Editing Christian Democratic Appeal (section)

==Political positions==
The CDA is a [[Centrism|centre]]{{sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=109-110}}<ref>Multiple sources:
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.tomlouwerse.nl/pdf/pub/2015%20Otjes%2C%20Louwerse%20-%20Populists%20in%20Parliament%20-%20AAM.pdf|title=Populists in Parliament:Comparing Left-Wing and Right-Wing Populism in the Netherlands|first1=Simon|last1=Otjes|first2=Tom|last2=Louwerse|date=2015}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vh8lnhrouwxm/christen_democratisch_appel_cda|title=Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA)|work=[[Parlement.com]]|language=nl|access-date=17 August 2024}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.noordhollandsdagblad.nl/binnenland/bontenbal-geeft-veeg-aan-rechts-en-links/11631303.html|title=Bontenbal geeft veeg aan rechts en links|work=Noord Hollands dagblad|access-date=19 August 2024|language=nl|date=23 September 2023}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.groene.nl/artikel/een-versplinterd-appel|title= Een versplinterd appèl |first=Coen|last=Van de Ven|work=[[De Groene Amsterdammer]]|date=30 August 2023|access-date=19 August 2024}}</ref> to [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]]<ref>{{cite book |author=Syuzanna Vasilyan |title=European Citizenship in the Process of Construction: Challenges for Citizenship, Citizenship Education and Democratic Practice in Europe |publisher=Council of Europe |year=2009 |isbn=978-92-871-6478-0 |editor1=Ditta Dolejšiová |page=73 |chapter=The integration crisis in the Netherlands: the causes and the new policy measures |editor2=Miguel Angel García López}}</ref><ref name="Vollaard2015">{{cite book |author=Hans Vollaard |title=Routledge Handbook of European Elections |author2=Gerrit Voerman |author3=Nelleke van de Walle |publisher=Routledge |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-317-50363-7 |editor=Donatella M. Viola |page=171 |chapter=The Netherlands}}</ref><ref name="VanKerbergenKrouwel20132">{{cite book |first1=Kees|last1=van Kerbergen |title=Immigration and Integration Policy in Europe: Why Politics – and the Centre-Right – Matter |first2=André|last2=Krouwel |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-317-96827-6 |editor-first=Tim|editor-last=Bale |pages=91–92 |chapter=A double-edged sword! The Dutch centre-right and the 'foreigners issue'}}</ref> [[Christian democratic]] party. It started relatively progressive compared to other European Christian democratic parties or secular conservative parties, but followed the general trend in Dutch politics in becoming more [[Conservatism|conservative]] and centre-right.{{sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=109-130}} The party had long been reluctant to call itself conservative,{{sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=109-130}} but it has been embraced by Bontenbal in 2023.<ref name="Bontenbal Social conservative">{{Cite web|url=https://www.tijdschriftcdv.nl/inhoud/tijdschrift_artikel/cd-2023-3-4/bontenbal-cda-staat-niet-voor-wantrouwen-maar-voor-hoop|title=Bontenbal: 'CDA staat niet voor wantrouwen maar voor hoop'|first=Marc|last=Janssens|work=5 October 2023|access-date=5 August 2024|language=nl}}</ref> It has become more [[Communitarianism|communitarianist]], in particular under Balkenende's leadership, who was inspired by sociologist [[Amitai Etzioni]].{{sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=111-112}}

The party has four main principles: [[Stewardship (theology)|stewardship]], [[solidarity]], distributed responsibility and [[Social justice|public justice]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cda.nl/standpunten/uitgangspunten/ |title=De uitgangspunten van het CDA|website=CDA |language=nl |access-date=14 August 2024}}</ref> Distributed responsibility refers to the way society should be organised: not one organisation should control all society, instead the [[Sovereign state|state]], the market, and [[Institution|social institutions]], like [[Church (congregation)|churches]] and [[trade union|unions]] should work together. It is a combination of the [[neo-Calvinist]] concept of [[sphere sovereignty]] and the Catholic concept of [[Subsidiarity (Catholicism)|subsidiarity]].<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=History and Basic Ideas of the Christian Democratic Party in the Netherlands|first=Henk|last=Woldring|editor-first=Cristoph|editor-last=Jedan|title=Constellations of Value. European Perspectives on the Intersection of Religion, Politics and Society|isbn=978-3-643-90083-8|publisher=Lit Verlag|year=2012}}</ref>

=== Economic issues ===
==== Role of the government ====
Following the principles of distributed responsibility, CDA has always focused on a "responsible society", where intervention by the government should be limited. To achieve this, CDA cherishes [[civil society]]. In its 1977 election manifesto, it ascertained that Dutch society was not yet a real responsible society, and that the government should help society achieve this. In the 1980s, CDA concluded that the government spending levels were unsustainable and focused on budgets cuts and reducing the [[welfare state]]. In the 1990s, its confidence in and expectations of society grew, as well in the responsibility of individual citizens. Notable reforms in this direction have been the privatisation of the [[housing association]]s in 1994 and the healthcare reform in 2006.{{sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=117-123}}

==== Environment ====
CDA supports the protection of the environment based on the principle of stewardship. It aims to reconcile the protection of the environment with economic growth, although the latter often prevailed.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=Het einde van de groene consensus?|url=https://repository.ubn.ru.nl/bitstream/handle/2066/209833/209833.pdf|title=Jaarboek Parlementaire Geschiedenis 2019. Natuur, milieu, klimaat.|first1=Marij|last1=Leenders|first2=Wim|last2=Van Meurs|language=nl|editor-first1=Carla|editor-last1=Van Baalen|editor-first2=Jan Willem|editor-last2=Brouwer|editor-first3=Tom-Jan|editor-last3=Meeus|editor-first4=Johan|editor-last4=Van Merriënboer|editor-first5=Joris|editor-last5=Oddens|editor-first6=Jan|editor-last6=Ramakers|publisher=Boom|place=Amsterdam|year=2019|isbn=978-90-244-3037-6}}</ref>

=== Social issues ===
==== Abortion ====
[[File:Presentatie boekje met CDA visie op abortus v.l.n.r. Tilanus, mevrouw Corneliss, Bestanddeelnr 929-0441.jpg|thumb|CDA members [[Hendrik Tilanus]] (CHU), [[Dien Cornelissen]] (KVP) and [[Gerrit van Dam]] (ARP) with the book "CDA: Vision on abortion" ({{langx|nl|CDA: Visie op abortus}}) in 1977.]]
CDA has always held a middle position in the debate on [[abortion in the Netherlands]], advocating for "no unless". CDA supports the right to abortion when the life of the woman is in danger. It has accepted since its creation that a majority in the Netherlands was in favor of abortion beyond that, arguing that their own ethical values should not be codified in law. CDA is however in favor of some limitations, including abortion being in the [[Criminal Code (Netherlands)|Criminal Code]] and a reflection period of five days.{{sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=53-57}} A majority of its representatives voted for the compromise [[abortion law]] in 1981,{{sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=53-57}} while a majority voted against the removal of the reflection period in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2433490-verplichte-bedenktermijn-bij-abortus-verdwijnt|title=Verplichte bedenktermijn bij abortus verdwijnt|work=[[NOS Nieuws]]|access-date=5 August 2024|language=nl|date=21 June 2022}}</ref>

==== Family ====
Today, CDA supports [[same-sex marriage in the Netherlands]], although it did not do so early on. From the start CDA opposed same-sex marriage, but supported the registration of other forms of [[cohabitation]]. This was more explicitly mentioned in election manifestos after its think thank published its report ''1+1=together'' in 1986.{{sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=114-117}} In 1997, CDA voted against a bill that would allow [[civil union]] for same-sex relationships, because it would also be open to opposite-sex relationships. In 2000, all but three CDA members of parliament voted against the introduction of same-sex marriage.{{efn|Among the three members voting in favour of same-sex marriage was [[Joop Wijn]], who would become the [[List of LGBT holders of political offices in the Netherlands|first Dutch openly gay minister]].}} Since then, CDA became more supportive of same-sex marriage, voting in favour of a law giving married lesbians the same parenting rights as opposite-sex parents.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358443477|title=Van 'alternatieve' relaties naar de openstelling van het huwelijk voor mensen van hetzelfde geslacht|first1=Joke|last1=Swiebels|language=nl|date=February 2022|doi=10.5553/BenM/138900692022003001en|journal=Beleid en Maatschappij|volume=49|doi-broken-date=24 November 2024 }}</ref>

=== International affairs ===
==== Europe ====
Based on the [[Chapel Hill expert survey]] (2014), CDA can be qualified as "[[Eurorealist]]",<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcms.13390|title=From Eurorealism to Europhilia? The 2021 Dutch Elections and the New Approach of the Netherlands in EU Politics|first=Simon|last=Otjes|journal=JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies |date=19 July 2022|volume=60 |pages=60–75 |doi=10.1111/jcms.13390 |language=en|access-date=5 August 2024|hdl=1887/3515646|hdl-access=free}}</ref> while it had been more [[Pro-Europeanism|pro-European]] in the past. In its [[party manifesto]] in 1980, the CDA strived for a "united Europe" and in 1979 they had endorsed the EPP election manifesto which called for a [[federal Europe]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cda-digitaal.dnpp.nl/perioden/1977-1982/europa|title=Europa 1977 - 1982 |access-date=5 August 2024|language=nl}}</ref> In the early 2000s CDA started emphasizing the national identity, writing in its 2004 election manifesto it wanted "to ensure that we do not lose our own Dutch identity in the larger Europe".<ref name="Europe2001-2010">{{Cite web|url=https://cda-digitaal.dnpp.nl/perioden/2001-2010/europa|title=Europa 2001 - 2010 |language=nl|access-date=5 August 2024}}</ref> A turning point was the [[2005 Dutch European Constitution referendum|2005 referendum]] on the [[Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe]], which was voted down. CDA had officially endorsed the Treaty, but Balkenende was largely absent during the campaign.{{Sfn|Voerman|2011|pp=193-195}} The focus shifted to the national interest in Europe. Around the same that the EPP started to distance itself from a federal Europe in its new party manifesto, CDA wrote in its manifesto for the [[2014 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2014 European Parliament election]] the party "is and remains against a federal Europe". It turned against [[enlargement of the European Union]], which it had supported in the previous decade.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cda-digitaal.dnpp.nl/perioden/2010-2020/europa|title=Europa 2010 - 2020|language=nl|access-date=5 August 2024}}</ref>