General elections were held in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

on Wednesday 9 June 2010. This was triggered by the fall of

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

Jan Peter Balkenende Jan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende Jr. (; born 7 May 1956) is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and jurist who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 to 14 October 2010. Balkenende studied ...

's fourth cabinet on 20 February with

Queen Beatrix Beatrix (Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, ; born 31 January 1938) is a member of the Dutch royal house who reigned as Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 until her abdication in 2013. Beatrix is the eldest daughter of Queen Juliana and her hus ...

accepting the resignation of the Labour Party (PvdA) ministers on 23 February. The conservative-liberal

People's Party for Freedom and Democracy The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy ( nl, Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie ; VVD) is a conservative-liberal Andeweg, R. and G. Irwin ''Politics and Governance in the Netherlands'', Basingstoke (Palgrave) p.49 political party i ...

(VVD), led by

Mark Rutte Mark Rutte (; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who has served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 2010 and Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) since 2006. After a business career working for Unileve ...

, won the largest number of seats in the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

while the

social-democratic Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote s ...

PvdA, led by Job Cohen, came a narrow second. The election was also noted for the rise of the

Party for Freedom The Party for Freedom ( nl, Partij voor de Vrijheid, PVV) is a nationalist, right-wing populist political party in the Netherlands. Founded in 2006 as the successor to Geert Wilders' one-man faction in the House of Representatives, it won nine ...

(PVV), which came third, led by controversial politician

Geert Wilders Geert Wilders (; born 6 September 1963) is a Dutch politician who has led the Party for Freedom (''Partij voor de Vrijheid'' – PVV) since he founded it in 2006. He is also the party's leader in the House of Representatives (''Tweede Kamer'') ...

. On the other hand, Balkenende's

Christian Democratic Appeal The Christian Democratic Appeal ( nl, Christen-Democratisch Appèl, ; CDA) is a Christian-democratic political party in the Netherlands. It was originally formed in 1977 from a confederation of the Catholic People's Party, the Anti-Revolutiona ...

(CDA) saw a poor result, losing half its seats and dropping from first to fourth place. The

Socialist Party Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of t ...

(SP) also lost seats. Notably, the 31 seats won by the VVD was its most since

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...

, and the one-seat margin between the VVD and PvdA is the closest on record. After the election, the formation of a new government took 127 days. Both the VVD and the PvdA hoped to have a leading role. VVD talks with the PvdA and other left-wing parties (trying to form a so-called Purple Coalition without Christian parties) broke down; however, Rutte was able to form a right-wing coalition of the VVD and CDA, with the PVV formally making an agreement (''gedoogakkoord'') to support the government but without holding any cabinet seats. It was the first coalition government not to be led by a Christian democratic or socialist party in 92 years, as well as the first to be led by the VVD. Rutte was sworn in as Prime Minister on 14 October, becoming the first liberal to hold that post since 1918. The 150 seats of the

(''Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal'') were contested, and were filled using

party-list proportional representation Party-list proportional representation (list-PR) is a subset of proportional representation electoral systems in which multiple candidates are elected (e.g., elections to parliament) through their position on an electoral list. They can also be u ...

for a nominal four-year term. __TOC__

Background

The election follows the PvdA's withdrawal in February from the coalition over the contribution of Dutch soldiers to the

War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC) * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709) *Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see al ...

. According to the Dutch constitution new elections had to be held within 83 days.

Debates

The first radio debate was held on 21 May 2010. The first television debate, held on 23 May was, according to instant polls, won by Mark Rutte on 36%, with Job Cohen second on 24%, and Geert Wilders and Jan Peter Balkenende third, on 18%.

Opinion polls

ImageSize = width:650 height:350 PlotArea = left:40 right:70 top:20 bottom:30 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal AlignBars = justify Colors = id:gray1 value:gray(0.9) id:gray2 value:gray(0.8) DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:5 till:23 ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:5 PlotData = bar:50 color:gray1 width:1 from:start till:end bar:40 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:30 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:20 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:10 color:gray1 from:start till:end bar:0 color:gray1 TextData = pos:(260,0) textcolor:black fontsize:S text: Week number (2010) pos:(0,190) textcolor:black fontsize:S text: Seats pos:(75,325) textcolor:black fontsize:S text:"Fall of Balkenende IV" pos:(525,325) textcolor:black fontsize:S text:Final results pos:(46,48) text:February pos:(153,48) text:March pos:(286,48) text:April pos:(415,48) text:May pos:(547,48) text:June Colors = id:vvd value:oceanblue legend:VVD id:pvda value:red legend:PvdA id:cda value:rgb(0,1,0) legend:CDA id:pvv value:darkblue legend:PVV id:sp value:rgb(0.8,0,0.165) legend:SP id:gl value:rgb(0.49,0.761,0.259) legend:GL id:d66 value:yellowgreen legend:D66 Legend = left:600 top:230 LineData = points: (109,30)(109,330) color:gray2 layer:back width:0.5 # verticale lijn tussen wk 7 en 8, val kabinet #points: (156,30)(156,330) color:gray2 layer:back width:0.5 # verticale lijn tussen wk 8 en 9, gemeenteraadsverkiezingen points: (571,30)(571,330) color:gray2 layer:back width:0.5 # verticale lijn tussen wk 22 en 23, verkiezingen points: (147,30)(147,40) color:black layer:back width:0.5 # maart points: (280,30)(280,40) color:black layer:back width:0.5 # april points: (409,30)(409,40) color:black layer:back width:0.5 # mei points: (541,30)(541,40) color:black layer:back width:0.5 # juni layer:front # CDA points: (40,228)(70,234) color:cda width:2 # x: 40 + w*30 waarbij w het weeknummer-5 points: (70,234)(100,222) color:cda width:2 # y: 30 + z*6 waarbij z het aantal zetels points: (100,222)(130,216) color:cda width:2 # (40+2*30=100 , 30+32*6=222)(40+3*30 , 30+31*6) points: (130,216)(151,204) color:cda width:2 # "Week 9" heeft x=151 ipv 160: uitslag vervroegd naar dinsdag ipv donderdag vanwege points: (151,204)(190,192) color:cda width:2 # gemeenteraadsverkiezingen points: (190,192)(220,198) color:cda width:2 points: (220,198)(250,192) color:cda width:2 points: (250,192)(310,204) color:cda width:2 points: (310,204)(340,210) color:cda width:2 points: (340,210)(370,210) color:cda width:3 points: (370,210)(400,204) color:cda width:2 points: (400,204)(430,192) color:cda width:2 points: (430,192)(460,186) color:cda width:2 points: (460,186)(490,168) color:cda width:2 points: (490,168)(507,186) color:cda width:2 points: (507,186)(520,180) color:cda width:2 points: (520,180)(537,174) color:cda width:2 points: (537,174)(550,168) color:cda width:2 points: (550,168)(567,174) color:cda width:2 points: (567,174)(571,156) color:cda width:2 points: (571,156)(572,156) color:cda width:5 layer:front # PvdA points: (40,156)(70,150) color:pvda width:2 # x: 40 + w*30 waarbij w het weeknummer-5 points: (70,150)(100,156) color:pvda width:2 # y: 30 + z*6 waarbij z het aantal zetels points: (100,156)(130,192) color:pvda width:2 # (40+2*30=100 , 30+21*6=156)(40+3*30 , 30+27*5) points: (130,192)(151,192) color:pvda width:2 points: (151,192)(190,186) color:pvda width:2 points: (190,186)(220,228) color:pvda width:2 points: (220,228)(250,228) color:pvda width:2 points: (250,228)(310,228) color:pvda width:2 points: (310,228)(340,210) color:pvda width:2 points: (340,210)(370,210) color:pvda width:2 points: (370,210)(400,222) color:pvda width:2 points: (400,222)(430,228) color:pvda width:2 points: (430,228)(460,228) color:pvda width:2 points: (460,228)(490,228) color:pvda width:2 points: (490,228)(507,210) color:pvda width:2 points: (507,210)(520,204) color:pvda width:2 points: (520,204)(537,198) color:pvda width:2 points: (537,198)(550,210) color:pvda width:2 points: (550,210)(567,210) color:pvda width:2 points: (571,210)(572,210) color:pvda width:5 layer:front # VVD points: (40,138)(70,132) color:vvd width:2 # x: 40 + w*30 waarbij w het weeknummer-5 points: (70,132)(100,132) color:vvd width:2 # y: 30 + z*6 waarbij z het aantal zetels points: (100,132)(130,120) color:vvd width:2 # (40+2*30=100 , 30+17*6=132)(40+3*30 , 30+15*5) points: (130,120)(151,132) color:vvd width:2 points: (151,132)(190,162) color:vvd width:2 points: (190,162)(220,150) color:vvd width:2 points: (220,150)(250,156) color:vvd width:2 points: (250,156)(310,162) color:vvd width:2 points: (310,162)(340,168) color:vvd width:2 points: (340,168)(370,192) color:vvd width:2 points: (370,192)(400,210) color:vvd width:2 points: (400,210)(430,216) color:vvd width:2 points: (430,216)(460,222) color:vvd width:2 points: (460,222)(490,246) color:vvd width:2 points: (490,246)(507,252) color:vvd width:2 points: (507,252)(520,258) color:vvd width:2 points: (520,258)(537,258) color:vvd width:2 points: (537,258)(550,246) color:vvd width:2 points: (550,246)(567,228) color:vvd width:2 points: (567,228)(571,216) color:vvd width:2 points: (571,216)(572,216) color:vvd width:5 layer:front # PVV points: (40,186)(70,174) color:pvv width:2 points: (70,174)(100,174) color:pvv width:2 points: (100,174)(130,192) color:pvv width:2 points: (130,192)(151,186) color:pvv width:2 points: (151,186)(190,174) color:pvv width:2 points: (190,174)(220,168) color:pvv width:2 points: (220,168)(250,162) color:pvv width:2 points: (250,162)(310,168) color:pvv width:2 points: (310,168)(340,156) color:pvv width:2 points: (340,156)(370,138) color:pvv width:2 points: (370,138)(400,138) color:pvv width:2 points: (400,138)(430,138) color:pvv width:2 points: (430,138)(460,132) color:pvv width:2 points: (460,132)(490,138) color:pvv width:2 points: (490,138)(507,138) color:pvv width:2 points: (507,138)(520,132) color:pvv width:2 points: (520,132)(537,126) color:pvv width:2 points: (537,126)(550,120) color:pvv width:2 points: (550,120)(567,132) color:pvv width:2 points: (567,132)(571,174) color:pvv width:2 points: (571,174)(572,174) color:pvv width:5 layer:front # D66 points: (40,132)(70,132) color:d66 width:2 points: (70,132)(100,138) color:d66 width:2 points: (100,138)(130,126) color:d66 width:2 points: (130,126)(151,126) color:d66 width:2 points: (151,126)(190,138) color:d66 width:2 points: (190,138)(220,120) color:d66 width:2 points: (220,120)(250,120) color:d66 width:2 points: (250,120)(310,102) color:d66 width:2 points: (310,102)(340,102) color:d66 width:2 points: (340,102)(370,114) color:d66 width:2 points: (370,114)(400,108) color:d66 width:2 points: (400,108)(430,102) color:d66 width:2 points: (430,102)(460,96) color:d66 width:2 points: (460,96)(490,90) color:d66 width:2 points: (490,90)(507,84) color:d66 width:2 points: (507,84)(520,84) color:d66 width:2 points: (520,84)(537,90) color:d66 width:2 points: (537,90)(550,96) color:d66 width:2 points: (550,96)(567,90) color:d66 width:2 points: (571,90)(572,90) color:d66 width:5 layer:front # SP points: (40,108)(70,102) color:sp width:2 points: (70,102)(100,102) color:sp width:2 points: (100,102)(130,102) color:sp width:2 points: (130,102)(151,96) color:sp width:2 points: (151,96)(190,84) color:sp width:2 points: (190,84)(220,78) color:sp width:2 points: (220,78)(250,84) color:sp width:2 points: (250,84)(310,96) color:sp width:2 points: (310,96)(340,96) color:sp width:2 points: (340,96)(370,90) color:sp width:2 points: (370,90)(400,78) color:sp width:2 points: (400,78)(430,84) color:sp width:2 points: (430,84)(460,84) color:sp width:3 points: (460,84)(490,78) color:sp width:2 points: (490,78)(507,84) color:sp width:2 points: (507,84)(520,90) color:sp width:2 points: (520,90)(537,102) color:sp width:2 points: (537,102)(550,114) color:sp width:2 points: (550,114)(567,114) color:sp width:2 points: (567,114)(571,120) color:sp width:2 points: (571,120)(572,120) color:sp width:5 layer:front # GL points: (40,90)(70,96) color:gl width:2 points: (70,96)(100,96) color:gl width:2 points: (100,96)(130,96) color:gl width:2 points: (130,96)(151,108) color:gl width:2 points: (151,108)(190,102) color:gl width:2 points: (190,102)(220,96) color:gl width:2 points: (220,96)(250,90) color:gl width:2 points: (250,90)(310,78) color:gl width:2 points: (310,78)(340,90) color:gl width:2 points: (340,90)(370,84) color:gl width:2 points: (370,84)(400,84) color:gl width:2 points: (400,84)(430,84) color:gl width:2 points: (430,84)(460,84) color:gl width:2 points: (460,84)(490,90) color:gl width:2 points: (490,90)(507,90) color:gl width:2 points: (507,90)(520,96) color:gl width:2 points: (520,96)(537,90) color:gl width:2 points: (537,90)(550,90) color:gl width:2 points: (550,90)(567,96) color:gl width:2 points: (567,96)(578,90) color:gl width:2 points: (578,90)(579,90) color:gl width:5 Polls indicated that the elections were too close to call.

Results

Turnout was reported to be over 5% less than the previous elections allegedly due to heavy rain and stormy weather.

By province

Reactions

Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende stepped down from his position in the CDA and resigned his parliamentary seat on the evening of the election, saying he was taking "political responsibility" for the unsatisfactory election results of his party and that "The voter has spoken, the outcome is clear."

Government formation

Expectations were that the formation of a new government would take some time. The international media also read this as a slim victory for the "austerity-minded" Liberals amidst the

2010 European sovereign debt crisis The European debt crisis, often also referred to as the eurozone crisis or the European sovereign debt crisis, is a multi-year debt crisis that took place in the European Union (EU) from 2009 until the mid to late 2010s. Several eurozone memb ...

. On 14 October,

was sworn in as prime minister. Rutte's government resigned on 24 April 2012 over austerity measures.

Analysis

Some international media speculated that "for the first time in this nation's history, a Jewish man, albeit a secular one, is on the verge of becoming the next prime minister ... Job Cohen, who was until recently the Mayor of Amsterdam, and represents the top of the ticket for the PvdA ... is at the end of a long battle to run the country that began in February when the PvdA backed out of the ruling coalition government because it did not want to send Dutch troops back to Afghanistan."

References

External links

NSD: European Election Database - Netherlands
publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1994–2010 {{DEFAULTSORT:Dutch General Election, 2010

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

2010 elections in the Netherlands June 2010 events in Europe