Table A1.

Overview of Dutch political parties

Party nameAbbreviationParty familyLeft vs. RightRemarks
Labor PartyPvdASocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1946; currently active
Socialist PartySPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1971; currently active
Democratic Socialists ’70DS70Socialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1970; disbanded in 1983
Communist Party of the NetherlandsCNPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1901; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
Pacifist Socialist PartyPSPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1957; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
GreenLeftGLGreenLeft4 parties (PPR; CNP; PSP; EVP); entered the 1989 elections as a collective and merged in 1990; currently active
Party for the AnimalsPvdDGreenLeftFounded in 2002; currently active
Catholic People’s PartyKVPChristianCenterFounded in 1945; merged into CDA in 1980
Christian Democratic AppealCDAChristianCenterFounded in 1980 out of merge between KVP, ARP, and CHU; currently active
Reformed Political PartySGPChristianRightFounded in 1918; currently active
Christian Historical UnionCHUChristianRightFounded in 1908; merged into CDA in 1980
Christian UnionCUChristianCenterFounded in 2000 out of merge between RPF and GPV; currently active
Reformed Political LeagueGPVChristianCenterFounded in 1948; merged into CU in 2000
Political Party of RadicalsPPRChristianLeftFounded in 1968; merged into GL
Reformatory Political FederationRPFChristianCenterFounded in 1975; merged into CU in 2000
Anti-Revolutionary PartyARPChristianRightFounded in 1879; merged into CDA in 1980
Evangelic People’s PartyEVPChristianCenter/LeftFounded in 1980; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
People’s Party for Freedom and DemocracyVVDLiberalRightFounded in 1948; currently active
Democrats 66D66LiberalCenterFounded in 1966; currently active
Party for FreedomPVVRadical rightRightFounded in 2006; split from VVD; currently active
Forum for DemocracyFvDRadical rightRightFounded in 2016; currently active
Pim Fortuyn ListLPFRadical rightRightFounded in 2002; disbanded in 2008
Livable NetherlandsLNRadical rightRightFounded in 1999; disbanded in 2007
Right Answer 2021JA21Radical rightRightFounded in 2020; split from FvD; only in DPES sample (voters)
Centre PartyRadical rightRightFounded in 1980; disbanded in 1986; not included in party/voter samples
Centre DemocratsCDRadical rightRightFounded in 1984; disbanded in 2002; not included in party/voter samples
General Senior Citizens’ AssociationAOVOtherFounded in 1993; disbanded in 2001; not included in party/voter samples
Union 55+OtherFounded in 1992; disbanded in 1999; not included in party/voter samples
“Together”Bij1OtherFounded in 2016; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
50Plus50+OtherFounded in 2011; currently active
VoltOtherFounded in 2018; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
Farmer Citizen MovementBBBOtherFounded in 2019; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
DENKDENKOtherFounded in 2015; split from PvdA; currently active
Party nameAbbreviationParty familyLeft vs. RightRemarks
Labor PartyPvdASocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1946; currently active
Socialist PartySPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1971; currently active
Democratic Socialists ’70DS70Socialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1970; disbanded in 1983
Communist Party of the NetherlandsCNPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1901; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
Pacifist Socialist PartyPSPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1957; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
GreenLeftGLGreenLeft4 parties (PPR; CNP; PSP; EVP); entered the 1989 elections as a collective and merged in 1990; currently active
Party for the AnimalsPvdDGreenLeftFounded in 2002; currently active
Catholic People’s PartyKVPChristianCenterFounded in 1945; merged into CDA in 1980
Christian Democratic AppealCDAChristianCenterFounded in 1980 out of merge between KVP, ARP, and CHU; currently active
Reformed Political PartySGPChristianRightFounded in 1918; currently active
Christian Historical UnionCHUChristianRightFounded in 1908; merged into CDA in 1980
Christian UnionCUChristianCenterFounded in 2000 out of merge between RPF and GPV; currently active
Reformed Political LeagueGPVChristianCenterFounded in 1948; merged into CU in 2000
Political Party of RadicalsPPRChristianLeftFounded in 1968; merged into GL
Reformatory Political FederationRPFChristianCenterFounded in 1975; merged into CU in 2000
Anti-Revolutionary PartyARPChristianRightFounded in 1879; merged into CDA in 1980
Evangelic People’s PartyEVPChristianCenter/LeftFounded in 1980; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
People’s Party for Freedom and DemocracyVVDLiberalRightFounded in 1948; currently active
Democrats 66D66LiberalCenterFounded in 1966; currently active
Party for FreedomPVVRadical rightRightFounded in 2006; split from VVD; currently active
Forum for DemocracyFvDRadical rightRightFounded in 2016; currently active
Pim Fortuyn ListLPFRadical rightRightFounded in 2002; disbanded in 2008
Livable NetherlandsLNRadical rightRightFounded in 1999; disbanded in 2007
Right Answer 2021JA21Radical rightRightFounded in 2020; split from FvD; only in DPES sample (voters)
Centre PartyRadical rightRightFounded in 1980; disbanded in 1986; not included in party/voter samples
Centre DemocratsCDRadical rightRightFounded in 1984; disbanded in 2002; not included in party/voter samples
General Senior Citizens’ AssociationAOVOtherFounded in 1993; disbanded in 2001; not included in party/voter samples
Union 55+OtherFounded in 1992; disbanded in 1999; not included in party/voter samples
“Together”Bij1OtherFounded in 2016; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
50Plus50+OtherFounded in 2011; currently active
VoltOtherFounded in 2018; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
Farmer Citizen MovementBBBOtherFounded in 2019; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
DENKDENKOtherFounded in 2015; split from PvdA; currently active

Note: This table gives an overview of the (former) political parties in the Netherlands. We have aimed to include all political parties that have been elected into parliament at some point between 1970 and 2021. We also indicated whether they are included in the Manifesto Project Database sample and/or in the Dutch Parliamentary Election Studies sample. The column ‘Party family’ indicates to which party family the party belongs. This classification is based on Andeweg et al. (2020). Unlike these authors, we refer to Christian parties and not Christian democratic parties. We also included the Party for the Animals in the greens and not in the ‘other’ category. The column “Left vs. Right” indicates whether the party can be classified as left, center, or right. This classification is based on the guidelines used by Armingeon et al. (2023). We have not classified parties that do not clearly belong to a party family.

Table A1.

Overview of Dutch political parties

Party nameAbbreviationParty familyLeft vs. RightRemarks
Labor PartyPvdASocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1946; currently active
Socialist PartySPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1971; currently active
Democratic Socialists ’70DS70Socialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1970; disbanded in 1983
Communist Party of the NetherlandsCNPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1901; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
Pacifist Socialist PartyPSPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1957; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
GreenLeftGLGreenLeft4 parties (PPR; CNP; PSP; EVP); entered the 1989 elections as a collective and merged in 1990; currently active
Party for the AnimalsPvdDGreenLeftFounded in 2002; currently active
Catholic People’s PartyKVPChristianCenterFounded in 1945; merged into CDA in 1980
Christian Democratic AppealCDAChristianCenterFounded in 1980 out of merge between KVP, ARP, and CHU; currently active
Reformed Political PartySGPChristianRightFounded in 1918; currently active
Christian Historical UnionCHUChristianRightFounded in 1908; merged into CDA in 1980
Christian UnionCUChristianCenterFounded in 2000 out of merge between RPF and GPV; currently active
Reformed Political LeagueGPVChristianCenterFounded in 1948; merged into CU in 2000
Political Party of RadicalsPPRChristianLeftFounded in 1968; merged into GL
Reformatory Political FederationRPFChristianCenterFounded in 1975; merged into CU in 2000
Anti-Revolutionary PartyARPChristianRightFounded in 1879; merged into CDA in 1980
Evangelic People’s PartyEVPChristianCenter/LeftFounded in 1980; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
People’s Party for Freedom and DemocracyVVDLiberalRightFounded in 1948; currently active
Democrats 66D66LiberalCenterFounded in 1966; currently active
Party for FreedomPVVRadical rightRightFounded in 2006; split from VVD; currently active
Forum for DemocracyFvDRadical rightRightFounded in 2016; currently active
Pim Fortuyn ListLPFRadical rightRightFounded in 2002; disbanded in 2008
Livable NetherlandsLNRadical rightRightFounded in 1999; disbanded in 2007
Right Answer 2021JA21Radical rightRightFounded in 2020; split from FvD; only in DPES sample (voters)
Centre PartyRadical rightRightFounded in 1980; disbanded in 1986; not included in party/voter samples
Centre DemocratsCDRadical rightRightFounded in 1984; disbanded in 2002; not included in party/voter samples
General Senior Citizens’ AssociationAOVOtherFounded in 1993; disbanded in 2001; not included in party/voter samples
Union 55+OtherFounded in 1992; disbanded in 1999; not included in party/voter samples
“Together”Bij1OtherFounded in 2016; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
50Plus50+OtherFounded in 2011; currently active
VoltOtherFounded in 2018; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
Farmer Citizen MovementBBBOtherFounded in 2019; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
DENKDENKOtherFounded in 2015; split from PvdA; currently active
Party nameAbbreviationParty familyLeft vs. RightRemarks
Labor PartyPvdASocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1946; currently active
Socialist PartySPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1971; currently active
Democratic Socialists ’70DS70Socialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1970; disbanded in 1983
Communist Party of the NetherlandsCNPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1901; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
Pacifist Socialist PartyPSPSocialist and social democraticLeftFounded in 1957; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
GreenLeftGLGreenLeft4 parties (PPR; CNP; PSP; EVP); entered the 1989 elections as a collective and merged in 1990; currently active
Party for the AnimalsPvdDGreenLeftFounded in 2002; currently active
Catholic People’s PartyKVPChristianCenterFounded in 1945; merged into CDA in 1980
Christian Democratic AppealCDAChristianCenterFounded in 1980 out of merge between KVP, ARP, and CHU; currently active
Reformed Political PartySGPChristianRightFounded in 1918; currently active
Christian Historical UnionCHUChristianRightFounded in 1908; merged into CDA in 1980
Christian UnionCUChristianCenterFounded in 2000 out of merge between RPF and GPV; currently active
Reformed Political LeagueGPVChristianCenterFounded in 1948; merged into CU in 2000
Political Party of RadicalsPPRChristianLeftFounded in 1968; merged into GL
Reformatory Political FederationRPFChristianCenterFounded in 1975; merged into CU in 2000
Anti-Revolutionary PartyARPChristianRightFounded in 1879; merged into CDA in 1980
Evangelic People’s PartyEVPChristianCenter/LeftFounded in 1980; merged into GL in 1990; not included in party/voter samples
People’s Party for Freedom and DemocracyVVDLiberalRightFounded in 1948; currently active
Democrats 66D66LiberalCenterFounded in 1966; currently active
Party for FreedomPVVRadical rightRightFounded in 2006; split from VVD; currently active
Forum for DemocracyFvDRadical rightRightFounded in 2016; currently active
Pim Fortuyn ListLPFRadical rightRightFounded in 2002; disbanded in 2008
Livable NetherlandsLNRadical rightRightFounded in 1999; disbanded in 2007
Right Answer 2021JA21Radical rightRightFounded in 2020; split from FvD; only in DPES sample (voters)
Centre PartyRadical rightRightFounded in 1980; disbanded in 1986; not included in party/voter samples
Centre DemocratsCDRadical rightRightFounded in 1984; disbanded in 2002; not included in party/voter samples
General Senior Citizens’ AssociationAOVOtherFounded in 1993; disbanded in 2001; not included in party/voter samples
Union 55+OtherFounded in 1992; disbanded in 1999; not included in party/voter samples
“Together”Bij1OtherFounded in 2016; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
50Plus50+OtherFounded in 2011; currently active
VoltOtherFounded in 2018; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
Farmer Citizen MovementBBBOtherFounded in 2019; currently active; not included in party/voter samples
DENKDENKOtherFounded in 2015; split from PvdA; currently active

Note: This table gives an overview of the (former) political parties in the Netherlands. We have aimed to include all political parties that have been elected into parliament at some point between 1970 and 2021. We also indicated whether they are included in the Manifesto Project Database sample and/or in the Dutch Parliamentary Election Studies sample. The column ‘Party family’ indicates to which party family the party belongs. This classification is based on Andeweg et al. (2020). Unlike these authors, we refer to Christian parties and not Christian democratic parties. We also included the Party for the Animals in the greens and not in the ‘other’ category. The column “Left vs. Right” indicates whether the party can be classified as left, center, or right. This classification is based on the guidelines used by Armingeon et al. (2023). We have not classified parties that do not clearly belong to a party family.

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