Editing GroenLinks (section)

==History==

===Before 1989: predecessors===
GroenLinks was founded in 1989 as a merger of four parties that were to the [[left-wing politics|left]] of the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA), a [[social democracy|social-democratic]] party which has traditionally been the largest [[centre-left]] party in the Netherlands. The founding parties were the (formerly-communist) [[Communist Party of the Netherlands]] (CPN), the [[Pacifist Socialist Party]] (PSP), which originated in the [[peace movement]], the [[green politics|green]]-influenced [[Political Party of Radicals]] (PPR), originally a progressive Christian party, and the [[christian left|progressive Christian]] [[Evangelical People's Party (Netherlands)|Evangelical People's Party]].<ref name="Moldenhauer2001">{{cite book|author=Gebhard Moldenhauer|title=Die Niederlande und Deutschland: einander kennen und verstehen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vm_h-NPz1T8C&pg=PA113|date=1 January 2001|publisher=Waxmann Verlag|isbn=978-3-89325-747-8|pages=113–}}</ref> These four parties were frequently classified as "small left"; to indicate their marginal existence. In the [[1972 Dutch general election|1972 general election]], these parties won sixteen seats (out of 150); in the [[1977 Dutch general election|1977 general election]], they only won six. From that moment on, members and voters began to argue for close cooperation.<ref name="Koole">{{Citation
|last=Koole
|first=Ruud
|author-link=Ruud Koole
|title=Politieke Partijen in Nederland. Onstaan en ontwikkeling van partijen en partijenstelsel
|publisher=Spectrum
|year=1995
|location=Utrecht
}}</ref>

From the 1980s onwards, the four parties started to cooperate in municipal and provincial elections. As fewer seats are available in these representations, a higher percentage of votes is required to gain a seat. In the [[1984 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1984 European election]], the PPR, CPN and PSP formed the [[Green Progressive Accord]] that entered as one into the [[1984 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|European elections]]. They gained one seat, which rotated between the PSP and PPR. Party-members of the four parties also encountered each other in [[grassroots]] extraparliamentary protest against [[Nuclear power|nuclear energy]] and [[Netherlands and weapons of mass destruction|nuclear weapons]]. More than 80% of the members of the PSP, CPN and PPR attended at least one of the two [[Hollanditis|mass protests against the placement of nuclear weapons]], which took place in 1981 and 1983.<ref name="Illusie">{{Citation
|last=Lucardie
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Lucardie
 |author2=Wijbrandt van Schuur |author3=Gerrit Voerman
|title=Verloren Illusie, Geslaagde Fusie? GroenLinks in Historisch and Politicologische Perspectief
|publisher=DSWO-press
|year=1999
|location=Leiden
}}</ref>

The [[Evangelical People's Party (Netherlands)|Evangelical People's Party]] was a relatively new party, founded in 1981, as a splinter group from the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]], the largest party of the Dutch [[centre-right]]. During its period in parliament, 1982–1986, it had trouble positioning itself between the small left parties (PSP, PPR and CPN), the PvdA and the CDA.<ref name="Illusie"/>

{{Green politics sidebar}}
The increasingly close cooperation between PPR, PSP, CPN and EVP, and the ideological change that accompanied it was not without internal dissent within the parties. The ideological change that CPN made from [[Stalinism|official communism]] to '[[reformism]]' led to a split in the CPN; and the subsequent founding of the [[League of Communists in the Netherlands]] in 1982. In 1983, a group of "deep" Greens split from the PPR to found [[The Greens (Netherlands)|The Greens]]. The CPN and the PPR wanted to form an [[electoral alliance]] with the PSP for the 1986 elections. This led to a crisis within the PSP, in which [[Parliamentary group leader|chair of the parliamentary party]] (''Fractievoorzitter'') [[Fred van der Spek]], who opposed cooperation, was replaced by [[Andrée van Es]], who favoured cooperation. Van der Spek left the PSP to found his own [[Party for Socialism and Disarmament]]. The 1986 PSP [[Political convention|congress]], however, rejected the electoral alliance.

In the [[1986 Dutch general election|1986 general election]], all four parties lost seats. The CPN and the EVP disappeared from parliament. The PPR was left with two and the PSP with one seat. While the parties were preparing to enter in the 1990 elections separately, the pressure to cooperate increased. In 1989, the PPR, CPN and PSP entered the [[1989 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1989 European Parliament election]] with a single list, called the [[Rainbow (Netherlands)|Rainbow]]. [[Joost Lagendijk]] and [[Leo Platvoet]], both PSP party board members, initiated an internal referendum in which the members of the PSP declared to support leftwing cooperation (70% in favour; 64% of all members voting). Their initiative for left-wing cooperation was supported by an open letter from influential members of [[trade union]]s (such as [[Paul Rosenmöller]] and [[Karin Adelmund]]), of [[environmental movement]]s (e.g., [[Jacqueline Cramer]]) and from [[arts]] (such as [[Rudi van Dantzig]]). This letter called for the formation of a single [[progressivism|progressive]] party to the left of the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]]. Lagendijk and Platvoet had been taking part in informal meetings between prominent PSP, PPR and CPN-members, who favoured cooperation. Other participants were PPR chairman [[Bram van Ojik]] and former CPN leader [[Ina Brouwer]]. These talks were called "F.C. Sittardia" or Cliché bv.<ref name="Illusie" />

In the spring of 1989, the PSP party board initiated formal talks between the CPN, the PSP and the PPR about a common list for the upcoming general elections. It soon became clear that the CPN wanted to maintain an independent communist identity and not merge into a new left-wing formation. This was reason for the PPR leaving the talks. Negotiations about cooperation were reopened after the fall of the [[second Lubbers cabinet]] and the announcement that elections would be held in the autumn of that year. This time the EVP was included in the discussion. The PPR was represented for a short while by an informal delegation led by former chair [[Wim de Boer]], because the party board did not want to be seen re-entering the negotiations it had left only a short while earlier. In the summer of 1989, the [[party congress]]es of all four parties accepted to enter the elections with a shared programme and list of candidates. Additionally, the association GroenLinks (Dutch: ''Vereniging GroenLinks''; VGL) was set up to allow sympathisers, not member of any of the four parties to join. Meanwhile, the [[1989 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|European elections of 1989]] were held, in which the same group of parties had entered as a single list under the name "[[Rainbow (Netherlands)|Rainbow]]". In practice, the merger of the parties had now happened and the party GroenLinks was officially founded on 24 November 1990.<ref name="Koole" /><ref name="Illusie" />

===1989–1994: completion of the merge and first term in parliament===
[[File:GreenLeft-1989.jpg|thumb|left|1989 election poster showing the old logo in which the pink lines and the blue spaces forming allude to a [[peace sign]].]]
In the [[1989 Dutch general election|1989 elections]], the PPR, PSP, CPN and EVP entered in the elections with one single list called Groen Links<!--with space before 1992-->. In the Netherlands, parties usually participate in the elections with one list for the whole country. The candidates on top of the list get the priority for the distribution of seats won. The GroenLinks list of candidates was organised in such a way that all the parties were represented and new figures could enter. The PPR, which had been the largest party in 1986 got the top candidate (the [[lead candidate]], [[Ria Beckers]]) and the number five; the PSP got the numbers two and six, the CPN the number three and the EVP number eleven. The first independent candidate was [[Paul Rosenmöller]], trade unionist from Rotterdam, on the fourth place. In the elections, the party doubled its seats in comparison to 1986 (from three to six), but the expectations had been much higher.<ref name="Illusie"/> In the 1990 municipal elections, the party fared much better, strengthening the resolve to cooperate.<ref name="Koole"/>

In the period 1989–1991, the merger developed further. A board was organised for the party-in-foundation and also a 'GroenLinks Council', which was supposed to control the board and the parliamentary party and stimulate the process of merger. In this council, all five groups – CPN, PPR, PSP, EVP and the Vereniging Groen Links – had seats on ratio of the number of their members. Originally, the three youth organisations, the CPN-linked [[General Dutch Youth League]], the PSP-linked [[Pacifist Socialist Young Working Groups]] and the PPR-linked Political Party of Radical Youth refused to merge, but under pressure of the government (who controlled their subsidies) they did merge to form [[DWARS]].<ref name="DNPP1990">{{Citation
|last=Lucardie
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Lucardie
 |author2=Marjolein Nieboer |author3=Ida Noomen
|title=Kroniek 1990. Overzicht van de partijpolitieke gebeurtenissen van het jaar 1990
|journal=Jaarboek DNPP
|publisher=DNPP
|location=Groningen
|year=1991
|url=http://www.rug.nl/dnpp/jaarboeken/jaarboek1990/index
|access-date=2008-04-28}}</ref> In 1990, some opposition formed against the moderate, green course of GroenLinks. Several former PSP members united in the "Left Forum" in 1992 – they would leave the party to join former PSP-leader Van der Spek to found the [[PSP'92]]. Similarly, former members of the CPN joined the [[League of Communists in the Netherlands]] to found the [[New Communist Party of the Netherlands|New Communist Party]] in the same year. In 1991, the congresses of the four founding parties (PSP, PPR, CPN and EVP) decided to officially abolish their parties.<ref name="Illusie"/>

GroenLinks had considerable problems formulating its own ideology. In 1990, the attempt to write the first manifesto of principles failed because of the difference between [[socialism|socialists]] and [[communism|communists]] on the one side and the more [[liberalism|liberal]] former PPR members on the other side.<ref name="DNPP1990"/> The second manifesto of principles – which was not allowed to be called that – was adopted after a lengthy debate and many amendments in 1991.<ref name="DNPP1990"/>

Although the party was internally divided, the GroenLinks parliamentary party was the only party in the Dutch parliament which opposed the [[Gulf War]].<ref name="DNPP1990"/> A debate within the party about the role military intervention led to a more-nuanced standpoint than the [[pacifism]] of some of its predecessors: GroenLinks would support [[peacekeeping]] missions as long as they were mandated by the [[United Nations]].<ref name="DNPP1990"/>

In the fall of 1990, MEP Verbeek announced that he would not, as he had promised, leave the European Parliament after two-and-a-half years to make room for a new candidate.<ref name="DNPP1990"/> He would continue as an independent and remain in parliament until 1994. In the [[1994 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1994 European elections]], he would run unsuccessfully as top candidate of [[The Greens (Netherlands)|The Greens]].<ref name="DNPP1994">{{Citation
|last=Lucardie
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Lucardie
 |author2=J. Hippe |author3=G. Voerman
|title=Kroniek 1994. Overzicht van de partijpolitieke gebeurtenissen van het jaar 1994
|journal=Jaarboek DNPP
|publisher=DNPP
|location=Groningen
|year=1995
|url=http://www.rug.nl/dnpp/jaarboeken/jaarboek1994/index
|access-date=2008-04-28}}</ref>

In 1992, party leader [[Ria Beckers]] left the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]] because she wanted more private time. Peter Lankhorst replaced her as chair ad interim, but he announced that he would not take part in the internal elections.<ref name="Van Schuur">{{Citation
|last=Lucardie
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Lucardie
 |author2=W.H. van Schuur |author3=G. Voerman
|title=Paul of Ina, Kanttekeningen bij de keuze van de politiek leider door GroenLinks
|journal=Jaarboek DNPP
|publisher=DNPP
|location=Groningen
|year=1994
|url=http://www.rug.nl/dnpp/jaarboeken/jaarboek1993/index
|access-date=2008-04-28}}</ref>

===1994–2002: opposition during the purple cabinets===
[[File:GreenLeft-1994.jpg|thumb|left|1994 election posters showing the duo Rabbae/Brouwer. The text reads: "GroenLinks counts double"]]
Before the [[1994 Dutch general election|general election of 1994]], GroenLinks organised an internal election on the party's political leadership. Two duos entered: [[Ina Brouwer]] (former CPN) combined with [[Mohammed Rabbae]] (independent), while [[Paul Rosenmöller]] (independent) formed a combination with [[Leoni Sipkes]] (former PSP); there were also five individual candidates, including [[Wim de Boer]] (former chair of the PPR and member of the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]), [[Herman Meijer]] (former CPN, future chair of the party) and [[Ineke van Gent]] (former PSP and future MP).<ref name="Van Schuur"/>

Some candidates ran in duos because they wanted to combine family life with politics. Brouwer, Rosenmöller and Sipkes already were MPs for GroenLinks, whilst Rabbae was new – he had been chair of the Dutch Centre for Foreigners. In the first round, the duos ended up ahead of the others, but neither had an [[absolute majority]]. A second round was needed, in which Brouwer and Rabbae won with 51%.<ref name="Van Schuur"/> Brouwer became the first candidate and Rabbae second, the second duo Rosenmöller and Sipkes occupied the following place followed by [[Marijke Vos]], former chair of the party. The idea of a dual [[Lead candidate|lead candidacy]] did not communicate well to the voters. GroenLinks lost one seat, leaving only five. Yet in the same election, the centre-left Labour Party also lost a lot of seats.<ref name="DNPP1994"/>

After the disappointing elections, Brouwer left parliament. She was replaced as party leader by [[Paul Rosenmöller]] and her seat was taken by [[Tara Singh Varma]].<ref name="DNPP1994"/> The charismatic Rosenmöller became the "unofficial leader" of the opposition against the [[first Kok cabinet]] because the largest opposition party, the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]], was unable to adapt well to its new role as opposition party.<ref name="Koole"/><ref name="Andeweg">{{Citation
|last=Andeweg
|first=R.B.
|author-link=Rudy Andeweg
 |author2=Galen Irwin
|title=Governance and Politics in the Netherlands
|publisher=Palgrave
|year=2002
|location=Basingstoke
}}</ref> Rosenmöller set out a new strategy: GroenLinks should offer alternatives instead of only rejecting the proposals made by the government.<ref name="Rosenmöller-parlement.com">{{citation
|title=Geschiedenis GroenLinks
|url=http://www.groenlinks.nl/partij/GLFolder.2004-04-07.5303
|access-date=2008-04-29
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040627155841/http://www.groenlinks.nl/partij/GLFolder.2004-04-07.5303
|archive-date=2004-06-27
}}</ref><ref name="lagendijk">[[Joost Lagendijk|Lagendijk, Joost]] and [[Tom van der Lee]] "Doorbraak van de eeuwige belofte. Hoe GroenLinks vier jaar herkenbare oppositie omzette in verkiezingswinst", in Kramer, P., T. van der Maas and L. Ornstein (eds.) (1998). ''Stemmen in Stromenland. De verkiezingen van 1098 nader bekeken'' Den Haag: SDU</ref>

In the [[1998 Dutch general election|1998 general election]], GroenLinks more than doubled its seats to eleven. The charisma of "unofficial leader" Rosenmöller played an important role in this.<ref name="lagendijk"/> Many new faces entered parliament, including [[Femke Halsema]], a political talent who had left the Labour Party for GroenLinks in 1997.<ref name="DNPP1998">{{Citation
|last=Lucardie
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Lucardie
 |author2=B. de Boer |author3=I. Noomen |author4=G. Voerman
|title=Kroniek 1998. Overzicht van de partijpolitieke gebeurtenissen van het jaar 1998
|journal=Jaarboek DNPP
|publisher=DNPP
|location=Groningen
|year=1999
|url=http://www.rug.nl/dnpp/jaarboeken/jaarboek1998/index
|access-date=2008-04-28}}</ref>
The party began to speculate openly about joining government after the elections of 2002.<ref name="DNPP2000">{{Citation
|last=Lucardie
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Lucardie
 |author2=B. de Boer |author3=I. Noomen |author4=G. Voerman
|title=Kroniek 2000. Overzicht van de partijpolitieke gebeurtenissen van het jaar 2000
|journal=Jaarboek DNPP
|publisher=DNPP
|location=Groningen
|year=2001
|url=http://www.rug.nl/dnpp/jaarboeken/jaarboek2000/index
|access-date=2008-04-28}}</ref><ref name="Brader">{{Citation
|last=Brader
|first=Toof
|author-link=Toof Brader
|title=Als de Trêveszaal lonkt. Dubbelportret van GroenLinks
|publisher=Mets and Schilt
|year=2000
|location=Amsterdam
}}</ref>

The 1999 [[Kosovo War]] divided the party internally. The parliamentary party in the House of Representatives supported the [[NATO]] intervention, while the Senate parliamentary party was against the intervention. Several former PSP members within the House of Representatives parliamentary party began to openly speak out their doubts about the intervention. A compromise was found: GroenLinks would support the intervention as long as it limited itself to military targets. Prominent members of the founding parties including [[Marcus Bakker]] and [[Joop Vogt]] left the party over this issue.<ref name="DNPP1999">{{Citation
|last=Lucardie
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Lucardie
 |author2=B. de Boer |author3=I. Noomen |author4=G. Voerman
|title=Kroniek 1999. Overzicht van de partijpolitieke gebeurtenissen van het jaar 1999
|journal=Jaarboek DNPP
|publisher=DNPP
|location=Groningen
|year=2000
|url=http://www.rug.nl/dnpp/jaarboeken/jaarboek1999/index
|access-date=2008-04-28}}</ref>

In February 2001, [[Roel van Duijn]] and a few former members of [[The Greens (Netherlands)|The Greens]] joined GroenLinks.<ref name="DNPP2001"/>

In 2001, the integrity of former MP Tara Singh Varma came into doubt: it was revealed that she had lied about her illness and that she had made promises to [[development cooperation|development organisations]] which she did not fulfill. In 2000, she had left parliament because as she claimed, she had only a few months to live before she would die of cancer. The [[TROS]] program "Opgelicht" (In English "Framed") revealed that she had lied and that she did not have cancer.<ref name="DNPP2001">{{Citation
|last=Lucardie
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Lucardie
 |author2=B. de Boer |author3=I. Noomen |author4=G. Voerman
|title=Kroniek 2001. Overzicht van de partijpolitieke gebeurtenissen van het jaar 2001
|journal=Jaarboek DNPP
|publisher=DNPP
|location=Groningen
|year=2002
|url=http://www.rug.nl/dnpp/jaarboeken/jaarboek2001/index
|access-date=2008-04-28}}</ref> Later, she apologised on public television and claimed she suffered from [[post-traumatic stress disorder]].<ref name="Varma-parlement.com">{{citation
|title=T. Oedayraj Singh Varma
|url=http://www.parlement.com/9291000/biof/02532
|access-date=2008-04-29}}</ref>

In the same year, the parliamentary party supported the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|invasion of Afghanistan]] after the [[September 11 attacks|terrorist attacks of September 11]]. This invasion led to great upheaval within the party. Several former PSP members within the House of Representatives parliamentary party began to openly speak out their doubts about the intervention. Under pressure of internal opposition, led by former PSP members and the party's youth organisation [[DWARS]], the parliamentary party changed its position: the attacks should be cancelled.<ref name="DNPP2001"/>

===2002–present===
The [[2002 Dutch general election|2002 general election]] was characterised by changes in the political climate. The [[right-wing populism|right-wing populist]] political commentator [[Pim Fortuyn]] entered into politics. He had an anti-establishment message, combined with a call for restrictions on [[human migration|immigration]]. Although his critique was oriented at the [[second Kok cabinet]], Rosenmöller was one of the few politicians who could muster some resistance against his message. Days before the election, [[Assassination of Pim Fortuyn|Fortuyn was assassinated]]. Ab Harrewijn, GroenLinks MP and candidate also died.<ref name="DNPP2002">{{Citation
|last=Lucardie
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Lucardie
 |author2=J. Hippe |author3=G. Voerman
|title=Kroniek 2002. Overzicht van de partijpolitieke gebeurtenissen van het jaar 2002
|journal=Jaarboek DNPP
|publisher=DNPP
|location=Groningen
|year=2003
|url=http://www.rug.nl/dnpp/jaarboeken/jaarboek2002/index
|access-date=2008-04-28}}</ref> Before and after the elections serious threats were made against Rosenmöller, his wife and his children. These events caused considerable stress for Rosenmöller.<ref name="Rosenmoller">{{Citation
|last=Rosenmöller
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Rosenmöller
|title=Een Mooie Hondenbaan
|publisher=De Balans
|year=2003
|location=Amersfoort
}}</ref> GroenLinks lost one seat in the election, although it had gained more votes than in the 1998 elections. Before the [[2003 Dutch general election|2003 general election]] Rosenmöller left parliament, citing the ongoing threats against his life and those of his family as the main reason. He was replaced as chair of the parliamentary party and top candidate by [[Femke Halsema]]. She was unable to keep ten seats and lost two.<ref name="DNPP2002"/>

In 2003, GroenLinks almost unanimously turned against the [[Iraq War]]. It took part in the [[Protests against the Iraq War|protests against the war]], for instance by organising its [[party congress]] in Amsterdam at the day of the large demonstration, with an interval allowing its members to join the protest.<ref name="DNPP2002"/>

At the end of 2003, Halsema temporarily left parliament to give birth to her [[twins]]. During her absence [[Marijke Vos]] took her place as chair of the parliamentary party.<ref name="DNPP2004">{{Citation
|last=Lucardie
|first=Paul
|author-link=Paul Lucardie
 |author2=J. Hippe |author3=G. Voerman
|title=Kroniek 2004. Overzicht van de partijpolitieke gebeurtenissen van het jaar 2004
|journal=Jaarboek DNPP
|publisher=DNPP
|location=Groningen
|year=2005
|url=http://www.rug.nl/dnpp/jaarboeken/jaarboek2004/index
|access-date=2008-04-28}}</ref> When she returned to parliament, Halsema started a discussion about the [[#Ideology|principles of her party]]. She emphasised individual freedom, [[Toleration|tolerance]], self-realisation and [[emancipation]]. In one interview she called her party "the last liberal party of the Netherlands"<ref>{{citation
|title=De laatste links-liberale partij van Nederland
| newspaper = NRC Handelsblad
|date =11 October 2005
}}</ref> This led to considerable attention of media and other observers, which speculated about an ideological change.<ref name="DNPP2004"/> In 2005 the party's scientific bureau published the book "Vrijheid als Ideaal" ("Freedom as Ideal") in which prominent opinion-makers explored the new political space and the position of the left within that space.<ref name="VID">[[Bart Snels|Snels, B.]] (ed.) (2007). ''Vrijheid als Ideaal.'' Nijmegen: SUN.</ref> During the congress of February 2007 the party board was ordered to organise a party-wide discussion about the party's principles.<ref name="congres2007">{{citation
|last=Doorduyn
|first=Yvonne
|title=Zo afhaken, dat is eens maar nooit weer; Het GroenLinks-congres laat zijn tanden zien, maar bijt niet
| newspaper = De Volkskrant
|date=5 February 2007
}}</ref>

During the European Elections congress of 2004, the candidacy committee proposed that the chair of the GroenLinks delegation, [[Joost Lagendijk]], should become the party's [[lead candidate]] in those elections. A group of members, led by Senator Leo Platvoet submitted a motion "We want to choose". They wanted a serious choice for such an important office. The party's board announced a new electoral procedure. During the congress [[Kathalijne Buitenweg]], an MEP and candidate, announced wish to be considered for the position of top candidate. She narrowly won the elections from Lagendijk. This came as a great surprise to all. Especially for Buitenweg who had not written an acceptance speech and read out Lagendijk's.<ref name="DNPP2004"/>

In May 2005, MP [[Farah Karimi]] wrote a book in which discussed in detail how she had taken part in the [[Iranian Revolution]], because this information was already known by the party board this did not lead to any upheaval.<ref name="Karimi">{{Citation
|last=Karimi
|first=Farah
|author-link=Farah Karimi
|title=Het geheim van het vuur
|publisher=Arena
|year=2005
|location=Amsterdam
}}</ref> In November 2005, the party board asked Senator Sam Pormes to give up his seat. Continuing rumours about his involvement with guerrilla-training in [[Yemen]] in the 1970s and the 1977 train hijacking by [[Maluku Islands|Moluccan]] youth and allegations of [[welfare fraud]] were harmful for the party, or at least so the party board claimed.

When Pormes refused to step down, the party board threatened to expel him. Pormes fought this decision. The party council of March 2006 sided with Pormes. Party chair Herman Meijer felt forced to resign. He was succeeded by Henk Nijhof who was chosen by the party council in May 2006. In November 2006 Pormes left the Senate, he was replaced by [[Goos Minderman]].<ref name="DNPP2006">{{Citation|last=Lucardie |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Lucardie |author2=J. Hippe |author3=R. Kroeze |author4=G. Voerman |title=Kroniek 2006. Overzicht van de partijpolitieke gebeurtenissen van het jaar 2006 |journal=Jaarboek DNPP |publisher=DNPP |location=Groningen |year=2008 |url=http://www.rug.nl/dnpp/jaarboeken/jaarboek2006/index |access-date=2008-04-28 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

[[File:GreenLeft-2006.jpg|thumb|2006 election posters showing Halsema. The text reads: Grow along, GroenLinks. The turret is the official working office of the Dutch Prime Minister.]]

In the [[2006 Dutch municipal elections|2006 Dutch municipal election]], the party stayed relatively stable, losing only a few seats. After the elections GroenLinks took part in 75 local executives, including [[Amsterdam (municipality)|Amsterdam]] where MP [[Marijke Vos]] became an alderwoman.<ref name="DNPP2006"/>

In preparation of the [[2006 Dutch general election|2006 general election]] the party held a congress in October. It elected Halsema, again the only candidate, as the party's top candidate. MEP [[Kathalijne Buitenweg]] and comedian Vincent Bijlo were [[Lijstduwer|last candidates]]. In the 2006 elections the party lost one seat.<ref name="DNPP2006"/>

In the subsequent [[2006-2007 Dutch cabinet formation|cabinet formation]], an initial exploratory round among the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA), [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA) and [[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|Socialist Party]] (SP) failed, Halsema announced that GroenLinks would not be involved in further discussion at that point in time, as the party lost, was too small, and had less in common with CDA than the SP had.<ref name="DNPP2006"/> Following this decision an internal debate about the political course and the leadership of Halsema re-erupted. The debate does not just concern the series of lost elections and the decision not to participate in the formation talks, but also the elitist image of the party, the new [[green liberalism|liberal]] course, initiated by Halsema, and the lack of party democracy. Since the last weeks of January 2007 several prominent party members have voiced their doubts including former leader [[Ina Brouwer]], Senator [[Leo Platvoet]] and MEP [[Joost Lagendijk]].<ref name="congres2007"/> In reaction to this the party board has set up a commission led by former MP and chair of the PPR [[Bram van Ojik]]. They looked into the lost series of elections. In the summer of 2007 another committee was formed to organise a larger debate about the course of the party's principles, organisation and strategy. Van Ojik also led this committee. The committee implemented a motion already adopted by the party's congress in 2006 to re-evaluate the party's principle in light of the party's course started by Halsema in 2004.<ref name="DNPP2006"/> Over the course of 2007 and 2008 the committee organised an internal debate about the party's principles, organisation and strategy. In November 2008 this led to the adoption of a new manifesto of principles.

In August 2008, GroenLinks parliamentarian [[Wijnand Duyvendak]] published a book in which he admitted to a burglary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in order to steal plans for nuclear power plants. This led to his resignation on 14 August, after media reported that the burglary also led to threats against [[Civil service|civil servants]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Inbraak EZ door Duyvendak leidde tot bedreiging |url=http://www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article1955113.ece/Inbraak_EZ_door_Duyvendak_leidde_tot_bedreiging |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919112156/http://www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article1955113.ece/Inbraak_EZ_door_Duyvendak_leidde_tot_bedreiging |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 September 2008 |publisher=NRC Handelsblad |date=14 August 2008 }}</ref><ref name="Duyvendak">{{Citation |title=Duyvendak legt Kamerlidmaatschap neer |url=http://www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article1955403.ece/Duyvendak_legt_Kamerlidmaatschap_neer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915051942/http://www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article1955403.ece/Duyvendak_legt_Kamerlidmaatschap_neer |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 September 2008 |publisher=NRC Handelsblad |date=14 August 2008 }}</ref> He was replaced by [[Jolande Sap]].<ref name="VendrikKlimaat">[http://start.groenlinks.nl/kees-vendrik-wordt-woordvoerder-milieu-klimaat-globalisering Kees Vendrik wordt woordvoerder Milieu, Klimaat & Globalisering] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916121700/http://start.groenlinks.nl/kees-vendrik-wordt-woordvoerder-milieu-klimaat-globalisering |date=2008-09-16 }} op GroenLinks.nl</ref>

In 2008, MEPs [[Joost Lagendijk]] and [[Kathalijne Buitenweg]] announced that they would not seek a new term in the European Parliament. The party had to elect a new [[lead candidate]] for the [[2009 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2009 European elections]]. There were five candidates for this position: [[Amsterdam]] [[city councillor]] [[Judith Sargentini]], former MEP [[Alexander de Roo]], senator [[Tineke Strik]], environmental researcher [[Bas Eickhout]] and [[Niels van den Berge]] assistant of MEP Buitenweg. In an internal referendum Sargentini was elected. The [[party congress]] put Eickhout on a second position on the list.

On 18 April 2010, the party congress composed the list of candidates for the [[2010 Dutch general election|2010 general election]]. Two sitting MPs [[Ineke van Gent]] and [[Femke Halsema]] were granted dispensation to stand for a fourth term. Halsema was re-elected as party leader. Van Gent was put as fifth on the party list. All of the first five candidates were sitting MPs and four were women. Their other high newcomers were former Greenpeace director [[Liesbeth van Tongeren]] and chairman of [[Christian National Trade Union Federation|CNV]] youth [[Jesse Klaver]]. The party won 10 seats in the election and participated in the formation talks of a Green/[[Purple (government)|Purple government]]. Halsema resigned as party leader when these talks failed and was succeeded by [[Jolande Sap]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.libelle.nl/lifestyle/interview-met-femke-halsema/|title=Interview met Femke Halsema}}</ref>

In the [[2012 Dutch general election|2012 general election]], GroenLinks lost six seats and was left with four out of 150 seats. Following the disappointing result, Sap was forced to resign as party leader and was succeeded by [[Bram van Ojik]], who in turn handed his position to [[Jesse Klaver]] in 2015. Under Klaver's leadership, GroenLinks gradually rose in polls before climbing to an all-time high of 14 seats in the [[2017 Dutch general election|2017 general election]]. The party entered [[2017 Dutch cabinet formation|coalition talks]] with the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]], the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] and [[Democrats 66]], but the talks failed after Klaver demanded more refugees to be accepted.<ref>{{Cite news|website=RTL Nieuws|url=https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nederland/politiek/artikel/53791/reconstructie-zo-klapte-de-formatie-met-groenlinks|title=Reconstructie: zo klapte de formatie met GroenLinks|language=nl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020194225/https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nederland/politiek/artikel/53791/reconstructie-zo-klapte-de-formatie-met-groenlinks|archive-date=October 20, 2021|date=June 12, 2017}}</ref>

GroenLinks lost the [[2021 Dutch general election|2021 general election]], and combined with the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] during the [[2021–2022 Dutch cabinet formation|subsequent government formation]]. There have been discussions about a merger with that party; they participated in the [[2023 Dutch Senate election]] as one.<ref>{{Cite news|publisher=NOS|date=June 11, 2022|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2432277-grote-stap-voor-pvda-groenlinks-verder-samen-in-eerste-kamer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629232319/https://nos.nl/artikel/2432277-grote-stap-voor-pvda-groenlinks-verder-samen-in-eerste-kamer|archive-date=June 29, 2022|title=Grote stap voor PvdA, GroenLinks: verder samen in Eerste Kamer|language=nl}}</ref> GroenLinks and the Labour Party announced in 2023 that they would also participate as one, [[GroenLinks–PvdA]], in the [[2023 Dutch general election|general elections of 2023]], as members of both parties voted in favour of an alliance.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nos.nl/l/2483155 |title=PvdA en GroenLinks met één lijst de verkiezingen in, leden stemmen massaal voor |website=NOS |date=17 July 2023 |access-date=12 September 2023 |language=nl}}</ref>