VOLKSPARTIJ VOOR VRIJHEID EN DEMOCRATIE

This LiberalParty was a merger in 1948 of the Partij van de Vrijheid (Freedom Party, the successor of the prewar Liberal State Party) and the Oud Committee, a group of dissatisfied members of the Vrijzinnig-Democratische Bond (VDB, League of Free Democrats), which had merged into the Social Democratic Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA)a few years before. During the 1950s and 1960s, the VVD re mained a relatively small political party, although it participated in several coalition governments. The party’s course changed in a more conservative direction as a result of the foundation of the more left wing Democraten 1966 (D66) in 1966. Since the 1970s, the VVD has gained some electoral successes; in 1982, it held 36 (out of 150) seats in Parliament, and in 1998, 38. After the November 2006 elec tions, the party fell back to 22 seats after a leadership struggle between Maria Cornelia Frederika (“Rita”) Verdonk (1955– ) and Mark Rutte (1967– ), which was decided in favor of the latter. Well-known VVD leaders have been Pieter Jacobus Oud (1886–1968), Edzo Hen drik Toxopeus (1918– ), Hans Wiegel (1941– ), Frits Bolkestein, and Gerrit Zalm (1952– ). The party’s scientific department is called the Prof. Mr. B. M. Telders Foundation. The VVD cooperates with other Liberal parties in the European Parliament (EP) in the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.

See also HIRSI ALI, Ayaan (1969– ).