GroenLinks–PvdA
AbbreviationGL/PvdA
Leader in the House of Representatives[1]Frans Timmermans
Leader in the SenatePaul Rosenmöller
IdeologySocial democracy
Green politics
Republicanism[2][3]
Political positionCentre-left[4] to left-wing[5]
Regional affiliationSGD/SVD[6]
Member parties
Colours  Red
  Green
House of Representatives
25 / 150
Senate
14 / 75
Provincial councils[lower-alpha 1]
15 / 548
Municipal Councils[lower-alpha 2]
149 / 7,991
Benelux Parliament
3 / 21
Website
groenlinkspvda.nl

GroenLinks–PvdA (Dutch: [ɣrunˈlɪŋks ˌpeːveːdeːˈjaː]), alternatively PvdA–GroenLinks, or GreenLeft–Labour in English, is an alliance between GroenLinks (GL) and the Labour Party (PvdA) in the Netherlands. The political alliance was founded at the national level by party leaders Lilianne Ploumen and Jesse Klaver during the 2021–2022 Dutch cabinet formation, whereas local alliances between the two parties had already been formed in prior years. The two parties formed a joint parliamentary group in the Provincial Council of Zeeland in 29 March 2023, then formed a joint group in the Senate following the 2023 Dutch Senate election, and formed a joint group in the House of Representatives on 27 October 2023.[7]

Following the collapse of the fourth Rutte cabinet in July 2023, the leaders of PvdA (Attje Kuiken) and GL (Jesse Klaver) announced their intention to contest the 2023 Dutch general election as an alliance.[8][9] Members of both PvdA and GroenLinks voted in favour of the proposal, and confirmed Frans Timmermans as lead candidate in August.[10]

History

Logos used by the GL/PvdA alliances in the municipalities of Best and Stede Broec

Informal cooperations

Prior to the formation of a national alliance, the Labour Party (PvdA) and GroenLinks (GL) had already formed local alliances in some municipalities; in the 2022 municipal elections, the two parties participated with a joint list in 50 local municipalities.[11] In addition, they had formed electoral alliances (Dutch: lijstverbindingen) in multiple national elections, such as the 2009 European Parliament election and the 2010 general election.[12]

The concept behind the alliance

The idea of a possible merger of centre-left parties in the Netherlands, including the PvdA and GL, is not a new idea. As early as 2004, Job Cohen, then mayor of Amsterdam and later PvdA national leader, called for a merger of the PvdA, GL and Socialist Party (SP), suggesting "Progressive People's Party" as possible name.[13] That name refers to an even earlier proposal with the same name that was discussed in the 1970s of the PvdA, Democrats 66 (D66) and the Political Party of Radicals (PPR), one of GL's forerunners, to merge into a single party. This, however, never materialised.

Following the heavy defeat of the PvdA in the 2017 general election, in which the party went from 25 per cent to less than six per cent of the vote, discussions about a possible merger began to rise again. With this electoral demise, the left-of-centre political landscape in the Netherlands - including D66, GL, SP, the Party for the Animals (PvdD), Christian Union (CU), Volt Netherlands, DENK and BIJ1 - fragmented. In both the 2017 and 2021 general elections, there was no left-leaning party big enough to be the main contender to Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from the left. Many left-leaning voters in the Netherlands have a habit of voting tactically for the largest left-leaning force in an attempt to prevent a right-leaning party from becoming the largest party.[14] Examples of this are the 2012 and 2003 general elections when voters from other left-leaning parties flocked to the Labour Party.

When the PvdA and GL received a disappointing election result in the 2021 general election (5.7 per cent and 5.0 per cent respectively), calls for a merger increased. In the first week after the elections, members from both parties founded the movement Red-Green (Dutch: Rood-Groen) led by Frank van de Wolde calling for more cooperation between the two parties and an eventual merger. This movement has tabled motions in multiple party member meetings of both the PvdA and GL that pushed the parties towards a deeper cooperation. A list of these motions can be found below, together with the other membership votes.

2021–2022 cabinet formation

During the 2021–2022 cabinet formation, Lilianne Ploumen (PvdA) and Jesse Klaver (GL) indicated that they only wanted to join a coalition government if the other party also joined, thereby forming an alliance in the negotiations.[15] In August 2021, PvdA members passed multiple motions tabled by the Red-Green movement that forced the party to not enter government without GL and further steps to strengthen the cooperation.[16] People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) leader Mark Rutte strongly opposed forming a coalition with both the PvdA and GL, and referred to the alliance as a 'left-wing cloud' (Dutch: linkse wolk).[17] Following their exclusion from the fourth Rutte cabinet, the Labour Party and GroenLinks decided to intensify co-operation as opposition parties.[18]

GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver (right) and lead candidate for the Senate Paul Rosenmöller (left), and Labour Party leader Attje Kuiken and lead candidate for the Senate Mei Li Vos (centre) in 2023

2023 provincial and Senate elections

The PvdA and GL participated in the 2023 provincial elections separately, but formed a joint list in Zeeland.[19] After the 2023 Senate election, in which the members of the Senate were elected by the members of the provincial councils and electoral colleges, the two parties formed a joint group in the senate.[20] With fourteen seats, the PvdA–GroenLinks group became the second-largest senate group behind the Farmer–Citizen Movement.[21]

2023 general election

Following the collapse of the fourth Rutte cabinet on 7 July 2023, PvdA leader Attje Kuiken and GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver announced their intention to contest the 2023 Dutch general election, to be held on 22 November, with a joint electoral list and lead candidate. From 10 to 17 July 2023, both parties held an internal referendum on this proposal.[8][9] Approximately 88% of PvdA members and 92% of GL members voted in favour of participating in the election with a joint GL/PvdA list.[10]

Three days later, former foreign minister Frans Timmermans (PvdA) declared his intention to become lead candidate for the alliance.[22] His candidacy was met with widespread approval from both parties.[23] On 22 August 2023, during a joint GroenLinks–PvdA party meeting, Timmermans was confirmed as lead candidate with 92 percent of the vote.[24] He resigned from his posts at the European Commission on the same day.[25]

Possible merger

There has been an ongoing discussion about a possible merger of the two parties into a single party. Proponents – including former Labour Party leaders Job Cohen and Diederik Samsom and Labour Party prominent and former health minister Hedy d'Ancona, and GroenLinks prominents Bram van Ojik, Andrée van Es and Bas de Gaay Fortman – have shown support for a merger by becoming a member of each other's party.[26] They have also founded the activist group 'RedGreen' (Dutch: RoodGroen) to advocate for the creation of a "strong, leftist movement" for "social, green and righteous politics".[26][27] Opponents, on the other hand, have expressed concern for the "ideological dilution" and possible loss of electorate as a consequence of the parties' merger.[28]

Internal referendums and motions

Votes among Labour Party members
Date Decision In favour Against
28 August 2021[29] The party board should intensify the talks with other left-wing parties and organizations, and present the results to the party congress. 92.8% 8.2%
The Labour Party should form a joint parliamentary group with GroenLinks during and after the government talks. 45.5% 54.5%
The Labour Party should construct a joint negotiation team with GroenLinks in the government talks of 2021 90.3% 9.7%
The Labour Party should investigate a merger of its parliamentary group with that of GroenLinks 76.8% 23.2%
Declaration that in addition to cooperation with GroenLinks, there is no question of a merger, not even in the long term. 18.9% 81.1%
The parliamentary group should not merge with other parties in a post-election phase. 16.5% 83.5%
Substantial commitment together with the GroenLinks faction 91.0% 9.0%
11 June 2022 GroenLinks and Labour Party form a joint group in the Senate 77% 23%
GroenLinks and Labour Party should, besides a joint group in the Senate, also run on a joint list in the Senate election of 2023 58% 42%
8 October 2022[30] GroenLinks and Labour Party should hold discussions with members about a possible joint political programme/manifesto 84.7% 15.3%
4 February 2023 Labour Party members are allowed to become a member of GroenLinks as well while keeping their Labour Party membership 76% 24%
Joint campaign in the European Parliament elections of 2024 with the Labour Party and a joint electoral programme 87% 13%
A referendum must be held among all members for the next general elections whether to run on a joint list with the Labour Party 83% 17%
10–17 July 2023 GroenLinks and the Labour Party should run on a joint list in the upcoming snap general elections 87.9% 12.1%
Votes among GroenLinks members[31]
Date Decision In favour Against
12 February 2022 Cooperation with PvdA on local level 38.3% 61.7%
Learning from local cooperation 85.2% 14.8%
Cooperation with left-wing parties more than just with PvdA 78.9% 21.1%
Investigate a joint parliamentary group of GroenLinks and Labour Party 57.6% 42.4%
Continue the cooperation between GroenLinks and Labour Party 69.7% 30.3%
4-11 June 2022 GroenLinks and Labour Party form a joint group in the Senate 80% 20%
4 February 2023 GroenLinks members are allowed to become a member of the Labour Party as well while keeping their GroenLinks membership 81.8% 18.2
Joint campaign in the European Parliament elections of 2024 with the Labour Party and a joint electoral programme 77.9% 22.1%
A referendum must be held among all members for the next general elections whether to run on a joint list with the Labour Party 83.1% 16.9%
10–17 July 2023 GroenLinks and the Labour Party should run on a joint list in the upcoming snap general elections 91.8% 8.2%

Electoral results

House of Representatives

Election Lead candidate Votes  % Seats +/– Government
2023 Frans Timmermans 1,643,073 15.75 (#2)
25 / 150
 Increase 8[lower-alpha 3] TBD

Provincial elections

Year Provincial Council
Province Votes % Seats +/−
2023 Zeeland 24,514 13.4
6 / 39
 New

Local alliances

Dissolved local alliances

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ South Holland (9) and Zeeland (6)
  2. ↑ Not counting seats in municipalities where the parties ran on separate lists (Groenlinks 522 seats, PvdA 706 seats)
  3. ↑ Compared to the totals of PvdA and GroenLinks in 2021.

References

  1. ↑ "GroenLinks-PvdA (GL-PvdA)". Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  2. ↑ "PvdA en GroenLinks kiezen voor samenwerking: "Links, groen en progressief geluid"". Omrop Fryslân (in Dutch). 17 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  3. ↑ "Leden GL/PvdA willen koningshuis afschaffen: 'Verouderd systeem'"". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 14 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  4. ↑ "EU climate czar Frans Timmermans quits job to lead center-left coalition in Dutch elections". Associated Press News. 22 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Dutch far-right candidate Baudet assaulted two days before election". Euractiv.com. Euractiv.com with Reuters. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023. The left-wing GroenLinks/PvdA alliance is on 23, down one on last week's poll.
  6. ↑ "Politieke fracties". Benelux Parliament (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "GroenLinks-PvdA (GL-PvdA)". Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Inside info uit 'linkse wolk'". Twitter. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  9. 1 2 Winterman, Peter (9 July 2023). "PvdA en GL willen met één lijst verkiezingen in, lijsttrekker nog onbekend". Telegraaf.
  10. 1 2 "Left-wing parties PvdA and GroenLinks vote to team up for November election | NL Times". NL Times. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  11. ↑ Julen, Jeannine; Markus, Niels (10 March 2022). "PvdA en GroenLinks trekken lokaal vaak samen op, maar die liefde is vooral uit noodzaak geboren". Trouw (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "Lijstverbinding PvdA en GroenLinks". GroenLinks (in Dutch). 25 April 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  13. ↑ "Cohen pleit voor één progressieve volkspartij". NU.nl. 17 March 2004.
  14. ↑ "Ruim kwart stemde strategisch". 13 September 2012.
  15. ↑ "No breakthrough in cabinet formation talks; "Definitive conclusions" Wednesday". NL Times. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  16. ↑ "Linkse samenwerking: PvdA en GroenLinks". PvdA (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  17. ↑ Boersema, Wendelmoet (1 June 2021). "Paars-groen, rechts haakt aan of links laat los: zo staat de formatie ervoor". Trouw (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  18. ↑ Darroch, Gordon (1 September 2021). "Minority coalition looms after Rutte swipes left on PvdA-GL pact". DutchNews.nl. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  19. ↑ Kieskamp, Wilma (3 September 2022). "Geen gezamenlijke PvdA-GroenLinks-kandidatenlijst voor de Eerste Kamer, wel samen in een fractie". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  20. ↑ "Grote stap voor PvdA, GroenLinks: verder samen in Eerste Kamer". NOS (in Dutch). 11 June 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  21. ↑ "Nieuwe Eerste Kamer: coalitie heeft ook met PvdA/GL meerderheid, BBB grootste". NOS (in Dutch). 30 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  22. ↑ Toby Sterling and Kate Abnett (20 July 2023), EU climate chief Timmermans to run in Dutch election Reuters.
  23. ↑ "Kopstukken PvdA en GroenLinks steunen kandidatuur Timmermans". NOS (in Dutch). 20 July 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  24. ↑ "Frans Timmermans nu officieel lijsttrekker PvdA/GL". De Telegraaf. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  25. ↑ "Executive Vice-President Timmermans resigns; Vice-President Šefčovič will take over his duties". European Commission. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  26. 1 2 "Prominente PvdA'ers en GroenLinksers ondanks regels al lid van elkaars partij". NOS (in Dutch). 31 January 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  27. ↑ "Over dit initiatief". RoodGroen (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  28. ↑ Bhikhie, Avinash (3 June 2022). "Tegenkamp binnen PvdA en GroenLinks roert zich: 'Fusieproces dreigt de partij te verscheuren'". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 3 June 2022.
  29. ↑ PvdA (28 August 2021). Politieke Ledenraad 28 augustus 2021 [Political Members Council 28 August 2021] (Motion picture) (in Dutch). Event occurs at 2:12:25–2:23:48. Retrieved 13 July 2023 – via YouTube.
  30. ↑ PvdA (8 October 2022). Politieke Ledenraad 2022 [Political Members Council 2022] (Motion picture) (in Dutch). Event occurs at 2:08:29. Retrieved 13 July 2023 – via YouTube.
  31. ↑ "Alles over Linkse Samenwerking". GroenLinks (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  32. ↑ Oever, Evi van den (3 April 2013). "PvdA en GroenLinks Geldrop-Mierlo niet samen verder". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  33. ↑ "Onze afdeling". GroenLinks Bodegraven-Reeuwijk (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  34. ↑ "Samenwerking PvdA-GroenLinks, ook in Berg en Dal?". PvdA Berg en Dal (in Dutch). 23 February 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  35. ↑ Groeneveld, Brigit (16 March 2021). "Breuk in fractie PvdA/GroenLinks Zaltbommel". Brabants Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  36. ↑ Selles, Jaap (20 December 2021). "Teleurgesteld GroenLinks breekt na 16 jaar met PvdA in Zeewolde na beslissende stem vóór datacenter". De Stentor (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 March 2023.
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