Provincial elections were held in the Netherlands , on 7 March 2007. The election also determined the members of the Senate , since the 564 members of the twelve provincial councils elect its 75 members. This election took place on 29 May 2007.
Background [ ] Only a few weeks before the provincial elections, a new cabinet has been installed, the fourth Balkenende cabinet , consisting of the CDA, PvdA and CU. The provincial elections will be the first test for this new cabinet. Since the provincial councils elect the members of the Senate, it is possible that the CDA, PvdA and CU will not obtain a majority in the Senate. Since the members of the Senate can reject new laws, the outcome of the provincial elections can seriously hamper the strength of the new cabinet.
National results [ ] In recent years, the turnout for provincial elections were low, this year was no different. On 13:00, only 14% of the 12.1 million eligible voters had cast a vote. On 16:00, about 25% had cast a vote; of the larger cities, The Hague was on the low side with less than 20%, and Groningen at the high side with 29%.
The Socialist Party (SP), Christian Union (CU) and Party for the Animals showed the largest gains, all continuing their successful spell from the 2006 general election . The CDA , PvdA , D66 , the LPF and SGP showed the greatest losses, while the VVD and GroenLinks only suffered a marginal loss. The current government of CDA, PvdA and CU are expected to hold on to a majority in the Senate (elections to be held in May), with 41 out of the 75 seats. Geert Wilders had already announced in January 2007 that his Party for Freedom would not take part in the elections, since it had not succeeded to be able to participate in all provinces. One important factor in comparing the 2003 and 2007 results is the fact that the number of members of each provincial legislature was lowered, from a maximum 73 to a maximum 55.
Notes
- *) 2003 election calculated for the 2007 number of seats (564).
Results by province [ ] Drenthe [ ] Party Votes % Seats Labour Party 51,875 27.20 13 Christian Democratic Appeal 40,472 21.22 10 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 31,954 16.75 8 Socialist Party 23,397 12.27 5 Christian Union 14,427 7.56 3 GroenLinks 9,004 4.72 2 Other parties 19,598 10.28 0 Total 190,727 100.00 41 Valid votes 190,727 99.73 Invalid/blank votes 521 0.27 Total votes 191,248 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 373,834 51.16 Source: Kiesraad[3]
Flevoland [ ] Party Votes % Seats People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 25,996 22.75 9 Christian Democratic Appeal 21,652 18.95 8 Labour Party 19,421 17.00 7 Socialist Party 16,023 14.02 6 Christian Union 12,740 11.15 5 GroenLinks 6,330 5.54 2 Reformed Political Party 4,030 3.53 1 Party for the Animals 3,687 3.23 1 Other parties 4,388 3.84 0 Total 114,267 100.00 39 Valid votes 114,267 99.50 Invalid/blank votes 573 0.50 Total votes 114,840 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 261,919 43.85 Source: Kiesraad[4]
Friesland [ ] Party Votes % Seats Christian Democratic Appeal 68,041 25.75 12 Labour Party 67,712 25.62 12 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 28,574 10.81 5 Frisian National Party 28,225 10.68 5 Socialist Party 25,281 9.57 4 Christian Union 21,638 8.19 3 GroenLinks 10,269 3.89 2 Other parties 14,529 5.50 0 Total 264,269 100.00 43 Valid votes 264,269 99.74 Invalid/blank votes 685 0.26 Total votes 264,954 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 489,389 54.14 Source: Kiesraad[5]
Gelderland [ ] Party Votes % Seats Christian Democratic Appeal 195,375 26.85 15 Labour Party 124,651 17.13 10 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 121,003 16.63 9 Socialist Party 100,295 13.78 7 Christian Union 58,917 8.10 4 GroenLinks 42,539 5.85 3 Reformed Political Party 35,630 4.90 3 Democrats 66 16,855 2.32 1 Party for the Animals 15,638 2.15 1 Other parties 16,734 2.30 0 Total 727,637 100.00 53 Valid votes 727,637 99.70 Invalid/blank votes 2,224 0.30 Total votes 729,861 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 1,491,820 48.92 Source: Kiesraad[6]
Groningen [ ] Party Votes % Seats Labour Party 59,630 26.21 12 Christian Democratic Appeal 44,091 19.38 9 Socialist Party 36,203 15.91 7 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 26,593 11.69 5 Christian Union 23,352 10.26 4 GroenLinks 17,323 7.61 3 Party for the North 8,276 3.64 1 Democrats 66 5,915 2.60 1 Party for the Animals 4,913 2.16 1 Other parties 1,230 0.54 0 Total 227,526 100.00 43 Valid votes 227,526 99.70 Invalid/blank votes 679 0.30 Total votes 228,205 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 447,392 51.01 Source: Kiesraad[7]
Limburg [ ] Party Votes % Seats Christian Democratic Appeal 133,722 35.35 18 Socialist Party 70,267 18.58 9 Labour Party 60,109 15.89 8 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 54,656 14.45 7 GroenLinks 16,054 4.24 2 Party New Limburg 14,232 3.76 1 Party for the Animals 9,717 2.57 1 Democrats 66 8,576 2.27 1 Other parties 10,918 2.89 0 Total 378,251 100.00 47 Valid votes 378,251 99.50 Invalid/blank votes 1,911 0.50 Total votes 380,162 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 865,571 43.92 Source: Kiesraad[8]
North Brabant [ ] Party Votes % Seats Christian Democratic Appeal 239,296 31.25 18 Socialist Party 160,583 20.97 12 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 144,580 18.88 11 Labour Party 108,048 14.11 8 GroenLinks 31,611 4.13 2 Christian Union – Reformed Political Party 20,825 2.72 1 Party for the Animals 16,595 2.17 1 Democrats 66 15,998 2.09 1 14,576 1.90 1 Other parties 13,598 1.78 0 Total 765,710 100.00 55 Valid votes 765,710 99.58 Invalid/blank votes 3,219 0.42 Total votes 768,929 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 1,828,020 42.06 Source: Kiesraad[9]
North Holland [ ] Party Votes % Seats People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 196,566 22.73 13 Labour Party 167,089 19.32 11 Christian Democratic Appeal 152,820 17.67 10 Socialist Party 135,996 15.73 9 GroenLinks 83,718 9.68 5 Democrats 66 32,775 3.79 2 Party for the Animals 32,330 3.74 2 Christian Union – Reformed Political Party 28,998 3.35 2 / 27,545 3.19 1 Other parties 6,840 0.79 0 Total 864,677 100.00 55 Valid votes 864,677 99.48 Invalid/blank votes 4,482 0.52 Total votes 869,159 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 1,929,881 45.04 Source: Kiesraad[10]
Overijssel [ ] Party Votes % Seats Christian Democratic Appeal 141,320 34.05 17 Labour Party 74,170 17.87 9 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 56,315 13.57 6 Socialist Party 48,777 11.75 6 Christian Union 42,992 10.36 5 GroenLinks 17,851 4.30 2 Reformed Political Party 14,446 3.48 2 Other parties 19,181 4.62 0 Total 415,052 100.00 47 Valid votes 415,052 99.70 Invalid/blank votes 1,241 0.30 Total votes 416,293 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 834,531 49.88 Source: Kiesraad[11]
South Holland [ ] Party Votes % Seats Christian Democratic Appeal 240,021 21.51 13 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 226,408 20.29 12 Labour Party 189,907 17.02 10 Socialist Party 151,015 13.54 8 Christian Union 77,153 6.92 4 GroenLinks 65,684 5.89 3 Reformed Political Party 48,265 4.33 2 Party for the Animals 34,448 3.09 1 Livable South Holland 33,333 2.99 1 Democrats 66 28,926 2.59 1 Other parties 20,512 1.84 0 Total 1,115,672 100.00 55 Valid votes 1,115,672 99.46 Invalid/blank votes 6,070 0.54 Total votes 1,121,742 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 2,546,871 44.04 Source: Kiesraad[12]
Utrecht [ ] Party Votes % Seats Christian Democratic Appeal 98,900 22.41 11 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 88,722 20.11 10 Labour Party 69,823 15.82 8 Socialist Party 51,709 11.72 5 GroenLinks 39,923 9.05 4 Christian Union 39,158 8.87 4 Democrats 66 17,764 4.03 2 Reformed Political Party 14,291 3.24 1 Party for the Animals 11,753 2.66 1 9,219 2.09 1 Total 441,262 100.00 47 Valid votes 441,262 99.58 Invalid/blank votes 1,846 0.42 Total votes 443,108 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 884,253 50.11 Source: Kiesraad[13]
Zeeland [ ] Party Votes % Seats Christian Democratic Appeal 37,146 24.70 10 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 21,822 14.51 6 Labour Party 21,351 14.19 6 Socialist Party 18,727 12.45 5 Reformed Political Party 17,654 11.74 5 Christian Union 12,040 8.00 3 Party for Zeeland 10,402 6.92 2 GroenLinks 7,403 4.92 2 Other parties 3,869 2.57 0 Total 150,414 100.00 39 Valid votes 150,414 99.70 Invalid/blank votes 449 0.30 Total votes 150,863 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 285,333 52.87 Source: Kiesraad[14]
References [ ]
![Azure, billetty Or a lion with a coronet Or armed and langued Gules holding in his dexter paw a sword Argent hilted Or and in the sinister paw seven arrows Argent pointed and bound together Or. [The seven arrows stand for the seven provinces of the Union of Utrecht.] The shield is crowned with the (Dutch) royal crown and supported by two lions Or armed and langued gules. They stand on a scroll Azure with the text (Or) "Je Maintiendrai" (French for "I will maintain".)](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/State_coat_of_arms_of_the_Netherlands.svg/150px-State_coat_of_arms_of_the_Netherlands.svg.png)
