General elections were held in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

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

Prime Minister A prime minister 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. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

Jan Peter Balkenende's fourth cabinet on 20 February with Queen Beatrix 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 ( , VVD) is a Conservative liberalism, conservative-liberal List of political parties in the Netherlands, political party in the Netherlands. The VVD, whose forerunner was the Freedom Party (Netherl ...

(VVD), led by

Mark Rutte Mark Rutte (; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who has served as the 14th Secretary General of NATO, secretary general of NATO since October 2024. He previously served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, prime minister of the Neth ...

, 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 entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

while the social-democratic 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 ( , PVV) is a right-wing populist, far-right political party in the Netherlands. Geert Wilders is the founder, party leader, and sole registered member of the party. Founded in 2006 as the successor to Wilders' one-ma ...

(PVV), which came third, led by controversial politician Geert Wilders. On the other hand, Balkenende's Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) saw a poor result, losing half its seats (along with popular support) and dropping from first to fourth place. The Socialist Party (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 Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...

, 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 filled using

party-list proportional representation Party-list proportional representation (list-PR) is a system of proportional representation based on preregistered Political party, political parties, with each party being Apportionment (politics), allocated a certain number of seats Apportionm ...

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), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in ...

. According to the

Dutch constitution The Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands of 24 August 1815 () is one of two fundamental documents governing the Kingdom of the Netherlands as well as the Constitution, fundamental law of the Netherlands, Netherlands proper (the territo ...

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% lower 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 during the euro area crisis. 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 {{Dutch elections General elections in the Netherlands

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...