KATHOLIEKE VOLKSPARTIJ

(KVP; CATHOLIC PEOPLE’S PARTY)

   In the years when Abraham Kuyper postulated an an tithesis between Christian (Protestant and Roman Catholic) and non-Christian (pagan) political principles in society and founded the Antirevolutionaire Partij (ARP), Hermanus Schaepman in 1883 formulated a political program for the Catholic voters. It was only in 1896 that Schaepman succeeded in founding a political party inde pendent from liberals and conservatives, the Rooms-Katholieke Staats Partij(RKSP, Roman Catholic State’s Party). During the first decades of the 20th century, the Christian politicians were able to form coalition cabinets, thanks to their majority in Parliament. After World War II, a renewed Roman Catholic party was founded, the KVP. Governments were based on a broader foundation, sometimes including Liberals and the Labor Party. In the 1970s, Christian par ticipation in government could only be guaranteed by a merger of the KVP with the Protestant Christelijk-Historische Unie (CHU, Christ ian Historical Union) and the ARP. Several Catholics have played a crucial role in Dutch politics, such as Louis Beel, Jan de Quay, and Ruud Lubbers.