PARTIJ VAN DE ARBEID

(PvdA; LABOR PARTY)

   This Social Democratic political party was founded in 1946 as the successor of the SocialistSociaal Democratische Arbeiderspartij (SDAP), the left wing Vrijzinnig-Democatische Bond (VDB, Liberal Democratic Union), and the small pacifist-progressive Christelijk-Democratische Unie (CDU, Christian Democratic Union). The founders hoped to create a breakthrough (Doorbraak) in the postwar political land scape, but their wish was not fully realized. Therefore, the PvdAhad to participate in coalition governments, mostly with Christian Dem ocratic parties, but from 1994 until 2002 only with liberal parties (the so-called purple Wim Kok cabinets). The radical New Left movement caused some troubles within the party in the late 1960s. In the 1973 elections, the party had its finest hour, capturing 53 out of 150 seats in Parliament. By the 2002 elections, the party had only 23 seats left. In 2003, the party recovered with 42, but in 2006, nine seats were lost again, while the more left-wing Socialistische Partij (SP) gained a huge victory. Nevertheless, in 2007, the PvdA joined the fourth coalition cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende, together with the Christen Democratisch Appel (CDA) and the Christen Unie. The PvdAhas its own scientific department, called the Wiardi Beck man Foundation. Some well-known PvdAleaders have been Willem Schermerhorn, the popular Willem Drees Sr., Anne Vondeling (1916–1979), Joop den Uyl, Ed van Thijn (1934– ), Wim Kok, Ad Melkert, and Wouter Jacob Bos (1963– ). The PvdA belongs to the faction of the Party of European Social Democrats in the European Parliament (EP).