Editing Christian Democratic Appeal (section)

===Balkenende cabinets, 2002–2010===
[[File:Jan Peter Balkenende 2006.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Jan Peter Balkenende]], party leader from 2001 until 2010 and Prime Minister from 2002 until 2010.]]
In the run-up to the [[2002 Dutch general election|2002 general election]], a leadership crisis erupted between party leader De Hoop Scheffer and party chair [[Marnix van Rij]], after which they both left.{{sfn|Gradus|Harinck|Hoentjen|Van Kessel|2012|p=42}} De Hoop Scheffer was succeeded as lead candidate by [[Jan Peter Balkenende]]. The campaign was dominated by the right-wing politician [[Pim Fortuyn]] and [[Pim Fortuyn List]] (LPF) with his critique of the purple cabinets. Fortuyn and Balkenende had agreed not to attack each other during the campaign. Near the end of the campaign, [[Assassination of Pim Fortuyn|Fortuyn was assassinated]], which led to civil unrest. In the election, many people voted for the CDA, hoping that it could bring stability and because it had not attacked Fortuyn like many other parties.{{sfn|Voerman|2011|p=14}} CDA became the largest party with 43 seats, followed by LPF with 26 seats. In the [[2002 Dutch cabinet formation|2002 cabinet formation]], the [[first Balkenende cabinet]] was formed with CDA, VVD and LPF. The cabinet would fall after only three months due to struggles within the LPF.<ref name="Elections 2001-2010">{{Cite web|url=https://cda-digitaal.dnpp.nl/perioden/2001-2010/verkiezingen-en-regering|title=Verkiezingen en regering 2001 - 2010 |language=nl|access-date=4 August 2024}}</ref>

CDA won another seat in the [[2003 Dutch general election|2003 general election]] and remained the largest party. CDA started negotiations with PvdA in the [[2003 Dutch cabinet formation|2003 cabinet formation]], but after this failed, the [[second Balkenende cabinet]] was formed with VVD and D66. To comply with the deficit limits of the European [[Stability and Growth Pact]], the cabinet cut back on social security, leading to protest within CDA.<ref name="Elections 2001-2010"/> A major reform, which was started under the previous cabinet, was the introduction of a [[Healthcare in the Netherlands|new system of health care insurance plan]], which made an end to the distinction between public and private healthcare insurance funds, with the aim of reducing costs and waiting lists.{{sfn|Gradus|Harinck|Hoentjen|Van Kessel|2012|p=43}} The cabinet fell in 2006 after D66 left, leading to the [[2006 Dutch cabinet formation|formation]] of the [[third Balkenende cabinet]] as rump cabinet with VVD.<ref name="Elections 2001-2010"/>

CDA lost three seats, but remained the largest party after the [[2006 Dutch general election|2006 general election]]. In the [[2006-2007 Dutch cabinet formation|cabinet formation]] it formed the [[fourth cabinet Balkenende]] with PvdA and the [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian Union]] (CU). The cabinet was confronted with the [[2008 financial crisis]], leading to the nationalisation of some banks. CDA and PvdA disagreed a lot, and PvdA finally left the cabinet in 2010.<ref name="Elections 2001-2010"/>