Editing Democrats 66

{{Short description|Political party in the Netherlands}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Democrats 66
| native_name      = Democraten 66
| colorcode        = {{Political party data|color}}
| logo             = D66 logo (2020).svg
| logo_size        = 175px
| abbreviation     = D66
| leader           = [[Rob Jetten]] ([[Leader of the Democrats 66|list]])
| chairperson      = [[Alexandra van Huffelen]]
| leader2_name     = [[Paul van Meenen]]
| leader2_title    = {{nowrap|Leader in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]}}
| leader3_name     = [[Rob Jetten]]
| leader3_title    = {{nowrap|Leader in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House <br> of Representatives]]}}
| leader4_name     = [[Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy]]
| leader4_title    = Leader in the [[European Parliament|EP]]
| founders         = [[Hans van Mierlo]] <br> [[Hans Gruijters]]
| foundation       = {{Start date|1966|10|14|df=yes}}
| headquarters     = Lange Houtstraat 11, <br> [[The Hague]]
| youth_wing       = [[Young Democrats (Netherlands)|Young Democrats]]
| wing1_title      = [[Think tank|Policy institute]]
| wing1            = [[Hans van Mierlo Foundation]]
| membership_year  = January 2025
| membership       = {{Increase}} 29,673<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.rug.nl/research/dnpp/themas/ledentallen/ledental-2025 |date = 10 March 2025 |access-date = 7 April 2025 |language = nl |website = [[University of Groningen]] |publisher = Documentation Centre Dutch Political Parties |title = Ledentallen Nederlandse politieke partijen per 1 januari 2025 |trans-title = Membership of Dutch political parties as of 1 January 2025 }}</ref>
| ideology         = {{ubl
 |[[Social liberalism]]
 |[[Progressivism]]}}
| position         = [[Centrism|Centre]]
| european         = [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe]]
| international    = [[Liberal International]]
| europarl         = [[Renew Europe]]
| regional         = [[Benelux Parliament|Liberal Group]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beneluxparl.eu/nl/politieke-fracties/ |title= Politieke fracties  |website=[[Benelux Parliament]] |language=nl |access-date=8 August 2023}}</ref>
| colours          = {{Nowrap|{{colorbox|{{party color|Democrats 66}}|border=darkgray}} Green<br> {{colorbox|{{#FFFFFF}}|border=darkgray}} White}}
| seats1_title     = [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]
| seats1           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-upper-house|percent=yes}} <!-- Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q747910 -->
| seats2_title     = [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| seats2           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house|percent=yes}} <!--  Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q747910 -->
| seats3_title     = {{nowrap|[[King's commissioner]]s}}
| seats3           = {{Composition bar|1|12|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| seats4_title     = [[Provincial council (Netherlands)|Provincial councils]]
| seats4           = {{Composition bar|33|570|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| seats5_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats5           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ep|percent=yes}} <!-- Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q747910 -->
| seats6_title     = [[Benelux Parliament]]
| seats6           = {{Composition bar|2|21|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| website          = {{Political party data|website}}
| country          = the Netherlands
}}

'''Democrats 66''' ({{Langx|nl|Democraten 66}};{{Efn|Officially: {{Lang|nl|Politieke Partij Democraten 66}} {{IPA|nl|poːliˈtikə pɑrˈtɛi deːmoːˈkraːtə(n) ˌzɛsɛ(n)ˈzɛstəx|}}, {{literally|Political Party Democrats 66}}.}} '''D66''') is a [[Social liberalism|social<!--no hyphen--> liberal]]<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/vvd-holds-majority-d66-are-big-winners-dutch-election|website=I Am Expat|date=18 March 2021|last=Séveno|first=Victoria|title=VVD holds onto majority but D66 are the big winners in Dutch election}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Wolfram|last=Nordsieck|year=2021|title=Netherlands|website=Parties and Elections in Europe|access-date=21 March 2021|url=http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/netherlands.html}}</ref> and [[Progressivism|progressive]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/27-year-old-israeli-dutch-jew-leads-new-progressive-party-into-dutch-parliament/|author=CNAAN LIPHSHIZ|title=27-year-old Israeli-Dutch Jew leads new progressive party into Dutch parliament|quote=Finishing second was the left-wing progressive D66 party, which is close ideologically to Volt.|work=[[The Times of Israel]]|date=21 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/18/dutch-pm-mark-rutte-coalition-talks-election-victory|work=[[The Guardian]]|last=Henley|first=Jon|date=18 March 2021|title=Dutch election: progressive party surges as PM begins coalition talks}}</ref> [[List of political parties in the Netherlands|political party]] in the [[Netherlands]], which is positioned in the [[Centrism|centre]] of the [[Left–right political spectrum|political spectrum]].<ref name="demsoc">{{cite web|url=https://www.demsoc.org/2014/05/11/democrats-66-d66/|date=11 May 2014|website=The Democratic Society|last=Terry|first=Chris|title=Democrats '66 (D66)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410231719/https://www.demsoc.org/2014/05/11/democrats-66-d66/|archive-date=10 April 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>Multiple sources:
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=UudtcJqumSUC&dq=Centrist+Democrats+66&pg=PA90 Coalition Politics and Cabinet Decision Making]. p.90. Author - Juliet Kaarbo. Published by the University of Michigan. First published in 2012. Accessed via Google Books.
* [https://www.ft.com/content/bce64ea2-f9f7-11e6-bd4e-68d53499ed71 Can a pro-EU party thrive in Dutch elections?] ''Financial Times''. Author - Duncan Robinson. Published 27 February 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180403053019/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-netherlands-politics-coalition/negotiations-to-form-new-dutch-government-to-resume-100-days-after-vote-idUKKBN19E2F3?il=0 Negotiations to form new Dutch government to resume 100 days after vote]. ''Reuters''. Author - Bart H. Meijer. Published 23 June 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
* {{cite web | url=https://www.politeiavu.com/post/tweede-kamer-verkiezingen-achter-de-schermen-bij-het-kieskompas | title=Tweede Kamer Verkiezingen: Achter de schermen bij het Kieskompas | date=5 March 2021 }}
* {{cite book |author1=Vít Hloušek |author2=Lubomír Kopeček |title=Origin, Ideology and Transformation of Political Parties: East-Central and Western Europe Compared |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K79sdX-amEgC&pg=PA109 |access-date=14 July 2013 |year=2010 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. |isbn=978-0-7546-9661-2|pages=108–109}}
* {{cite book |author=Dimitri Almeida|title=The Impact of European Integration on Political Parties: Beyond the Permissive Consensus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zGzZ0MpDjtsC&pg=PA98 |year=2012 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-69374-5 |page=98 }}
* {{cite book |author1=Stefaan Fiers |author2= André Krouwel |chapter=The Low Countries: From Prime Minister to President-Minister |editor1=Thomas Poguntke |editor2=Paul Webb |title=The Presidentialization of Politics: A Comparative Study of Modern Democracies |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fp0VDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA158 |access-date=24 August 2012 |year=2007 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-921849-3 |page=158 }}
* {{cite book |author=Simon Lightfoot |title=Europeanizing Social Democracy?: The Rise of the Party of European Socialists |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wd6DbuUVpxcC&pg=PA74 |access-date=14 July 2013 |year=2005 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-34803-4 |page=74 }}</ref> It is a member of the [[Liberal International]] (LI) and the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe]] (ALDE).

The name of the party refers to its year of foundation, [[1966]]. Initially, its main objective had been to democratise the Dutch political system, but it developed a broader social liberal ideology over time. In the [[1967 Dutch general election|1967 general election]], the party won 7 out of 150 seats in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]. No new party had ever gained that many seats before. The party was in government from [[Den Uyl cabinet|1973 to 1977]], [[Second Van Agt cabinet|1981 to 1982]], [[First Kok cabinet|1994 to 2002]], [[Second Balkenende cabinet|2003 to 2006]] and [[Third Rutte cabinet|2017 to 2024]]. It currently holds nine seats in the House of Representatives, five seats in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]] and three seats in the [[European Parliament]].

D66 is especially popular among people who hold a [[Academic degree|university degree]], and its voters are mostly concentrated in larger cities and in municipalities with an above-average number of wealthy residents. The party supplies a relatively large proportion of [[Mayor#Netherlands|mayors]], who are appointed rather than elected.

Currently, the party is led by [[Rob Jetten]], who was elected [[Leader of the Democrats 66|party leader]] on 12 August 2023.<ref name="Kaag">{{cite web |date=4 September 2020 |title=Rob Jetten nieuwe lijsttrekker D66 |url=https://d66.nl/nieuws/rob-jetten-nieuwe-lijsttrekker-d66/ |access-date=5 September 2023 |publisher=D66 |language=nl}}</ref> [[Paul van Meenen]], Rob Jetten and [[Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy]] are serving as the party's [[parliamentary leader]]s in the Senate, the House of Representatives and the European Parliament respectively.

== History ==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Bestuursfuncties, fractievoorzitters, Bestanddeelnr 150-1308.jpg
| width1 = 124
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 = Hans Gruijters 1975 (1).jpg
| width2 = 135
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| footer = Founders [[Hans van Mierlo]] and [[Hans Gruijters]]
}}

=== Early years (1966–1986) ===
Democrats 66 was founded on 14 October 1966 by a group of 44 people. Its founders were described as ''[[Novus homo|homines novi]]'', although 25 of the 44 had previously been members of another political party. The initiators were [[Hans van Mierlo]], a journalist for the ''[[Algemeen Handelsblad]]'', and [[Hans Gruijters]], a [[Municipal council (Netherlands)|municipal councillor]] in Amsterdam for the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (VVD). Van Mierlo became the party's political leader. The foundation of the party was preceded by the "Appeal 1966" on 10 October, in which the founders appealed to the people of the Netherlands to re-take their democratic institutions. The party renounced the 19th-century political ideologies, which dominated the political system and sought to end [[pillarisation]]. It called for radical democratisation of the Dutch political system, and for [[pragmatism|pragmatic]] and [[Technocracy (bureaucratic)|scientific]] policy-making.

[[File:H.A.F.M.O. van Mierlo, minister van Defensie.jpg|thumb|left|185px|[[Hans van Mierlo]], co-founder and leader between 1966–1973 and 1986–1998]]
The party participated in the [[1967 Dutch general election|1967 general election]], with Hans van Mierlo as its [[lead candidate]]. The party won an unprecedented seven seats in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]. In the [[1971 Dutch general election|1971 general election]], the party won an additional four seats and it formed a [[Shadow Cabinet|shadow cabinet]] with the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA) and the [[Political Party of Radicals]] (PPR). In the [[1972 Dutch general election|1972 general election]], the three parties formed a [[political alliance]] called the "Progressive Agreement" ({{Langx|nl|Progressief Akkoord}}; PAK) and presented the common electoral program "Turning Point '72" (''Keerpunt '72'').

In the election, D66 lost nearly half its seats, leaving only six. The alliance became the largest political force in the country, but it did not gain a majority. After long cabinet formation talks, the three PAK-parties formed an [[Cabinet of the Netherlands|extra-parliamentary cabinet]] joined by [[Progressivism|progressive]] members of the [[Anti-Revolutionary Party]] (ARP) and the [[Catholic People's Party]] (KVP). The cabinet was led by Labour politician [[Joop den Uyl]]. Co-founder Hans Gruijters became Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning. After the formation talks, Van Mierlo left politics, feeling that his political position within the parliamentary party was untenable. Van Mierlo was replaced by [[Jan Terlouw]], who became the new [[Parliamentary group leader|parliamentary leader]].

[[File:Jan Terlouw 1981 (1).jpg|thumb|right|185px|[[Jan Terlouw]], leader from 1973 to 1982]]
In the period 1972–1974, the party lost a dramatic number of members (from 6,000 to 300) and polled very poorly in the [[1974 Dutch provincial elections|1974 provincial elections]]. The party also lost half of its senators in the [[1974 Dutch Senate election|1974 Senate election]]. At one of the party congresses, a [[Motion (parliamentary procedure)|motion]] was put forth to abolish the party. A majority of the members voted in favour, but the two-thirds majority was not reached. In reaction, Terlouw started a campaign to revitalise the party, involving a membership drive and a [[petition]] to the electorate. He emphasised issues other than democratic reform and gave the party a more [[liberalism|liberal]] orientation. The party doubled its membership in 1975 and won two additional seats in the [[1977 Dutch general election|1977 general election]], despite losing all its seats in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]] in the same year.

In the [[1981 Dutch general election|1981 general election]], D66 gained 17 seats. The party formed a government with the Labour Party and the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA), with Terlouw as [[List of Ministers of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands|Minister of Economic Affairs]]. The cabinet was characterised by the personal and ideological conflicts between Prime Minister [[Dries van Agt]] (CDA) and [[List of Ministers of Social Affairs of the Netherlands|Minister of Social Affairs]] Joop den Uyl (PvdA). The cabinet fell nine months after it was formed, when the Labour Party left the cabinet. D66 and the CDA continued to govern in a [[Cabinet of the Netherlands|caretaker government]]. In the subsequent [[1982 Dutch general election|1982 general election]], D66 lost two-thirds of its support, and was left with only 6 seats. After the election, Terlouw left politics and was replaced by [[Maarten Engwirda]]. The party was confined to [[opposition (politics)|opposition]].

=== Purple cabinets and demise (1986–2006) ===
In 1986, Van Mierlo returned to politics. He emphasised democratic reform as the core issue of the party and wanted to end the polarisation between the Labour Party and VVD, so that it would be possible to form a government without the CDA. He led the party in the [[1986 Dutch general election|1986 general election]] and won nine seats. In the [[1989 Dutch general election|1989 election]], the party won 12 seats and was asked to join the formation talks of a CDA–PvdA–D66 coalition. While the PvdA preferred to form a government ''with'' D66, the CDA did not. Ultimately, D66 was excluded from the coalition, because it was not necessary to include them to reach a majority in parliament.

Despite being in opposition, D66 adopted a constructive approach towards the government. They were rewarded for this in the [[1994 Dutch general election|1994 general election]], in which the party doubled its number of seats to 24. D66 was able to form its preferred coalition: the "[[Purple (government)|purple government]]", which included both the [[Social democracy|social democratic]] PvdA and the [[conservative liberalism|conservative liberal]] VVD. Van Mierlo was appointed [[Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]. As advocated by D66, the [[first Kok cabinet]] initiated progressive legislation, such as the introduction of [[Same-sex marriage in the Netherlands|same-sex marriage]] and the legalisation of [[euthanasia]]. The moderately [[economic liberalism|liberal economic]] policies of the cabinet were also seen as a great success.

[[File:Els Borst februari 2002.jpg|thumb|right|185px|[[Els Borst]], top candidate in the [[1998 Dutch general election|1998 general election]]]]
Shortly before the [[1998 Dutch general election|1998 general election]], Van Mierlo stepped back and Minister of Health [[Els Borst]] became the new top candidate. D66 lost ten seats in the election, while its coalition partners gained ground at the cost of D66. The [[second Kok cabinet]] continued. Although D66 was technically not needed for a majority in parliament, it was seen as the glue that kept the PvdA and the VVD together. Borst stepped down as party leader and became [[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Deputy Prime Minister]] and Minister of Health. [[Thom de Graaf]] led the party in the House of Representatives. From within the party, there were calls for a more explicit progressive liberal course. In 1999, a constitutional reform that would allow for [[referendum]]s to be held was rejected by the Senate, because a group of VVD dissidents had voted against it. In response, D66 left the cabinet. After the subsequent formation talks, D66 returned to the cabinet in return for a temporary referendum law and directly elected mayors.

In the [[2002 Dutch general election|2002 general election]], the tide had turned against the purple government, and the right-wing populist [[Pim Fortuyn List]] (LPF) gained considerable ground. The three purple parties lost an unprecedented 43 seats. D66 was left with only seven seats. The [[first Balkenende cabinet]], consisting of CDA, LPF and VVD, lasted only three months. In the [[2003 Dutch general election|2003 general election]], D66 lost another seat, leaving only 6. De Graaf stepped down and was succeeded by [[Boris Dittrich]]. After long formation talks between the CDA and the PvdA failed, a [[second Balkenende cabinet]] was formed, which included the CDA, the VVD and D66.

In return for investments in environment and education, and a special Minister for Governmental Reform, D66 supported the [[centre-right]] reform cabinet and some of its more controversial legislation. In May 2005, the Senate rejected a constitutional reform that would allow a directly elected mayor. The legislation had been introduced by the [[second Kok cabinet]], but it was unable to get a two-thirds majority because the Labour Party was opposed the electoral system proposed by Minister for Governmental Reform Thom de Graaf. De Graaf resigned, but the rest of the ministers retained their positions as D66 was promised more investment in public education and the environment. A special party congress was called to ratify this so-called "Easter Agreement" (''Paasakkoord''). 2,600 members (20 per cent of total membership) were present and the congress was broadcast live on television. The congress agreed to remain in cabinet by a large majority. [[Alexander Pechtold]] replaced De Graaf as Minister for Governmental Reform. [[Laurens Jan Brinkhorst]], the Minister of Economic Affairs, became [[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Deputy Prime Minister]].

[[File:Alexander-pechtold (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|185px|[[Alexander Pechtold]], leader from 2006 to 2018]]

=== Pechtold leadership (2006–2016) ===
In February 2006, Dittrich stepped down as parliamentary leader, because he did not agree with the government's decision to send the Dutch armed forces to the southern province of [[Uruzgan]] in [[Afghanistan]]. D66 voted against the government's proposal together with the [[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|Socialist Party]] and [[GroenLinks]]. Dittrich stated that the mission to send troops was not a reconstruction mission (as the government and the majority of the Dutch parliament claimed), but a military operation. [[Lousewies van der Laan]] replaced Dittrich. In May 2006, D66 polled particularly badly in the [[2006 Dutch municipal elections|2006 municipal election]]s. D66 began to lose a considerable number of members, some of whom founded [[deZES]], another radical democratic, progressive liberal party. During a special party congress on 13 May 2006, a motion was put forth demanding the withdrawal of D66 from the cabinet, but it was rejected. In June 2006, an [[2006 Democrats 66 leadership election|internal election]] was held in order to choose the new party leader. The election was won by [[Alexander Pechtold]].

During the special parliamentary debate on the [[Naturalization|naturalisation process]] of [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]], D66 supported a [[motion of no confidence]] against Minister for Integration [[Rita Verdonk]]. As D66 was a junior coalition partner, this caused a crisis in the [[Netherlands cabinet Balkenende-2|second Balkenende cabinet]]. The cabinet refused to remove Verdonk from her position. Lousewies van der Laan, parliamentary leader of D66, felt that the D66 faction could no longer support the cabinet and stated that the cabinet had to resign. On 3 July 2006, the two D66 ministers [[Alexander Pechtold]] and [[Laurens Jan Brinkhorst]] resigned, causing the [[second Balkenende cabinet]] to fall.

In October 2006, just before the D66 party congress and its 40th anniversary as a party, D66 founder [[Hans van Mierlo]] asked the question whether D66 still had political legitimacy. He believed that many errors were made in recent history and that only the acceptance of these errors could provide for any credibility for D66. Van Mierlo declared his support for party leader Pechtold, who in his view could provide for such credibility.<ref>{{cite news|title=Oprichter van Mierlo: heeft D66 nog zin?|publisher=[[Het Parool]]|date=2006-10-06}}</ref>

[[File:Portretfoto Sigrid Kaag 2018 01 (crop).jpg|thumb|right|185px|[[Sigrid Kaag]], leader from 2020 to 2023]]
Since 2008, the party has performed quite well in the [[opinion poll]]s, ranging from 10 to 26 seats, compared to only 3 seats in the House of Representatives.<ref>[https://n10.noties.nl/peil.nl/ Politieke Voorkeur sinds augustus 2008] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724162442/https://n10.noties.nl/peil.nl/ |date=24 July 2011 }} on peil.nl</ref><ref>[http://www.politiekebarometer.nl/Polbarhistorie.htm Trends sinds de laatste tweede kamer verkiezing] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714011154/http://www.politiekebarometer.nl/Polbarhistorie.htm |date=14 July 2009 }} on politieke barometer.nl</ref><ref>{{in lang|nl}} [https://n7.noties.nl/v/get.php?a=peil.nl&f=voorkeur.jpg&cache=0 "Politieke Voorkeur sinds Januari 2009,"] Peil.nl (24 January 2010) {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724162545/https://n7.noties.nl/v/get.php?a=peil.nl&f=voorkeur.jpg&cache=0 |date=2011-07-24 }}</ref> In the [[2009 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2009 European Parliament election]], the party won 11% of the votes and 3 seats, two more than in the previous election. The news programme [[Nova (Dutch TV series)|Nova]] attributed this increase to the leadership of Alexander Pechtold, who was considered "the leader of the opposition" at the time.<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [https://archive.today/20120905224659/http://www.novatv.nl/page/detail/uitzendingen/5975/'Alexander+Pechtold+is+d%E9+oppositieleider+van+dit+moment'  "Alexander Pechtold is dé oppositieleider van dit moment,"] Hanneke van der Werf and Nynke de Zoeten, ''Nova: Den Haag Vandaag'' (19 April 2008)</ref> Under the leadership of Pechtold, the party has taken strong stances against the [[Party for Freedom]] (PVV) of [[Geert Wilders]].<ref name="intermediair">{{in lang|nl}} Hugo Logtenberg, [http://www.intermediair.nl/artikel/branches-rijksoverheid/59710/alexander-pechtold-ik-heb-meer-dan-ooit-criticasters-nodig.html "Alexander Pechtold: Ik heb meer dan ooit criticasters nodig"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223235443/http://www.intermediair.nl/artikel/branches-rijksoverheid/59710/alexander-pechtold-ik-heb-meer-dan-ooit-criticasters-nodig.html |date=23 February 2012 }} on ''intermediair.nl'' (2 April 2008)</ref> In the [[2010 Dutch general election|2010 general election]], D66 increased its representation to 10 seats. In the [[2012 Dutch general election|2012 general election]], the party further increased its number of seats to 12. Since 2008, the party has experienced a significant increase in party membership, from 10,000 to 25,000 in 2015.

In the [[2017 Dutch general election|2017 general election]], D66 won 19 seats in the House of Representatives and formed a centre-right [[coalition government]] with the VVD, CDA and [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian Union]] (CU). [[Kajsa Ollongren]] was appointed second Deputy Prime Minister in the [[third Rutte cabinet]].

=== Kaag and Jetten leadership (2018–present) ===
In October 2018, Alexander Pechtold announced his retirement from politics.<ref>{{cite web |title=Alexander Pechtold weg als partijleider, vertrekt dinsdag uit Kamer |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2253630-alexander-pechtold-weg-als-partijleider-vertrekt-dinsdag-uit-kamer.html |website=NOS |access-date=3 April 2021 |language=nl |date=6 October 2018}}</ref> He was replaced by [[Rob Jetten]] as parliamentary leader, but the position of party leader remained vacant.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rob Jetten nieuwe fractievoorzitter D66 |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2254034-rob-jetten-nieuwe-fractievoorzitter-d66.html |website=NOS |access-date=3 April 2021 |language=nl |date=9 October 2018}}</ref> In September 2020, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation [[Sigrid Kaag]] was elected the new party leader and top candidate for the [[2021 Dutch general election|2021 general election]].<ref name="Kaag" /> Despite the fact that the opinion polls had predicted D66 to lose seats, the party won 24 seats in the 2021 election, becoming the second largest party in the House of Representatives.<ref>{{cite web |title=Zo dichtbij zaten de peilingen bij de werkelijke uitslag van de verkiezingen |url=https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/5220541/d66-onderschat-pvv-overschat-de-peilingen |website=RTL Nieuws |access-date=3 April 2021 |language=nl |date=18 March 2021}}</ref> On 12 August 2023 Rob Jetten became the leader of the party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-12 |title=Nieuwe D66-leider Jetten wil 'de mensen opzoeken' |url=https://nos.nl/collectie/13944/artikel/2486391-nieuwe-d66-leider-jetten-wil-de-mensen-opzoeken |access-date=2023-12-02 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}}</ref> Following the [[2023 Dutch general election]] D66 lost more seats than any party, being reduced from 24 to 9, their worst result in 17 years.

== Ideology ==
[[File:D66 Campagnespot 2021.webm|300px|thumb|Campaign for the [[2021 Dutch general election]]]]
{{Outdated section|date=July 2023}}
The ideology of D66 is a highly contested subject within the party and the question is tied to the reason for its existence. There are two currents within the party, namely the radical democrats and the progressive liberals. Although sometimes antagonistic, these two currents currently complement each other as both emphasise the self-realisation of the individual. The [[Radical League]] and the [[Free-thinking Democratic League]], two early 20th century parties are historic exponents of these two traditions.

=== Factions ===

==== Radical democrats ====
The first party congress emphasised radical democratisation of Dutch society and the political system. Its ideal was a [[two-party system]]. To obtain this, it wanted to [[electoral reform|reform the electoral system]] after the American [[plurality voting system|first past the post]] model. The electoral reform was gradually moderated as the party now favours German-style [[mixed member proportional representation]]. In this system, a national party-list election is used to make a first-past-the-post election representative to the nationwide vote. This radical democratisation was combined with a pragmatic and anti-dogmatic attitude towards politics. [[Hans van Mierlo]], the party's leader between 1966 and 1972 and between 1986 and 1998 and the party's figurehead, was an important exponent of this tendency within the party.{{citation needed|date=February 2011}}

==== Progressive liberals ====
D66's progressive liberal section has historically been much weaker than its radical democratic wing. Under [[Jan Terlouw]] between 1972 and 1982, D66 began to emphasise new issues like the [[Natural environment|environment]], [[public education]] and [[innovation]]. He called D66 a fourth current, next to [[social democracy]], [[Christian democracy]] and the [[conservative liberalism]] of the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]]. In 1998, the group Opschudding called for a [[Social liberalism|progressive liberal]] course for the party. In the party's manifesto adopted in 2000, the party explicitly adopted a [[Social liberalism|progressive liberal]] image. National political reasons explain the usage of the label "[[Social liberalism|social-liberal]]" since the more [[Centre-right|right-leaning]] [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]] describes itself as the liberal party.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

=== Positions ===
Some of the party's most important positions include:
* D66 is in favour of a [[mixed economy]] combining market economics and government intervention. D66 is also a proponent of increased [[Labour market flexibility|flexibility in the labour market]] and [[tax cut]]s for the lower and middle classes.
* D66 proposes to increase government spending on [[education]] and [[innovation]], for instance increases in teachers' salaries. D66 wants the education sector to be deregulated and introduce more competition in the sector.
* The [[Natural environment|environment]] is an important issue for the party. D66 favours a [[carbon price]] and more investment in [[sustainable energy]] to combat [[global warming]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://d66.nl/standpunt-over/ambitieus-europa-op-klimaat/|title=D66 wil ambitieuze afspraken over beleid voor klimaat in Europa|website=D66. Voor de toekomst.|access-date=2019-07-19}}</ref> It opposes the [[right to hunt]] and sees [[hunting]] only as last resort for wildlife damage control.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/gs-b726ac75|title=Jacht en plezier|last=Giesen|first=Peter|date=2013-03-27|website=de Volkskrant|language=nl-NL|access-date=2019-07-19|quote=In hun plan Mooi Nederland willen PvdA, D66 en GroenLinks de 'plezierjacht' verbieden. Jagen is slechts geoorloofd als het een nuttig doel dient, zoals gewasbescherming of faunabeheer. Daarom willen ze de wildlijst van vrij bejaagbare dieren (onder meer haas, fazant en konijn) afschaffen.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://groenlinks.nl/sites/groenlinks.nl/files/Initiatiefnota%20Mooi%20Nederland.pdf|title=Initiatiefnota Mooi Nederland|date=2013|website=GroenLinks|pages=4, 9, 40–41|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719213751/https://groenlinks.nl/sites/groenlinks.nl/files/Initiatiefnota%20Mooi%20Nederland.pdf|archive-date=2019-07-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://noordholland.d66.nl/2015/03/06/d66-werkt-aan-echte-stilte-stiltegebieden/|title=D66 werkt aan echte stilte in stiltegebieden|date=2015-03-06|website=D66 Noord-Holland|access-date=2019-07-19}}</ref>
* D66 is a [[Social liberalism|socially liberal]] party. The [[first Kok cabinet]] in which it participated introduced several liberal reforms in the past, such as the legalisation of [[euthanasia]], [[Same-sex marriage in the Netherlands|same-sex marriage]] and [[Prostitution in the Netherlands|prostitution]].
* D66 is a proponent of democratic reform. It favours electoral reforms such as a binding [[referendum]], abolition of the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]] and direct election of [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands|prime ministers]] and [[Burgemeester|mayors]].
* D66 favours a [[European Federation|Federal Europe]] and more European cooperation on issues such as the environment, immigration policy and foreign policy.

== Electorate ==
Although supporters of political parties are no longer fixed and election results fluctuate, D66 is overall strong and concentrated in the [[Randstad | Randstad conurbation]], while also getting its votes in and around university towns. In the [[2014 Dutch municipal elections|2014 municipal elections]], D66 became the largest party in many major cities including [[Amsterdam]], [[The Hague]], [[Utrecht]], [[Tilburg]], [[Groningen]], [[Enschede]], [[Apeldoorn]], [[Haarlem]], [[Amersfoort]] and [[Arnhem]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iamexpat.nl/read-and-discuss/expat-page/news/winners-losers-results-dutch-municipal-elections-2014 |title=Winners & Losers: Dutch Municipal Elections 2014 |access-date=2015-10-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325025417/http://www.iamexpat.nl/read-and-discuss/expat-page/news/winners-losers-results-dutch-municipal-elections-2014 |archive-date=2014-03-25 }}, I Am Expat, 21 March 2014</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nos.nl/artikel/625676-d66-verovert-grote-steden.html |title=D66 verovert grote steden |date=20 March 2014 |access-date=2015-10-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304141149/http://nos.nl/artikel/625676-d66-verovert-grote-steden.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 }} NOS.nl, 20 March 2014</ref>

== Election results ==
=== House of Representatives ===
{{Main|List of members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2023–present}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
|-
! Election
! [[Lead candidate]]
! List
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Government
|-
! [[1967 Dutch general election|1967]]
| rowspan="3" align="left"| [[Hans van Mierlo]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1967 Dutch general election|List]]
| 307,810	
| 4.4
| {{Composition bar compact|7|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| New
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1971 Dutch general election|1971]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1971 Dutch general election|List]]
| 427,720	
| 6.7
| {{Composition bar compact|11|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1972 Dutch general election|1972]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1972 Dutch general election|List]]
| 307,048	
| 4.1
| {{Composition bar compact|6|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1977 Dutch general election|1977]]
| rowspan="3" align="left"| [[Jan Terlouw]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1977 Dutch general election|List]]
| 452,423
| 5.4
| {{Composition bar compact|8|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1981 Dutch general election|1981]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1981 Dutch general election|List]]
| 961,121
| 11.0
| {{Composition bar compact|17|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{increase}} 9
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1982 Dutch general election|1982]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1982 Dutch general election|List]]
| 351,278
| 4.3
| {{Composition bar compact|6|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{decrease}} 11
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1986 Dutch general election|1986]]
| rowspan="3" align="left"| [[Hans van Mierlo]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1986 Dutch general election|List]]
| 562,466
| 6.1
| {{Composition bar compact|9|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1989 Dutch general election|1989]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1989 Dutch general election|List]]
| 701,934
| 7.9
| {{Composition bar compact|12|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1994 Dutch general election|1994]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1994 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,391,202
| 15.5
| {{Composition bar compact|24|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{increase}} 12
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1998 Dutch general election|1998]]
| align="left"| [[Els Borst]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1998 Dutch general election|List]]
| 773,497
| 9.0
| {{Composition bar compact|14|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{decrease}} 10
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2002 Dutch general election|2002]]
| rowspan="2" align="left"| [[Thom de Graaf]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2002 Dutch general election|List]]
| 484,317
| 5.1
| {{Composition bar compact|7|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{decrease}} 7
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2003 Dutch general election|2003]]
|align="left"| [[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2003 Dutch general election|List]]
| 393,333
| 4.0
| {{Composition bar compact|6|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2006 Dutch general election|2006]]
| rowspan="4" align="left"| [[Alexander Pechtold]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2006 Dutch general election|List]]
| 193,232
| 2.0
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2010 Dutch general election|2010]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2010 Dutch general election|List]]
| 654,167
| 6.9
| {{Composition bar compact|10|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{increase}} 7
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2012 Dutch general election|2012]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2012 Dutch general election|List]]
| 757,091
| 8.0
| {{Composition bar compact|12|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2017 Dutch general election|2017]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2017 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,285,819
| 12.2
| {{Composition bar compact|19|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{increase}} 7
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2021 Dutch general election|2021]]
| align="left"| [[Sigrid Kaag]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2021 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,565,861
| 15.0
| {{Composition bar compact|24|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{increase}} 5
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2023 Dutch general election|2023]]
| align="left"|[[Rob Jetten]]
| align="left"|[[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2023 Dutch general election|List]]
| 656,292
| 6.3
| {{Composition bar compact|9|150|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| {{decrease}} 15
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|}

=== Senate ===
{{Main|List of members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2023–2027}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"
! Election
! Lead candidate
! List
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
|-
! 1971
| 
|
|
|
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|6|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | New
|-
! 1974
|
|
| 
| 
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|3|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 3
|-
! 1977
|
|
| 
| 
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|0|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 3
|-
! 1980
| rowspan="3" | [[Jan Glastra van Loon]]
|
| 
| 
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|2|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 2
|-
! 1981
|
| 
| 
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|4|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 2
|-
! 1983
|
| 
| 
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|6|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 2
|-
! 1986
| rowspan="3" | [[Jan Vis]]
|
| 
| 
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|6|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 
|-
! 1987
|
| 
| 
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|5|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 1
|-
! 1991
|
|
|
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|12|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 7
|-
! 1995
| rowspan="3" | [[Eddy Schuyer]]
| [[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1995 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| 
|
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|7|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 5
|-
! [[1999 Dutch Senate election|1999]]
| [[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 1999 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,542
| style="text-align: right;" | 5.4
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|4|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 3
|-
! [[2003 Dutch Senate election|2003]]
| [[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2003 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,087
| style="text-align: right;" | 4.4
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|3|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 1
|-
! [[2007 Dutch Senate election|2007]]
| [[Gerard Schouw]]
| [[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2007 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 3,270
| style="text-align: right;" | 2.0
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|2|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 1
|-
! [[2011 Dutch Senate election|2011]]
| [[Roger van Boxtel]]
| [[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2011 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 12,651
| style="text-align: right;" | 7.6
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|5|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 3
|-
! [[2015 Dutch Senate election|2015]]
| [[Thom de Graaf]]
| [[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2015 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 21,997
| style="text-align: right;" | 13.0
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|10|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 5
|-
! [[2019 Dutch Senate election|2019]]
| [[Annelien Bredenoord]]
| [[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2019 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 15,154
| style="text-align: right;" | 8.8
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|7|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 3
|-
! [[2023 Dutch Senate election|2023]]
| [[Paul van Meenen]]
| [[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2023 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,144
| style="text-align: right;" | 6.2
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|5|75|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 2
|}

=== European Parliament ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! Election
! Lead candidate
! List
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! EP Group
|-
! [[1979 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1979]]
| [[Aar de Goede]]
| [[Party lists in the 1979 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#D'66|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 511,967
| style="text-align: right;" | 9.03
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|2|25|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| New
| ''[[Non-Inscrits|NI]]''
|-
! [[1984 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1984]]
| [[Doeke Eisma]]
| [[Party lists in the 1984 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#D'66|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 120,826
| style="text-align: right;" | 2.28
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|0|25|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 2
| –
|-
! [[1989 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1989]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Jan-Willem Bertens]]
| [[Party lists in the 1989 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#D66|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 311,990
| style="text-align: right;" | 5.95
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|1|25|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 1
| [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|LDR]]
|-
! [[1994 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1994]]
| [[Party lists in the 1994 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#D66|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 481,826
| style="text-align: right;" | 11.66
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|4|31|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 3
| rowspan="2" | [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|ELDR]]
|-
! [[1999 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1999]]
| [[Lousewies van der Laan]]
| [[Party lists in the 1999 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#D66|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 205,623	
| style="text-align: right;" | 5.80
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|2|31|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 2
|-
! [[2004 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2004]]
| rowspan="6" | [[Sophie in 't Veld]]
| [[Party lists in the 2004 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#Democrats 66 (D66)|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 202,502
| style="text-align: right;" | 4.25
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|1|27|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 1
| rowspan="4" | [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group|ALDE]]
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[2009 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2009]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Party lists in the 2009 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#Democrats 66 (D66)|List]]
| style="text-align: right;"  rowspan="2" | 515,422
| style="text-align: right;"  rowspan="2" | 11.32
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|3|25|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 2
|-
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|3|26|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[2014 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2014]]
| [[Party lists in the 2014 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#Democrats 66 (D66) - ALDE|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 735,825
| style="text-align: right;" | 15.48
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|4|26|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 1
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[2019 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2019]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Party lists in the 2019 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#Democrats 66 (D66) - ALDE|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" rowspan="2" | 389,692
| style="text-align: right;" rowspan="2" | 7.09
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|2|26|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{decrease}} 2
| rowspan="3" | [[Renew Europe|RE]]
|-
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|2|29|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2024]]
| [[Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy]]
| [[Party lists in the 2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#D66|List]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 523,650
| style="text-align: right;" | 8.40
| style="text-align: right;" | {{Composition bar compact|3|31|hex={{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{increase}} 1
|}

== Organisation ==

=== Name and logo ===
At its foundation, the party was called '''Democrats '66''' ({{Langx|nl|Democraten '66}}, abbreviated '''D'66'''). The name referred to the party's goal of radical democratisation and to the year of foundation, which was supposed to convey a modern image. In 1981, the [[apostrophe]] was dropped: the name had become a successful political brand, but the year no longer conveyed a modern image.

{{Gallery
|title=Logos of the Democrats 66
|width=100 |height=100
|align=center
|footer=
|File:D'66 politiek program 1966.png
| 1966–1984
|File:D66 logo (1985–2001).svg
| 1985–2001
|File:D66 logo (2002–2006).svg
| 2002–2006
|File:D66 logo (2006–2008).svg
| 2006–2008
|File:D66 logo (2008–2019).svg
| 2008–2019
|File:D66 logo (2019–present).svg
| 2019–present
}}

=== Structure ===
The highest organ of the D66 is the General Assembly, in which every member can participate. It convenes multiple times per year. It appoints the party board and has the last say over the party program. The [[party list]], including the party's [[Parliamentary group leader|parliamentary leader]], for the Senate, House of Representatives, European Parliament candidates are elected directly by the members. The party has between 250 and 300 branches all over the Netherlands.

=== Leadership ===

==== Chairpersons ====
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
* [[Hans van Mierlo]] <small>(14 September 1966&nbsp;– 16 February 1967)</small>
* [[Gerben Ringnalda]] <small>(16 February 1967&nbsp;– 18 November 1967)</small>
* [[Hans van Lookeren Campagne]] <small>(18 November 1967&nbsp;– 14 December 1968)</small>
* [[Jan Beekmans]] <small>(14 December 1968&nbsp;– 7 November 1971)</small>
* [[Ruby van der Scheer]] <small>(7 November 1971&nbsp;– 11 March 1973)</small>
* [[Jan ten Brink (Democrats 66)|Jan ten Brink]] <small>(11 March 1973&nbsp;– 6 November 1976)</small>
* [[Jan Glastra van Loon]] <small>(6 November 1976&nbsp;– 27 October 1979)</small>
* [[Henk Zeevalking]] <small>(27 October 1979&nbsp;– 11 September 1981)</small>
* [[Cees Spigt]] <small>''(Ad interim)'' (11 September 1981&nbsp;– 14 November 1981)</small>
* [[Jan van Berkom]] <small>(14 November 1981&nbsp;– 30 October 1982)</small>
* [[Jacob Kohnstamm]] <small>(30 October 1982&nbsp;– 20 May 1986)</small>
* [[Olga Scheltema]] <small>''(Ad interim)'' (20 May 1986&nbsp;– 1 November 1986)</small>
* [[Saskia van der Loo]] <small>(1 November 1986&nbsp;– 29 October 1988)</small>
* [[Michel Jager]] <small>(29 October 1988&nbsp;– 3 November 1990)</small>
{{Col-2}}
* [[Ries Jansen]] <small>(3 November 1990&nbsp;– 28 November 1992)</small>
* [[Wim Vrijhoef]] <small>(28 November 1992&nbsp;– 23 November 1996)</small>
* [[Tom Kok]] <small>(23 November 1996&nbsp;– 20 November 1999)</small>
* [[Gerard Schouw]] <small>(20 November 1999&nbsp;– 16 November 2002)</small>
* [[Alexander Pechtold]] <small>(16 November 2002&nbsp;– 31 March 2005)</small>
* [[Jan Hoekema]] <small>''(Ad interim)'' (31 March 2005&nbsp;– 21 May 2005)</small>
* [[Frank Dales]] <small>(21 May 2005&nbsp;– 2 March 2007)</small>
* [[Gerard Schouw]] <small>''(Ad interim)'' (2 March 2007&nbsp;– 12 May 2007)</small>
* [[Ingrid van Engelshoven]] <small>(12 May 2007&nbsp;– 9 March 2013)</small>
* [[Fleur Gräper]] <small>(9 March 2013&nbsp;– 13 September 2015)</small>
* [[Letty Demmers]] <small>(13 September 2015&nbsp;– 6 October 2018)</small>
* [[Anne-Marie Spierings]] <small>(6 October 2018&nbsp;– 13 November 2021)</small>
* [[Victor Everhardt]] <small>(13 November 2021&nbsp;– 23 November 2024)</small>
* [[Alexandra van Huffelen]] <small>(23 November 2024&nbsp;– present)</small>
{{Col-end}}

==== Parliamentary leaders ====
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
* [[Parliamentary leader]]s in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
** [[Hans van Mierlo]] <small>(23 February 1967&nbsp;– 1 September 1973)</small>
** [[Jan Terlouw]] <small>(1 September 1973&nbsp;– 11 September 1981)</small>
** [[Laurens Jan Brinkhorst]] <small>(11 September 1981&nbsp;– 10 November 1982)</small>
** [[Maarten Engwirda]] <small>(10 November 1982&nbsp;– 3 June 1986)</small>
** [[Hans van Mierlo]] <small>(3 June 1986&nbsp;– 22 August 1994)</small>
** [[Gerrit Jan Wolffensperger]] <small>(22 August 1994&nbsp;– 21 November 1997)</small>
** [[Thom de Graaf]] <small>(21 November 1997&nbsp;– 19 May 1998)</small>
** [[Els Borst]] <small>(19 May 1998&nbsp;– 30 May 1998)</small>
** [[Thom de Graaf]] <small>(30 May 1998&nbsp;– 22 January 2003)</small>
** [[Boris Dittrich]] <small>(22 January 2003&nbsp;– 3 February 2006)</small>
** [[Lousewies van der Laan]] <small>(3 February 2006&nbsp;– 30 November 2006)</small>
** [[Alexander Pechtold]] <small>(30 November 2006&nbsp;– 9 October 2018)</small>
** [[Rob Jetten]] <small>(9 October 2018&nbsp;– 18 March 2021)</small>
** [[Sigrid Kaag]] <small>(18 March 2021&nbsp;– 25 May 2021)</small>
** [[Rob Jetten]] <small>(25 May 2021&nbsp;– 28 September 2021)</small>
** [[Sigrid Kaag]] <small>(28 September 2021&nbsp;– 10 January 2022)</small>
** [[Jan Paternotte]] <small>(11 January 2022&nbsp;– 22 November 2023)</small>
** [[Rob Jetten]] <small>(23 November 2023&nbsp;– present)</small>
{{Col-2}}
* [[Parliamentary leader]]s in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]
** [[Bert Schwarz]] <small>(11 May 1971&nbsp;– 17 September 1973)</small>
** [[Paula Wassen-van Schaveren]] <small>(17 September 1973&nbsp;– 17 September 1974)</small>
** [[Doeke Eisma]] <small>(17 September 1974&nbsp;– 20 September 1977)</small>
** [[Jan Glastra van Loon]] <small>(16 September 1980&nbsp;– 3 December 1985)</small>
** [[Jan Vis]] <small>(3 December 1985&nbsp;– 1 March 1995)</small>
** [[Eddy Schuyer]] <small>(1 March 1995&nbsp;– 12 June 2007)</small>
** [[Gerard Schouw]] <small>(12 June 2007&nbsp;– 17 June 2010)</small>
** [[Hans Engels]] <small>(22 June 2010&nbsp;– 7 June 2011)</small>
** [[Roger van Boxtel]] <small>(7 June 2011&nbsp;– 9 June 2015)</small>
** [[Thom de Graaf]] <small>(9 June 2015&nbsp;– 26 June 2018)</small>
** [[Hans Engels]] <small>(26 June 2018&nbsp;– 11 June 2019)</small>
** [[Annelien Bredenoord]] <small>(11 June 2019&nbsp;– 12 June 2023)</small>
** [[Paul van Meenen]] <small>(13 June 2023&nbsp;– present)</small>
{{Col-end}}

=== Linked organisations ===
The [[youth wing]] of D66 is called the [[Young Democrats (Netherlands)|Young Democrats]] ({{Langx|nl|Jonge Democraten}}, abbreviated JD). It has produced several prominent active members of D66, such as former MP [[Boris van der Ham]]. The JD is a member of [[European Liberal Youth]] and the [[International Federation of Liberal Youth]].

D66 is a co-founder of the [[Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy]], a democracy assistance organisation of seven Dutch political parties. The [[Hans van Mierlo Foundation]] is the party's [[Think tank|policy institute]].

=== International affiliation ===
D66 is a member of the [[Liberal International]] and of the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe]] (ALDE). D66 joined the [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (European Parliament group)|Liberal and Democratic Reformists]] (LDR) group in 1989.<ref name="HellerMershon2009" /> It became a full member of the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party]] (ELDR) in 1994 and a full member of the Liberal International in 1986.<ref>[http://www.liberal-international.org/editorial.asp?ia_id=762 Democrats 66] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006020106/http://www.liberal-international.org/editorial.asp?ia_id=762|date=6 October 2009}} on liberal-international.org</ref>

==== European Parliament ====
The D66 delegation is part of the [[Renew Europe]] group in the European Parliament. Prior to the [[1979 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|first European elections in 1979]], D66's appointed [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]]s were part of the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|Socialist Group]], before switching to [[Non-Inscrits]] from 1979 to 1984,<ref name="Kirchner1988">{{cite book|author=Emil J. Kirchner|title=Liberal Parties in Western Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wtCIzAyQChQC&pg=PA412|access-date=21 August 2012|date=3 November 1988|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-32394-9|page=412}}</ref> and the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group|LDR/ELDR/ALDE]] group since 1989.<ref name="HellerMershon2009">{{cite book|author1=William Heller|author2=Carol Mershon|title=Political Parties and Legislative Party Switching|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jvfGAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA153|date=23 June 2009|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-0-230-62255-5|page=153}}</ref>

Current members of the [[European Parliament]] since the [[2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2024 European Parliament election]]:

* [[Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy]], delegation leader
* [[Raquel Garcia Hermida-van der Walle]]
* [[Brigitte van den Berg]]

==== Committee of the Regions ====
In the [[European Committee of the Regions]], the Democrats 66 party sits in the [[Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions|Renew Europe CoR group]], with one full and one alternate member for the 2020–2025 mandate:<ref>{{cite web |title=Members |url=https://cor.europa.eu/en/members/Pages/default.aspx?Country=Netherlands&PoliticalGroup=Renew%20Europe |website=European Committee of the Regions |access-date=6 April 2021}}</ref>
* [[Robert van Asten]] (alternate)
* [[Ellen van Selm]] (member)

=== Water board ===
D66 does not run an independent list for the [[Water board (Netherlands)|water board elections]]. Instead, like [[GroenLinks]] and [[Volt Netherlands]], it recommends that its voters support [[Water Natuurlijk]], an independent, [[Green politics|green]]-oriented political party focused solely on water board elections.<ref name=":0" />

== See also ==
{{Portal|Liberalism}}
* [[Liberal democracy]]
* [[Liberalism in the Netherlands]]
* [[Water Natuurlijk]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book|title=Tussen bestormen en besturen. 55 jaar D66 in de Nederlandse politiek.|first=Coen|last=Brummer|first2=Simon|last2=Otjes|publisher=Boom|isbn=9789024441440|language=nl|date=October 2021}}

==External links==
* {{official|https://www.d66.nl/ }} {{in lang|nl}}
* [https://international.d66.nl/ International website] {{in lang|en}}
* [https://dnpp.nl/dnpp/pp/d66 Profile at DNPP] {{in lang|nl}}

{{Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party}}
{{Renew Europe}}
{{Political parties in the Netherlands}}
{{European Parliament, (Netherlands)}}
{{Interlib}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Democrats 66| ]]
[[Category:1966 establishments in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party member parties]]
[[Category:Centrist parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:European federalist parties]]
[[Category:Green political parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Liberal International]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1966]]
[[Category:Political parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Pro-European political parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Progressive parties]]
[[Category:Social liberal parties]]
[[Category:Organisations based in The Hague]]