People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

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This text is part of the Liberalism series (III)

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The Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD), literally people's party for freedom and democracy, is a free market liberal party in the Netherlands. It is currently the third largest political party in the Netherlands.

The party was the only member of the "purple cabinets" led by Wim Kok to remain in power in Balkenende's cabinet in 2002, despite a large reduction in its representation in the Tweede Kamer (lower house of parliament). The party was founded on January 24, 1948, following in the tradition of the liberal parties Liberale Staatspartij (LSP) and Partij van de Vrijheid (PvdV).

On September 2nd, 2004, VVD MP Geert Wilders left the party after a dispute with chairman Van Aartsen. He has chosen to continue as a one-man's party (in Dutch, eenmans fractie) in the Tweede Kamer. The current coalition (CDA, VVD and D66, now lead with a majority of two seats in the parliament.

Seats in parliament

Development of the number of seats in the Tweede Kamer, of the 150 total:

• 1948 - 8
• 1952 - 9
• 1956 - 13
• 1959 - 19 (represented in cabinet of Jan de Quay)
• 1963 - 16 (represented in cabinet of Victor Marijnen)
• 1967 - 17 (represented in cabinet of Piet de Jong)
• 1971 - 16 (represented in first and second Biesheuvel cabinet)
• 1972 - 22
• 1977 - 28 (represented in first cabinet of Andreas van Agt)
• 1981 - 26
• 1982 - 36 (represented in first cabinet of Ruud Lubbers)
• 1986 - 27 (represented in second cabinet of Ruud Lubbers)
• 1989 - 22
• 1994 - 31 (represented in first cabinet of Wim Kok)
• 1998 - 38 (represented in second cabinet of Wim Kok)
• 2002 - 24 (represented in first Balkenende cabinet)
• 2003 - 28 (represented in second Balkenende cabinet)

Figureheads Tweede Kamer elections

The figurehead (in Dutch, lijsttrekker) is the first candidate on a party's candidate list. The figurehead is chosen by a party as its chief representative for a given election. The leaders of candidate lists for Tweede Kamer elections were as follows;

• 1948 - Pieter Oud
• 1952 - Pieter Oud
• 1956 - Pieter Oud
• 1959 - Pieter Oud
• 1963 - Edzo Toxopeus
• 1967 - Edzo Toxopeus
• 1971 - Willem Geertsema
• 1972 - Hans Wiegel
• 1977 - Hans Wiegel
• 1981 - Hans Wiegel
• 1982 - Ed Nijpels
• 1986 - Ed Nijpels
• 1989 - Joris Voorhoeve
• 1994 - Frits Bolkestein
• 1998 - Frits Bolkestein
• 2002 - Hans Dijkstal
• 2003 - Gerrit Zalm

See also

• Politics of the Netherlands
• Political parties of the Netherlands
• Timeline of liberal parties in the Netherlands