 with the
left-wing party that has existed since 1948. According aim of renewing democracy in the Netherlands. The
to PvdA, the government should prioritise employ- progressive party believes in equal opportunities for
ment and prevent inequality. The party believes that all and assistance for any who need it. Good educati-
rich people should pay higher taxes. on and a strong approach to the climate crisis are
very important to this party.

BIJ1 1

BIJ1 is a new party that was founded by activist
Sylvana Simons. The party has a strong focus on
Article 1 of the Dutch Constitution, which prohibits
discrimination and racism.

Fractie Den Haan 1

Liane de Haan was a member of Parliament represen-
ting the 50PLUS party. She left the party following an
internal conflict, and is now a one-person parliamen-
tary group representing the interests of older people.

DENK 3

DENK focuses on diversity and minority rights.
The party supports a government crackdown on
discrimination and a stronger welfare state.

Partij voor de Dieren 6 Cabinet

The Party for the Animals (Partij voor de Dieren -
PvvD) was founded by a group of animal rights
activists. The party wants a stronger focus on animal
rights, nature and environmental protection.

Volt 3 SGP 3

Volt Netherlands, the Dutch branch of EU-wide The Reformed Political Party (Staatkundige Gerefor-
political movement Volt Europa, made it into Parlia- meerde Partij - SGP) is a small Christian party that has
ment in 2021. Their most important position is that existed since 1918. It bases its principles on the values
problems such as climate change and migration can and norms of the Bible. The party believes that the
only be resolved at the European level. traditional family is the cornerstone of society.

*De zetelverdeling is gebaseerd op de situatie in november 2021. De actuele verdeling staat op tweedekamer.nl.

6822–– Parliamentary democracy

VVD 34 BBB 1

The People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy The Farmer-Citizen’s Movement (BoerBurgerBewe-
(Volkspartij Vrijheid en Democratie - VVD) considers ging - BBB) is a new party focusing on the interests
freedom of private citizens and companies to be the of farmers and others living in rural communities.
primary value. They believe that the government
should protect this freedom to the best of its abilities Lid Omtzigt 1
and avoid regulating too much – a characteristic
feature of a right-wing party. VVD believes that work Pieter Omtzigt left CDA following internal conflicts in
must pay: the minimum wage should go up. that party. He has retained his seat in the House of
Representatives as a one-man parliamentary group.
In the March 2021 elections, when he was still on the
CDA list, Omtzigt received many preferential votes.

CDA 14

The Christian Democratic Appeal (Christen-Democra-
tisch Appèl - CDA) is a Christian centrist party that was
founded in 1980. The party prioritises harmony, unity
and a family-friendly society.

JA21 3

Right Answer 2021 (Juiste Antwoord 2021 - JA21) was
founded by two members of parliament who left FvD to
form their own party. It is a right-wing party that wants
a smaller government and stricter immigration policies.

Groep Van Haga 3

Three members of Parliament, including Wybren van
Haga, left FvD after the parlimentary elections of March
2021. They are still in the House of Representatives, but
have not yet formed their own party. Their positions are
generally similar to FvD.

Speaker of the House Forum voor Democratie 5
Rostrum
Forum for Democracy (Forum voor Democratie - FvD)
is a right-wing party that wants to reduce the role of
political parties and use binding referendums to make
major decisions. The party wants to leave the EU and
withdraw from the Climate Agreement.

ChristenUnie 5 PVV 17

ChristenUnie (CU) is a Christian party that holds both The Party for Freedom (Partij Voor de Vrijheid - PVV)
left-wing and conservative positions. The party wants was founded by former VVD politician Geert Wilders.
to give more aid to refugees and raise the minimum The party is anti-Islam and opposed to the political elite.
wage, and opposes abortion and euthanasia. The PVV is mainly right-wing, but the party also has
some left-wing ideas.

Political parties – –8633

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