Socialist Party (Netherlands)

The Socialist Party (SP, Dutch: Socialistische Partij) is a Dutch socialist political party.

Party History

Foundation until 1994

The Socialist Party was founded in October 1971 as a Maoist party named 'Communist Party of the Netherlands (Marxist-Leninist)' (Dutch: Kommunistische Partij Nederland (Marxistisch-Leninistisch), KPN(ml)). This KPN(ml) was formed following a split from the Communist Unity Movement of the Netherlands (marxist-leninist) (Dutch: Kommunistische Eenheidsbeweging Nederland KEN(ml)). 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), led by Daan Monjé, 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 the Socialist Party. In its early years, the Maoist SP had close links with the Communist Party of China.

The SP started to build an impressive network of local parties, with strong local roots. The SP had its own General practitioners' offices, provided advice to citizens and set up local action groups. It developed work within front organisations, for example a separate union called 'Arbeidersmacht' (English: Workers' Power), a separate environmental organisation Milieu Aktie Centrum Nederland (English: Netherlands Environment Action Centre) and its own association of tenants de Bond van Huurders en Woningzoekenden (English: League of Tenants and Seekers of Housing, BHW). Arbeidersmacht and BHW had been founded as KEN(ml) fronts, but taken over by KPN(ml) at the time of the 1971 split. This work resulted in strong representation in several municipal legislatives, Gemeenteraad, notably Oss and provincial legislatives Provinciale Staten, notably Noord-Brabant.

The SP practises politics close to the people, especially to the working classes. This led to controversial publications. The booklet "Gastarbeid en Kapitaal" (Migrant labour and Capital), which was published in the 1980s, denounced the migration of foreign workers into the Netherlands. It was seen as a ploy of the capitalists to reduce the class consciousness of the proletariat. There was only one solution to prevent the factionalisation of the Dutch proletariat. Foreign workers were to adapt to Dutch society or move back to their own country. This provoked some local councillors to call the SP the Centrumpartij of the left.

The experience of working in legislatives however also moderated the SP. Since 1977 it attempted to enter the Tweede Kamer. The party failed in 1977, 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1989. In 1991, the party officially abandoned Marxism-Leninism, although this practise had ceased many years earlier.

After 1994

In 1994 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 leftist party, the Labour Party (PvdA), moved to the centre, thus making the SP and the green GroenLinks viable alternatives for some left-wing voters. In 1998 the party was rewarded for its opposition to the purple government and it more than doubled its seats to five. In 1999 it one member was elected into the European Parliament,

In 2002 the SP, as only party on the left won seats. Now its slogan was 'Vote For' (Dutch: 'Stem Voor'). It nearly doubled to nine seats. This result was kept in the 2003 elections. Leading up to the 2003 elections, the SP was predicted to win as much 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 (PvdA), 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 the SP was the only leftwing party in parliament to oppose the European constitution. The party grew dramatically in polls but fell slightly after the referendum.

The SP is now the Netherland's fourth largest political party by seats and the third largest by members. The party leader is Jan Marijnissen.

The municipal elections of 2006 saw a huge success for SP, more than doubling its total number of seats. This can in part be explained by the fact that the party participated in many more municipalities, but it can also be seen as a reaction to the so-called 'right-wing winter' in national politics. In a reaction to these results, Marijnissen declared that "SP has grown up today".

Ideology & Issues

The party has a socialist ideology. In its manifesto of principals it calls for a society where human dignity, equality and solidarity are most important. Its core issues are employment, social welfare, and investing in education, public safety and health care. The party opposes privatisation of public services and is the most vocal Dutch critic of globalisation.

Representation

Leadership

Leader of the Lower House faction

1994-now Jan Marijnissen

Lijsttrekker

2003: Jan Marijnissen

2002: Jan Marijnissen

1998: Jan Marijnissen

1994: Jan Marijnissen

1989: Jan Marijnissen

Members of the Lower House of Parliament

Development of the number of seats in the Lower House, of the 150 available:

1994 - 2

1998 - 5

2002 - 9

2003 - 9

2004 - 8

After the 2003 elections the party has nine representatives in the higher house of parliament, on February 2, 2004 Ali Lazrak left the party whip:

Jan Marijnissen, chairperson of the parliamentary party and the party organisation
Harry van Bommel
Arda Gerkens
Agnes Kant
Krista van Velzen
Fenna Vergeer
Jan de Wit
Ewout Irrgang

Members of the Higher House of Parliament

Development of the number of seats in the Higher House, of the 75 available:

1999 - 1

2003 - 4

After the 2003 elections the party has five representatives in the lower house of parliament:

Tiny Kox, chairperson of the parliamentary party
Anja Meulenbelt
Ronald van Raak
Tineke Slagter

Members of the European Parliament

Development of the number of seats in the Higher House, of the between 600 to 700 available:

1999 - 1

2004 - 2

SP MEPs are part of the faction European United Left - Nordic Green Left.

After the 2004 European Parliament elections the party has two representatives in the European Parliament:

Erik Meijer
Kartika Liotard

Local & Provincial Government

The SP provides no Queen's Commissioners or mayors. 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 municipality council. Nor is the SP part of any provincial executive, Gedeputeerde Staten. The SP is part of several municipal executives, Colleges van Burgemeester en Wethouders notably in Oss and Nijmegen.

Electorate

The electorate of the SP is dominated by workers in larger cities, young people and people living on welfare.

Organization

Organizational structure

The highest organ of the SP is the party congress, open to all members. The congress elects the party-board, it decides on the order of the candidates for national and European elections and it has a final say over the party program. The congress convenes every year. 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 youthwing 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 Jan Marijnissen.

The SP remains a very active 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 classes.

The SP is currently infiltrated by two trotskyite groups who operate within the SP, Offensive and International Socialists.

Linked organisations

The youthwing is called ROOD, jongeren 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 CPN newspaper).

International organisations

The SP is a member of the European United Left

Relationships to other parties

The SP has always been in opposition. The party has relatively good relations with leftwing parties, and relatively bad relations with rightwing parties. The SP is on many issues the most leftwing party in parliament. Between 1994 and 2002 the PvdA had a conscious strategy to isolate the party, always voting against their proposals. The party however did cooperate well with GroenLinks.

External link

Socialist Party web site in English

Socialist parties | Political parties in the Netherlands | Postcommunist parties

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Socialist Party (Netherlands)