- Farmers' Party (Netherlands)
The Farmers' Party (in Dutch: "Boerenpartij", BP) was a Dutch agrarian
political party , with a strong conservative outlook and a populist appeal. The BP was the first anti-establishment party elected into theTweede Kamer since theSecond World War .Party History
Foundation
It is not exactly sure when the BP was founded. In 1958 in several
Gelderland municipalities "Free Farmers"-lists entered in municipal elections. In 1959 the Farmers' Party officially applied at the Kiesraad to participate in the 1959 elections the party was unable to win a seat. Founder of the party was Hendrik Koekoek, the chair and founder of the Association for Freedom for Agricultural Business, also known as the "Free Farmers". The organization resisted the increasing government interference and the institutionalization of farming. These also became important issues for the Farmers' Party.1963-1981
In the elections of 1963 the Farmers' Party won three seats in the
Tweede Kamer . The party had gained considerable attention when the police had forcibly confiscated farms whose farmers had not paid their taxes. Koekoek, the party's leader, came from the same region and acted as spokesperson for these farmers. With its populist appeal the party had been able to get the support from both farmers, and non-farmers, even from urban areas. He headed the party's list and became the chairperson of the parliamentary party. In 1966 the party won two seats in theEerste Kamer .In parliament the Boerenpartij was troubled by internal struggles and splits. In 1966 it was revealed that one of the party's senators, Adams, had a national socialist background, who had been a member of the National Socialist Movement and the SS. Koekoek protected Adams against the allegations. In reaction to that Voogd, one of the party's MPs, left the party. Also a group of members from the party founded their own party, Emergency Council ("Noodraad").
Both Emergency Council and Farmers' Party participated in the 1967 elections, as did Voogd with his own list. Only the Farmers' party managed to win a total of seven seats, both the Emergency Council as the List-Voogd ended up without any seat. In the next years Koekoek was (again) unable to keep his parliamentary party together. His authoritarian leadership caused four of the seven MPs to leave the party and to organize their own party, Allegiance Right ("Binding Rechts"). The were led by Harmsen, one of the founders of the Farmers' Party. One of these four MPs left his new party soon to work as an independent. In 1971 one of Koekoek's MPs also left his party, leaving only two MPs.
In the 1971 elections Koekoek obtained only one seat, Allegiance Right none. In the 1972 elections the party won two additional seats. In the 1977 elections the party lost those two seats again, leaving only Koekoek.
Dissolution
Before the elections of 1981 the BP was renamed to Rightwing People's Party ("Rechtse Volkspartij", RVP) but they were unable to win a seat.
Ideology & Issues
The party main issue was the increasing government interference and the institutionalization of farming. Yet it was more than
single issue agrarian interest party. It saw itself as a conservative party which championed the political andeconomic freedom in general, on basis of national andchristian values . It had a strong populist,anti-establishment appeal. Although some members had been active with fascist or national socialist organizations before 1945 the party rejectedracism and fascism.The party had strong nationalist message: the party was in favour of the
Dutch monarchy , opposedEuropean integration , wanted a strong defense. Law and order should be maintained.On economic matters the party was very conservative. It wanted to protect
private property and encourageprivate initiative . It sought to reduce government influence on the economyandtaxation . Thewelfare state should be reduced to minimum. The agricultural subsidies should be cut, the agricultural sector would be able to support itself if the government interferred less.upport & Leadership
In this table the election results of the BP in Tweede Kamer and Eerste Kamer elections is represented, as well as the party's political leadership: the fractievoorzitter, is the chair of the parliamentary party and the lijsttrekker is the party's top candidate in the general election, these posts are normally taken by the party's leader.
Muncipal and Provincial Government
The party has been able to win several seats in provincial legislatures and in municipal councils. In several rural municipalities such as
Apeldoorn the party was rather strong, Harmsen, one of the party's MPs was a longterm aldermen there. However especially in the period 1965-1970 the party also managed to win municipal council seats in urban municipalities as Amsterdam, where they scored 9.4% (or 4 of 45 seats) in 1966.Electorate
The party got most of its support from farmers and small business owners in rural areas. With its populist appeal the party had also been able to get the support from small business owners in urban areas. In the 1963 elections the party got 6,000 votes from Amsterdam.
International Comparison
As a conservative farmers' party, the Farmers' Party is similar to Eastern European farmers' parties, like the
Polish Peasant Party . The best comparison however can be made with the party ofPierre Poujade which was successful in the 1956 elections, but faded away afterwards. Like Poujade's party the Farmers' Party had a strong populist message which appealed to both farmers and small business.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.