| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Staten-Generaal / States General |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal / House of Representatives |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal / Senate
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
15 March 2017 |
| Purpose of elections |
The 2017 elections returned an even more fragmented House of Representatives than in the previous legislature: 13 parties, up from 11 previously, entered the House of Representatives, the highest number of parties since 1972 (14 parties). Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) remained the largest party, but reduced its share from 41 seats to 33. VVD's coalition partner, the Labour Party (PvdA), lost nearly 30 seats, taking nine. The Party for Freedom (PVV), led by Mr. Geert Wilders, became the second largest party in the House, winning five more seats than in the previous elections. Green Left led by Mr. Jesse Klaver nearly quadrupled its share, taking 14 seats.
Immigration and integration dominated the 2017 election campaigning. Mr. Wilders pledged to withdraw the Netherlands from the EU, and close Dutch borders. Prime Minister Rutte urged voters to stop "the wrong sort of populism". 81.93% of 12.9 million voters went to the polls. This was the highest turnout since the 1986 elections (85.82%).
On 15 May, chief negotiator of the coalition talks, Ms. Edith Schippers, announced the negotiations involving four parties - the VVD, the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA, led by Mr. Sybrand Buma), the Democrats 66 (D66, led by Mr. Alexander Pechtold) and the Green Left (led by Mr. Jesse Klaver) - had reached stalemate over the issue of migration.
|
Date of previous elections: 12 September 2012
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 23 March 2017
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry*
*The duration of the term of the House is 4 years. However, in accordance with sections C1, C2 and C3 of the Electoral Act (Kieswet), members of the House of Representatives shall always retire in the period between 23 and 29 March. The outgoing legislature, elected September 2012, was thus dissolved on 23 March 2017 instead of September 2016.
Expected date of next elections: March 2021
Number of seats at stake: 150 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: 1,114 (721 men, 393 women)
Percentage of women candidates: 35.3%
Number of parties contesting the election: 28
Number of parties winning seats: 13
Alternation of power: No
Number of parties in government: 4
Names of parties in government: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Democrats 66 (D66), Christian Union
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 29 March 2017
Name of the new Speaker: Ms. Khadija Arib (Labour Party, PvdA) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 15 March 2017 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
12'893'466
10'563'456 (81.93%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Party for Freedom (PVV) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Democrats 66 (D66) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Green Left |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Socialist Party (SP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Labour Party (PvdA) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Christian Union |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Party for the Animals (PvdD) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Party for the over 50 (50Plus) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Reformed Political Party (SGP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| DENK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Forum for Democracy (FvD) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) |
33
|
|
|
|
|
| Party for Freedom (PVV) |
20
|
|
|
|
|
| Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) |
19
|
|
|
|
|
| Democrats 66 (D66) |
19
|
|
|
|
|
| Green Left |
14
|
|
|
|
|
| Socialist Party (SP) |
14
|
|
|
|
|
| Labour Party (PvdA) |
9
|
|
|
|
|
| Christian Union |
5
|
|
|
|
|
| Party for the Animals (PvdD) |
5
|
|
|
|
|
| Party for the over 50 (50Plus) |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Reformed Political Party (SGP) |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| DENK |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| Forum for Democracy (FvD) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
96
54
36.00%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
https://english.kiesraad.nl/latest-news/news/2017/03/20/official-results-of-the-elections-to-the-house-of-representatives-on-15-march-2017
https://www.kiesraad.nl/actueel/nieuws/2017/02/03/partijen-nemen-deel-aan-tweede-kamerverkiezing-2017
http://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/doc/oee/oee-1697-en.pdf
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39297355
http://www.dw.com/en/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-dutch-election/a-37811574
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/15/dutch-prime-minister-calls-stand-against-populism-netherlands/
https://www.reuters.com/ |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
