.gif)
Socialist Party (Netherlands)
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Party is a democratic socialist
political party
in the Netherlands
. After the 2006 general election
, the Socialist Party became one of the major parties of the Netherlands with 25 seats of 150, an increase of 16 seats. The party was in opposition
against the fourth Balkenende cabinet
. In the 2010 election the party obtained 15 seats, and is currently in opposition to the Rutte cabinet.
party named the Communist Party of the Netherlands/Marxist-Leninist (KPN/ML). This KPN/ML was formed following a split from the Communist Unity Movement of the Netherlands (Marxist-Leninist)
. The issue that provoked the split from KEN(ml) was an intense debate on the role of intellectuals in the class struggle
. The founders of KPN/ML, with Daan Monjé in a prominent role, belonged to the 'Proletarian
' wing of the KEN(ml), who did not want an organisation dominated by students and intellectuals. In 1972 KPN/ML changed its name to Socialistiese Partij (Socialist Party). Even in its early years, while adhering to maoist principles such as organizing the masses, the SP was very critical of the Communist Party of China
like in condemning the support for Unita
in Angola (The brochure:"Antwoord aan de dikhuiden van de KEN").
The SP started to build a network of local parties, with strong local roots. The SP had its own General Practitioner
s' offices, provided advice to citizens and set up local action groups. This developed within front organisations, for instance separate trade union
s, environmental organizations and tenant associations. This work resulted in a strong representation in several municipal legislatures (so-called Gemeenteraden), notably in Oss
. Also in provincial legislatures (so-called States-Provincial
), the SP gained a foothhold, especially in the province of North Brabant
.
Since 1977 SP attempted to enter the House of Representatives. The party failed in 1977
, 1981
, 1982
, 1986
and 1989
. In 1991, the party officially scrapped the term Marxism–Leninism, because the party had evolved to the point that the term was no longer considered appropriate.
the party's first members of parliament, Remi Poppe and Jan Marijnissen
were elected. Its slogan was 'Vote Against' (Dutch: Stem tegen). In the 1990s, the major party of the Dutch left, the Labour Party
(PvdA), moved to the centre
, thus making the SP and GreenLeft
viable alternatives for some left-wing voters. In the 1998 general election
, the party was rewarded for its opposition to the Purple government
of the first Kok cabinet, and more than doubled its seats to five. In the 1999 European elections
, Erik Meijer was elected into the European Parliament
for the SP.
In 2002 general election
the SP was the only party on the Left that gained seats. Now its slogan was 'Vote in Favor' (Dutch: Stem Voor). It nearly doubled to nine seats. This result was kept in the 2003 general election
. Leading up to the 2003 elections, the SP was predicted to win as many as 24 (16%) seats in the polls. These gains failed to materialise however, as many potential SP voters chose to cast strategic votes for the Labour Party, who stood a good chance of winning the elections. In the 2004 European elections
its one seat was doubled to two.
In the 2005 referendum
on the European Constitution, the SP was the only left-wing party in parliament to oppose it. Support for the party grew in opinion polls but fell slightly after the referendum.
The municipal elections of 2006 were a success for the SP, more than doubling its total number of seats. This can in part be explained by the party standing in many more municipalities, but it can also be seen as a reaction to the so-called 'right-wing winter' in national politics, as the welfare reforms of the right-wing second Balkenende cabinet
were called by its centre-left
and left-wing opponents. In a reaction to these results, Marijnissen declared on election night that the "SP has grown up".
After the untimely end of the second Balkenende cabinet and the minority government of the third Balkenende cabinet
, the SP gained 16 seats in the parliament after the 2006 general election
, nearly tripling its parliamentary representation. With 25 seats, the SP became the third largest party of the Dutch parliament. In the 2006-2007 cabinet formation
the SP was unable to work out its policy differences with the Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA), the largest party and SP remained in opposition against the fourth Balkenende cabinet
, which comprised the CDA, PvdA and ChristianUnion
parties.
In the provincial elections of 2007 the SP gained 54 provincial legislators more than in the provincial elections of 2003 and made it to a total of 83 provincial legislators. As a result of the provincial elections the SP has increased its representatives in the Senate of the Netherlands (upper house
) to 11 from the 4 it had previously.
In the 2010 general election
, SP fared worse than in the previous election, gaining only 15 seats, a loss of 10, and only 9.9% of the overall vote.
ideology. In its manifesto of principles it calls for a society where human dignity
, equality
and solidarity
are most important. Its core issues are employment
, social welfare
and investing in public education, public safety
and health care
. The party opposes privatisation
of public services and is critical of globalization
.
Lijsttrekker
After the 2010 elections the party has fifteen representatives in the House of Representatives:
After the 2011 elections the party has eight representatives in the Senate:
, the SP acquired one seat in the European Parliament
:
After the 2004 European Parliament elections
the party had two representatives in the European Parliament:
After the 2009 European Parliament elections
the party has two representatives in the European Parliament:
SP is a member of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left
(GUE/NGL) group in the European Parliament. The party is not affiliated with the Party of the European Left
.
s or mayor
s. Dutch mayors and Queen's Commissioners are appointed by the Minister of the Interior; the SP opposes this procedure, and wants mayors to be elected by the municipal council
. The SP is only part of the provincial executive (Gedeputeerde staten
) of North Brabant
(Jules Iding). The SP is also part of several municipal executives (College van burgemeester en wethouders
), notably in Oss
and Nijmegen.
The official chair of the party board is Jan Marijnissen
, who also is chair of the parliamentary party. In the Netherlands it is traditional to separate these two offices. The real leader of the party's organisation is the general secretary
. The party board further consists of regionally and nationally elected members and the head of the party's youth wing and the editor of the party's magazine.
The SP is sometimes criticised for its allegedly hierarchical
organisation. Critics claim not many things are decided within the national party, or even its local branches, without the consent of its leader Jan Marijnissen.
The SP remains a very active force in extra-parliamentary protest. Many of its members are active in local campaigning groups, often independent groups dominated by the SP, or in the SP neighbourhood centres, where the party provides help for the working class
.
At one point, two Trotskyist
entryist groups operated within the SP, Offensief
and International Socialists
. The IS however was expelled on the grounds of double membership. The similar, but very small group Offensief was not considered a factor of power but its members were banned from the SP in February 2009, on the grounds of being "a party within a party". Members of the party Socialist Alternative Politics
still operate within the SP.
, jong in de SP (English: RED, Youth within the SP; the word rood is officially written in capitals, but is not an acronym).
The SP publishes the magazine the Tribune monthly (which was also the name of a historical Communist Party of the Netherlands
newspaper).
(PvdA) had a conscious strategy to isolate the party, always voting against the latter's proposals. The party however did co-operate well with GreenLeft
. After the PvdA's disastrous election result in 2002, the Labour Party, now back in opposition, did co-operate with the SP, against some of the policies of the centerright-wing Balkenende government, and their relationship improved significantly. New tensions arose however after the elections of 2006, when the SP approached the PvdA in electoral support, and the PvdA joined the government, whereas the SP did not.
Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. After the 2006 general election
Dutch general election, 2006
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
, the Socialist Party became one of the major parties of the Netherlands with 25 seats of 150, an increase of 16 seats. The party was in opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
against the fourth Balkenende cabinet
Fourth Balkenende cabinet
The fourth Balkenende cabinet or Balkenende IV is the previous Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties Christian Democratic Appeal , Labour Party , and ChristianUnion . The cabinet succeeded the third Balkenende cabinet following the 2006 election, and was installed by Queen Beatrix...
. In the 2010 election the party obtained 15 seats, and is currently in opposition to the Rutte cabinet.
Foundation until 1994
The Socialist Party was founded in October 1971 as a MaoistMaoism
Maoism, also known as the Mao Zedong Thought , is claimed by Maoists as an anti-Revisionist form of Marxist communist theory, derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong . Developed during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding...
party named the Communist Party of the Netherlands/Marxist-Leninist (KPN/ML). This KPN/ML was formed following a split from the Communist Unity Movement of the Netherlands (Marxist-Leninist)
Communist Unity Movement of the Netherlands (marxist-leninist)
Communist Unity Movement of the Netherlands was a communist organization in the Netherlands....
. The issue that provoked the split from KEN(ml) was an intense debate on the role of intellectuals in the class struggle
Class struggle
Class struggle is the active expression of a class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote "The [written] history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle"....
. The founders of KPN/ML, with Daan Monjé in a prominent role, belonged to the 'Proletarian
Proletariat
The proletariat is a term used to identify a lower social class, usually the working class; a member of such a class is proletarian...
' wing of the KEN(ml), who did not want an organisation dominated by students and intellectuals. In 1972 KPN/ML changed its name to Socialistiese Partij (Socialist Party). Even in its early years, while adhering to maoist principles such as organizing the masses, the SP was very critical of the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
like in condemning the support for Unita
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
in Angola (The brochure:"Antwoord aan de dikhuiden van de KEN").
The SP started to build a network of local parties, with strong local roots. The SP had its own General Practitioner
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
s' offices, provided advice to citizens and set up local action groups. This developed within front organisations, for instance separate trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s, environmental organizations and tenant associations. This work resulted in a strong representation in several municipal legislatures (so-called Gemeenteraden), notably in Oss
Oss
Oss is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands, in the province of Noord Brabant.- Population centres :-Transportation:* Railway stations: Oss, Oss West, Ravenstein- The city of Oss :...
. Also in provincial legislatures (so-called States-Provincial
States-Provincial
The States'-Provincial is the provincial parliament and legislative assembly in each of the Provinces of the Netherlands. It is elected for each province simultaneously once every four years and has the responsibility for matters of sub-national or regional importance...
), the SP gained a foothhold, especially in the province of North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
.
Since 1977 SP attempted to enter the House of Representatives. The party failed in 1977
Dutch general election, 1977
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 25, 1977....
, 1981
Dutch general election, 1981
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 26, 1981.-National summary:...
, 1982
Dutch general election, 1982
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on September 8, 1982.-National summary:...
, 1986
Dutch general election, 1986
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 21, 1986.-National summary:...
and 1989
Dutch general election, 1989
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on September 6, 1989.-National summary:...
. In 1991, the party officially scrapped the term Marxism–Leninism, because the party had evolved to the point that the term was no longer considered appropriate.
After 1994
In 1994 general electionDutch general election, 1994
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 3, 1994.-Results:...
the party's first members of parliament, Remi Poppe and Jan Marijnissen
Jan Marijnissen
Johannes Guillaume Christianus Andreas Marijnissen is a Dutch politician of the Socialist Party . He served as Parliamentary leader in House of Representatives May 5, 1994 until June 20, 2008...
were elected. Its slogan was 'Vote Against' (Dutch: Stem tegen). In the 1990s, the major party of the Dutch left, the Labour Party
Labour Party (Netherlands)
The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
(PvdA), moved to the centre
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
, thus making the SP and GreenLeft
GreenLeft
GreenLeft is a green political party operating in the Netherlands.GreenLeft was formed on 1 March 1989 as a merger of four left-wing political parties: the Communist Party of the Netherlands, Pacifist Socialist Party, the Political Party of Radicals and the Evangelical People's Party...
viable alternatives for some left-wing voters. In the 1998 general election
Dutch general election, 1998
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on 6 May 1998.-Result:...
, the party was rewarded for its opposition to the Purple government
Purple (government)
Purple is a common term in politics for governments or other political entities consisting of parties that have red and blue as their political colours...
of the first Kok cabinet, and more than doubled its seats to five. In the 1999 European elections
European Parliament election, 1999
The European Parliament Election, 1999 was a European election for all 626 members of the European Parliament held across the 15 European Union member states on 10, 11 and 13 June 1999. The voter turn-out was generally low, except in Belgium and Luxembourg, where voting is compulsory and where...
, Erik Meijer was elected into the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
for the SP.
In 2002 general election
Dutch general election, 2002
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 15, 2002....
the SP was the only party on the Left that gained seats. Now its slogan was 'Vote in Favor' (Dutch: Stem Voor). It nearly doubled to nine seats. This result was kept in the 2003 general election
Dutch general election, 2003
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on January 22, 2003.-Background:...
. Leading up to the 2003 elections, the SP was predicted to win as many as 24 (16%) seats in the polls. These gains failed to materialise however, as many potential SP voters chose to cast strategic votes for the Labour Party, who stood a good chance of winning the elections. In the 2004 European elections
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
its one seat was doubled to two.
In the 2005 referendum
Dutch referendum on the European Constitution
The Dutch referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was a consultative referendum that was held on 1 June 2005 to decide if the Netherlands would ratify the proposed Constitution of the European Union....
on the European Constitution, the SP was the only left-wing party in parliament to oppose it. Support for the party grew in opinion polls but fell slightly after the referendum.
The municipal elections of 2006 were a success for the SP, more than doubling its total number of seats. This can in part be explained by the party standing in many more municipalities, but it can also be seen as a reaction to the so-called 'right-wing winter' in national politics, as the welfare reforms of the right-wing second Balkenende cabinet
Second Balkenende cabinet
The second cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands formed on 27 May 2003. It consisted of three political parties: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy , Christian Democratic Appeal , and Democrats 66 , which is the smallest of the three.On 29 June 2006, D66 dropped its support for...
were called by its centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
and left-wing opponents. In a reaction to these results, Marijnissen declared on election night that the "SP has grown up".
After the untimely end of the second Balkenende cabinet and the minority government of the third Balkenende cabinet
Third Balkenende cabinet
The third Balkenende cabinet was formed on 7 July 2006 after a crisis in and the subsequent resignation of the second Balkenende cabinet. This demissionary minority cabinet of Christian Democratic Appeal and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy was negotiated by former prime minister Ruud...
, the SP gained 16 seats in the parliament after the 2006 general election
Dutch general election, 2006
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
, nearly tripling its parliamentary representation. With 25 seats, the SP became the third largest party of the Dutch parliament. In the 2006-2007 cabinet formation
2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation
Following the 2006 Dutch general election, held on November 22, a process of cabinet formation started, involving negotiations about which coalition partners to form a common programme of policy and to divide the posts in cabinet...
the SP was unable to work out its policy differences with the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
(CDA), the largest party and SP remained in opposition against the fourth Balkenende cabinet
Fourth Balkenende cabinet
The fourth Balkenende cabinet or Balkenende IV is the previous Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties Christian Democratic Appeal , Labour Party , and ChristianUnion . The cabinet succeeded the third Balkenende cabinet following the 2006 election, and was installed by Queen Beatrix...
, which comprised the CDA, PvdA and ChristianUnion
ChristianUnion
The ChristianUnion , abbreviated to CU, is a Dutch Christian democratic political party. A centrist party, the CU's policies combine social conservatism and soft euroscepticism with more centre-left positions on economic, immigration, and environmental issues.Founded in 2000 as a merger of the...
parties.
In the provincial elections of 2007 the SP gained 54 provincial legislators more than in the provincial elections of 2003 and made it to a total of 83 provincial legislators. As a result of the provincial elections the SP has increased its representatives in the Senate of the Netherlands (upper house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
) to 11 from the 4 it had previously.
In the 2010 general election
Dutch general election, 2010
The 2010 Dutch general election was held on Wednesday, 9 June 2010. After the fall of the cabinet Balkenende IV on 20 February, Queen Beatrix accepted the resignation of the Labour Party ministers on 23 February...
, SP fared worse than in the previous election, gaining only 15 seats, a loss of 10, and only 9.9% of the overall vote.
Name
The party was founded as the Communist Party of the Netherlands/Marxist-Leninist (KPN/ML) in 1971. In 1972 it adopted the name Socialistiese Partij, which was spelled in an unofficial spelling, with -iese instead of -ische. In 1993 the party changed its name to the accurately spelled Socialistische Partij.Ideology and issues
The party has a democratic-socialistDemocratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
ideology. In its manifesto of principles it calls for a society where human dignity
Dignity
Dignity is a term used in moral, ethical, and political discussions to signify that a being has an innate right to respect and ethical treatment. It is an extension of the Enlightenment-era concepts of inherent, inalienable rights...
, equality
Social equality
Social equality is a social state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group have the same status in a certain respect. At the very least, social equality includes equal rights under the law, such as security, voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, and the...
and solidarity
Solidarity
Solidarity is a Polish trade union federation that emerged on August 31, 1980 at the Gdańsk Shipyard under the leadership of Lech Wałęsa. It was the first non-communist party-controlled trade union in a Warsaw Pact country. Solidarity reached 9.5 million members before its September 1981 congress...
are most important. Its core issues are employment
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
, social welfare
Welfare
Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
and investing in public education, public safety
Public Safety
Public safety involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, or damage, such as crimes or disasters .-See also:* By nation...
and health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
. The party opposes privatisation
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
of public services and is critical of globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
.
Leadership
Leader of the parliamentary party in the House of Representatives- 1994-2008 Jan MarijnissenJan MarijnissenJohannes Guillaume Christianus Andreas Marijnissen is a Dutch politician of the Socialist Party . He served as Parliamentary leader in House of Representatives May 5, 1994 until June 20, 2008...
- 2008-2010 Agnes KantAgnes KantAgnes Catharina Kant is a retired Dutch politician of the Socialist Party. She was the Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives from June 20, 2008 until March 4, 2010. Since 1998, she has been a member of the House of Representatives. In June 2008, she became the parliamentary leader...
- 2010- Emile RoemerEmile RoemerEmile Gerardus Maria Roemer is a Dutch politician of the Socialist Party . He has been a Member of the House of Representatives since 30 November 2006. On 5 March 2010 he was elected the new Party leader of the Socialist Party following the resignation of Agnes Kant...
Lijsttrekker
Lijsttrekker
Lijsttrekker is a Dutch term for the top candidate of a party on a party list. He or she is almost always the party's political leader. After an election, this person usually leads the party's faction in the States-General, or serves in a senior position in the Cabinet if his party is part of...
- 2010: Emile Roemer
- 2006: Jan Marijnissen
- 2003: Jan Marijnissen
- 2002: Jan Marijnissen
- 1998: Jan Marijnissen
- 1994: Jan Marijnissen
- 1989: Jan Marijnissen
Members of the House of Representatives
Development of the number of seats in the House of Representatives, of the 150 available:- Election 1994Dutch general election, 1994The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 3, 1994.-Results:...
- 2 - Election 1998Dutch general election, 1998The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on 6 May 1998.-Result:...
- 5 - Election 2002Dutch general election, 2002The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 15, 2002....
- 9 - Election 2003Dutch general election, 2003The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on January 22, 2003.-Background:...
- 9 - 2004 - 8 (Ali Lazrak left)
- Election 2006Dutch general election, 2006The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
- 25 - Election 2010Dutch general election, 2010The 2010 Dutch general election was held on Wednesday, 9 June 2010. After the fall of the cabinet Balkenende IV on 20 February, Queen Beatrix accepted the resignation of the Labour Party ministers on 23 February...
- 15
After the 2010 elections the party has fifteen representatives in the House of Representatives:
- Emile RoemerEmile RoemerEmile Gerardus Maria Roemer is a Dutch politician of the Socialist Party . He has been a Member of the House of Representatives since 30 November 2006. On 5 March 2010 he was elected the new Party leader of the Socialist Party following the resignation of Agnes Kant...
, MP since 2006, Parliamentary group leaderParliamentary group leaderThe leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
since March 5, 2010 - Farshad BashirFarshad BashirFarshad Bashir is a Dutch politician of Afghan descent. As a member of the Socialist Party he has been an MP since January 15, 2008, succeeding Rosita van Gijlswijk. He focuses on matters of taxation, traffic and water management.- Biography :His father was a journalist in the daily Anis during...
, MP since January 15, 2008, successor of Rosita van GijlswijkRosita van GijlswijkRosita van Gijlswijk is a Dutch politician.-References:... - Harry van BommelHarry van BommelHenricus van Bommel is a Dutch politician, anti-globalization activist and former educator. As a member of the Socialist Party he has been an MP since May 19, 1998...
, MP since 1998 - Jasper van DijkJasper van DijkJasper Jonathan van Dijk is a Dutch politician and former civil servant. As a member of the Socialist Party he has been an MP since November 30, 2006...
, MP since 2006 - Henk van GervenHenk van GervenHenricus Petrus Johannes van Gerven is a Dutch politician and general practitioner. As a member of the Socialist Party he has been an MP since November 30, 2006...
, MP since 2006 - Sharon GesthuizenSharon GesthuizenSharon Maria Jacoba Gerarda Gesthuizen is a Dutch politician and formerbusinesswoman and trade unionist. As a member of the Socialist Party she has been an MP since November 30, 2006...
, MP since 2006 - Ewout IrrgangEwout IrrgangEwout Irrgang is a Dutch politician, anti-globalization activist and former banking employee. As a member of the Socialist Party he has been an MP since October 6, 2005...
, MP since October 6, 2005, successor of Piet de Ruiter - Paulus JansenPaulus JansenPaulus Fredericus Cornelius Jansen is a Dutch politician and civil engineer. As a member of the Socialist Party he has been an MP since November 30, 2006...
, MP since 2006 - Sadet KarabulutSadet KarabulutSadet Karabulut is a Dutch politician and formercivil servant and trade unionist of Kurdish-Turkish descent. As a member of the Socialist Party she has been an MP since November 30, 2006. From January 11 till April 14, 2011 she was on maternity leave and therefore replaced by Rik Janssen...
, MP since 2006 - Nine KooimanNine KooimanCatharina Johanna Elise Kooiman is a Dutch politician and former social worker. As a member of the Socialist Party she has been an MP since June 17, 2010...
, MP since 2010 - Renske LeijtenRenske LeijtenRenske Maria Leijten is a Dutch politician. As a member of the Socialist Party she has been an MP since November 30, 2006. She focuses on matters of public health, quality of life and sports....
, MP since 2006 - Ronald van RaakRonald van RaakAntonius Adrianus Gerardus Maria van Raak is a Dutch politician, non-fiction writer and former academic. As a member of the Socialist Party he has been an MP since November 30, 2006. He focuses on matters of home affairs, Kingdom relations, the Dutch Royal House and general affairs...
, MP since 2006, before Senate member - Manja Smits, MP since 2010
- Paul UlenbeltPaul UlenbeltPaul Ulenbelt is a Dutch politician and former trade unionist and academic. As a member of the Socialist Party he has been an MP since November 30, 2006...
, MP since 2006 - Jan de Wit, MP since 1998, before Senate member
Members of the Senate
Development of the number of seats in the Senate, of the 75 available:- Election 1999 - 1
- Election 2003 - 4
- Election 2007 - 11 (previous 12)
- Election 2011Dutch Senate election, 2011The elections of the Dutch Senate of 2011 were held on 23 May 2011, following the provincial elections on 2 March 2011. The 566 members of the twelve States-Provincial elected the 75 Senate members...
- 8
After the 2011 elections the party has eight representatives in the Senate:
- Tiny KoxTiny KoxMartinus Josephus Maria Kox is a Dutch politician. As a member of the Socialist Party he has been a member of the Senate as well as Senate leader since June 10, 2003.- Biography :Kox studied law at Tilburg University...
, Senate group leaderParliamentary group leaderThe leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
since June 10, 2003 - Tuur Elzinga
- Nanneke Quik-Schuijt
- Geert ReutenGeert ReutenThaddeus Antonius Gerardus Maria Reuten is a Dutch politician and economist. On behalf of the Socialist Party since June 2007 he is a member of the First Chamber...
- Rob Ruers
- Tineke Slagter-Roukema
- Eric Smaling
- Arjan Vliegenthart
Members of the European Parliament
In the 1999 European Parliament electionsEuropean Parliament election, 1999 (Netherlands)
The European Parliament election of 1999 in the Netherlands was the election of MEP representing Netherlands constituency for the 1999-2004 term of the European Parliament. It was part of the wider 1999 European election. It was held on on June 10, 1999...
, the SP acquired one seat in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
:
- Erik Meijer
After the 2004 European Parliament elections
European Parliament election, 2004 (Netherlands)
The European Parliament election of 2004 in the Netherlands was the election of MEP representing Netherlands constituency for the 2004-2009 term of the European Parliament. It was part of the wider 2004 European election. It was held on on June 10, 2004....
the party had two representatives in the European Parliament:
- Erik Meijer
- Kartika LiotardKartika LiotardKartika Tamara Liotard is a Dutch politician and Member of the European Parliament...
After the 2009 European Parliament elections
European Parliament election, 2009 (Netherlands)
The European Parliament election of 2009 in the Netherlands was the election of the delegation from the Netherlands to the European Parliament in 2009 and took place on June 4, 2009. Seventeen parties competed in a D'Hondt type election for 25 seats...
the party has two representatives in the European Parliament:
- Dennis de JongDennis de JongDennis de Jong is a Dutch politician.- Life :De Jong studied law in Rotterdam. He worked for Netherlands government. Since 2009 De Jong is a member of European Parliament. De Jong is openly homosexual and lives together with Kees Vrijdag in Rotterdam.- External links :* -References:...
- Kartika LiotardKartika LiotardKartika Tamara Liotard is a Dutch politician and Member of the European Parliament...
(left SP in 2010)
SP is a member of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left
European United Left–Nordic Green Left
European United Left/Nordic Green Left is a left-wing political group with seats in the European Parliament since 1995.-Position:According to its 1994 constituent declaration, the group is opposed to the present European political structure, but committed to integration...
(GUE/NGL) group in the European Parliament. The party is not affiliated with the Party of the European Left
Party of the European Left
The Party of the European Left, commonly abbreviated to just the European Left, is a political party at European level and an association of democratic socialist and communist political parties in the European Union and other European countries. It was formed in January 2004 for the purposes of...
.
Local and provincial government
The SP provides no Queen's CommissionerQueen's Commissioner
The Queen's Commissioner is the head of a province in the Netherlands, who is chairman of both the Provinciale Staten and the Gedeputeerde Staten , but only has a right to vote in the latter...
s or mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
s. Dutch mayors and Queen's Commissioners are appointed by the Minister of the Interior; the SP opposes this procedure, and wants mayors to be elected by the municipal council
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
. The SP is only part of the provincial executive (Gedeputeerde staten
Gedeputeerde Staten
The gedeputeerde staten are the executive councillors of a Dutch province. Together with the Queen's Commissioner they form the College van Commissaris van de Koningin en Gedeputeerde Staten, which is the executive council of the province. States Deputed are elected by the States Provincial, the...
) of North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
(Jules Iding). The SP is also part of several municipal executives (College van burgemeester en wethouders
College van Burgemeester en Wethouders
The college van burgemeester en wethouders is the executive board of a municipality in the Netherlands. This local government body plays a central role in municipal politics in the Netherlands. It consists of the mayor and the members of the municipal executive...
), notably in Oss
Oss
Oss is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands, in the province of Noord Brabant.- Population centres :-Transportation:* Railway stations: Oss, Oss West, Ravenstein- The city of Oss :...
and Nijmegen.
Organisation
The SP has over 50,000 members and has grown considerably since it entered parliament in 1994 making it the third largest party in terms of its number of members.Organisational structure
The highest body within the SP is the party council, formed by the chairs of all local branches and the party board. It convenes at least four times a year. The party board is elected by the party congress, which is formed by delegates from the municipal branches. The congress decides on the order of the candidates for national and European elections and it has a final say over the party program.The official chair of the party board is Jan Marijnissen
Jan Marijnissen
Johannes Guillaume Christianus Andreas Marijnissen is a Dutch politician of the Socialist Party . He served as Parliamentary leader in House of Representatives May 5, 1994 until June 20, 2008...
, who also is chair of the parliamentary party. In the Netherlands it is traditional to separate these two offices. The real leader of the party's organisation is the general secretary
General secretary
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
. The party board further consists of regionally and nationally elected members and the head of the party's youth wing and the editor of the party's magazine.
The SP is sometimes criticised for its allegedly hierarchical
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
organisation. Critics claim not many things are decided within the national party, or even its local branches, without the consent of its leader Jan Marijnissen.
The SP remains a very active force in extra-parliamentary protest. Many of its members are active in local campaigning groups, often independent groups dominated by the SP, or in the SP neighbourhood centres, where the party provides help for the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
.
At one point, two Trotskyist
Trotskyism
Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Trotsky considered himself an orthodox Marxist and Bolshevik-Leninist, arguing for the establishment of a vanguard party of the working-class...
entryist groups operated within the SP, Offensief
Offensive (Netherlands)
Socialist Alternative is a Trotskyist organisation, member of the Committee for a Workers' International.Socialist Alternative was founded as Inter in 1977. The name was shortly after changed to Voorwaarts and from the early 1980's to 2010 it was called Offensief...
and International Socialists
International Socialists (Netherlands)
International Socialists is a revolutionary, Trotskyist organisation in the Netherlands. It is part of the International Socialist Tendency led by the British Socialist Workers Party.-Ideology:...
. The IS however was expelled on the grounds of double membership. The similar, but very small group Offensief was not considered a factor of power but its members were banned from the SP in February 2009, on the grounds of being "a party within a party". Members of the party Socialist Alternative Politics
Socialist Alternative Politics
The Socialist Alternative Politics is a socialist political party in the Netherlands without parliamentary representation...
still operate within the SP.
Linked organisations
The youthwing is called ROODROOD
ROOD: jong in de SP is a Dutch youth wing linked to the Socialist Party.-Ideals and policies:Rood's main goals are the promotion of a socialist society and promotion of its mother party and attempts to attract new people into it.- Organisation :Formally, ROOD has been a vereniging since 2003 with...
, jong in de SP (English: RED, Youth within the SP; the word rood is officially written in capitals, but is not an acronym).
The SP publishes the magazine the Tribune monthly (which was also the name of a historical Communist Party of the Netherlands
Communist Party of the Netherlands
The Communist Party of the Netherlands was a Dutch communist political party. The CPN is one of the predecessors of the GreenLeft.- Foundation :...
newspaper).
Relationships to other parties
The Socialist Party has always been in opposition. On many issues, the SP is the most left-wing party in parliament. Between 1994 and 2002 the Labour PartyLabour Party (Netherlands)
The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
(PvdA) had a conscious strategy to isolate the party, always voting against the latter's proposals. The party however did co-operate well with GreenLeft
GreenLeft
GreenLeft is a green political party operating in the Netherlands.GreenLeft was formed on 1 March 1989 as a merger of four left-wing political parties: the Communist Party of the Netherlands, Pacifist Socialist Party, the Political Party of Radicals and the Evangelical People's Party...
. After the PvdA's disastrous election result in 2002, the Labour Party, now back in opposition, did co-operate with the SP, against some of the policies of the centerright-wing Balkenende government, and their relationship improved significantly. New tensions arose however after the elections of 2006, when the SP approached the PvdA in electoral support, and the PvdA joined the government, whereas the SP did not.
External links
- Socialist Party web site in English
- speech by SP leader Jan Marijnissen at the congress of the Socialist Left Party of Norway, which gives an overview of the SP's history and policies (March 24, 2007).
Further reading
SP publications in English- Jan Marijnissen & Karel Glastra van Loon, "The Last War of the 20th Century: Discussions on the new world order" (On the threshold of the new millennium, Jan Marijnissen en Karel Glastra van Loon spoke with prominent experts in the area of peace and security, both within the Netherlands and abroad.)
- Jan Marijnissen , "Enough!: a socialist bites back" (SP-chairman Jan Marijnissen summarises and internationalises his opposition against the ideological mainstream in today's politics throughout the world. Neoliberalism, argues Marijnissen, causes the return of 19th century social and democratic circumstances. Who does not agree, has the duty to stand up and say: enough!)
- Harry van Bommel & Niels de Heij, "A Better Europe Starts Now" (European cooperation has already brought us many benefits, for example in the areas of human rights and of our prosperity. That does not mean that it is always good or that cooperation in all areas offers added value. The outcome of the referendum on the European Constitution demonstrated that a clear majority holds the European Union as it is now in little esteem, and that there was a need for a broad social discussion over Europe and the role of the Netherlands within it. This paper is intended to contribute to such a debate by making proposals for a more democratic, slimmed down, balanced and affordable EU, as well as a fruitful European agricultural policy.)
- Anja Meulenbelt & Harry van Bommel, "The promised land, the stolen land". (March 2007) (A summary of the study by Anja Meulenbelt and Harry van Bommel).