Christian democracy in the Netherlands: paradise lost, paradise regained?

In September 1989, the Dutch Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) was the most powerful party in The Netherlands. At the parliamentary elections in that month, it had won 54 seats: five more than its main rival, the Labour Party (Partij van de Arbeid, PvdA). With more than 120,000 members, the CDA was also by far the largest party in the country; the PvdA counted hardly 97,000 members, the Liberal party (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie, VVD) less than 70,000. Moreover, the Christian Democrats occupied a pivotal position in the party system, as the other two major parties had excluded each other as coalition partners since 1952. Since its foundation as a party in 1980, the CDA had always provided the prime minister. From 1982 to 1989 its political leader Ruud Lubbers had led a government with the VVD, but when the latter broke up the coalition in May 1989, he formed a coalition with the PvdA – which was only too happy to leave the opposition benches. Hence, it was almost paradise on earth for the Christian Democrats.

	Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained?