Editing Reformed Political Party

{{Short description|Dutch political party}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Reformed Political Party
| native_name      = Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij
| logo             = SGP logo (2016–present).svg
| logo_size        = 175
| colorcode        = {{Political party data|color}}
| abbreviation     = SGP
| leader           = [[Chris Stoffer]] ([[Leader of the Reformed Political Party|list]])
| chairman         = {{ill|Dick van Meeuwen|nl}} ([[List of party chairs of the Reformed Political Party|list]])
| leader1_title    = Leader in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]
| leader1_name     = [[Peter Schalk]] ([[List of parliamentary leaders of the Reformed Political Party in the Senate|list]])
| leader2_title    = Leader in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| leader2_name     = Chris Stoffer ([[List of parliamentary leaders of the Reformed Political Party in the House of Representatives|list]])
| leader3_title    = Leader in the [[European Parliament]]
| leader3_name     = [[Bert-Jan Ruissen]]
| foundation       = 1918{{efn|24 April 1918 is often named the foundation date, but the foundation meeting took place earlier in the year, although the exact date is unknown.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|p=19}}}}
| split            = 
| headquarters     = Dinkel 7 <br/> [[Rotterdam]]
| youth_wing       = [[Reformed Political Party Youth]]
| wing1_title      = Think tank
| wing1            = Guido de Brès Foundation
| membership_year  = January 2025
| membership       = {{steady}} 30,573<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|class=nowrap|
 |[[Christian right]]<ref name="PEE">{{cite web|first=Wolfram|last=Nordsieck|year=2021|title=Netherlands|website=Parties and Elections in Europe|access-date=24 March 2021|url=http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/netherlands.html}}</ref>
 |[[Social conservatism]]<ref name="PEE"/>
 |[[Theocracy]]{{refn|
* {{cite book|author1=Wijbrandt van van Schuur|author2=Gerrit Voerman|chapter=Democracy in Retreat? Decline in Political Party Membership: The Case of the Netherlands|editor =Barbara Wejnert|title = Democratic Paths and Trends| chapter-url=|year=2010| publisher = Emerald | isbn = 978-0-85724-091-0| page = 29}}
* {{cite book|author=Jean-Yves Camus|chapter=The european extreme right and religious extremism|editor1=Andrea Mammone|editor2=Emmanuel Godin|editor3=Brian Jenkins|title=Varieties of Right-Wing Extremism in Europe|chapter-url=|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-16751-5|page=111}}
* {{cite book|author1=Brent F. Nelsen|author2=James L. Guth|title=Religion and the Struggle for European Union: Confessional Culture and the Limits of Integration|url=|year=2015|publisher=Georgetown University Press|isbn=978-1-62616-070-5|page=312}}
* {{cite book|author=Christoph Jedan|chapter=Overcoming the divide between religious and secular values: Introductory essay|editor=Christoph Jedan|title=Constellations of Value: European Perspectives on the Intersections of Religion, Politics and Society|chapter-url=|year=2013|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-643-90083-8|page=14}}
* {{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|p=69}}}}
 |'''Historical:'''
 |[[Anti-Catholicism]]
}}
| position         = [[Right-wing politics|Right-wing]]{{refn|
{{cite book|first1=Arthur S.|last1=Banks|author2=Thomas C. Muller|author3=William Overstreet|author4=Sean M. Phelan|author5=Hal Smith|title=Political Handbook of the World 1999|url=|year= 2000|publisher=Cq Pr|isbn=978-0-933199-14-9|page=696}}
* {{cite book|first=Nicola|last=Maggini|title=Young People's Voting Behaviour in Europe: A Comparative Perspective|url=|year=2016|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK|isbn=978-1-137-59243-9|page=115}}
* {{cite journal|last1=Voerman|first1=Gerrit|last2=Lucardie|first2=Paul|title=The extreme right in the Netherlands. The centrists and their radical rivals|journal=European Journal of Political Research|date=July 1992|volume=22|issue=1|pages=36, 51|doi=10.1111/j.1475-6765.1992.tb00304.x}}}}
| religion         = {{Nowrap|[[Reformed Christianity]]}}
| european         = [[European Christian Political Party]]
| europarl         = [[European Conservatives and Reformists Group]]
| colours          = {{color box|{{party color|Reformed Political Party}}|border=darkgray}} [[Orange (colour)|Orange]]<br />{{color box|#084686|border=darkgray}} [[Blue]]
<!-- Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60172 -->
| seats1_title     = [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| seats1           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house|percent=yes}}
| seats2_title     = [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]
| seats2           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-upper-house|percent=yes}}
| seats3_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats3           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ep|percent=yes}}
| seats4_title     = [[Provincial council (Netherlands)|provincial councils]]
| seats4           = {{Composition bar|16|570|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| seats5_title     = 
| seats5           = 
| website          = {{Political party data|website}}
| country          = the Netherlands
}}
The '''Reformed Political Party''' ({{langx|nl|Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij}} {{IPA|nl|ˌstaːtˈkʏndə(x) xəˌreːfɔrˈmeːrdə pɑrˈtɛi|}}, '''SGP''') is a conservative [[Reformed Christianity|Reformed Christian]]<ref name="Calvinist">These sources describe the SGP as a Calvinist (Reformed Christian) political party:
*{{cite book |first1=J|last1=Denis Derbyshire |first2=Ian|last2=Derbyshire |title=Political Systems Of The World |url=|year=1989 |publisher=Allied |isbn=978-81-7023-307-7 |page=119 }}
*{{cite book|first=Veit|last=Bader|title=Secularism or Democracy?: Associational Governance of Religious Diversity|url=|year=2008|publisher=Amsterdam University Press|isbn=978-90-5356-999-3|page=146}}
*{{cite book|first1=Monique|last1=Leijenaar|first2=Kees|last2=Niemöller|chapter=The Netherlands|editor=Pippa Norris|title=Passages to Power: Legislative Recruitment in Advanced Democracies|chapter-url=|year=1997|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-59908-5|page=132}}
*{{cite book|first=Dimitri|last=Almeida|title=The Impact of European Integration on Political Parties: Beyond the Permissive Consensus|url=|year=2012|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-136-34039-0|page=118}}</ref> [[List of political parties in the Netherlands|political party]] in the [[Netherlands]]. The SGP is the oldest political party in the Netherlands existing in its present form, and has been in opposition for its entire existence. Since 1925, it has won between 1.5% and 2.5% of the votes in general elections. Owing to its orthodox political ideals and its traditional role in the opposition, the party is considered a [[testimonial party]].{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|p=166}}

== History ==

===Foundation===
[[File:GHKersten.jpg|thumb|left|Founder of the SGP, [[Gerrit Hendrik Kersten]]]]
The SGP was founded in 1918 by orthodox Protestants led by [[Yerseke]] [[minister (religion)|pastor]] [[Gerrit Hendrik Kersten]], some of which originated from the Protestant [[Anti-Revolutionary Party]] (ARP). After the [[Pacification of 1917]], [[compulsory voting]] and [[proportional representation]] was introduced in the Netherlands. The founders did not want to vote for existing parties, but saw an opportunity for a smaller party because of proportional representation.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=19-24}} The party first participated in the [[1918 Dutch general election|1918 general election]]. The hastily organised campaign focused on the ARP and its support of what SGP called state coercion, such as [[compulsory vaccination]] and insurance law. Because some might object to him combining being polician and pastor, Kersten was not a candidate, but instead Barend Lemans and Pieter Gijze. The party received over 5,000 votes, not enough for a seat.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=27-29}}

Despite not winning a seat, the SGP continued its activities In 1919, the party board started a [[petition]] against the {{ill|Invaliditeitswet|nl}} (Disability Act), which forced workers to pay premiums to insure against disability. It received 4,800 signatures. The party encouraged its members to send back their stamp cards which tracked their premiums. In December 1920, the Senate passed a law that would accommodate their conscientious objections. A similar petition against compulsory vaccination received 27,059 signatures in 1922, but sorted no effect.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=30-31}}

===1922–1945===
For the [[1922 Dutch general election|1922 general election]], Kersten was [[lead candidate]], accepting objections within his electorate. The party won one seat in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]], which was taken by Kersten. His speeches in parliament regularly received media attention, for example when he opposed the [[1928 Summer Olympics]] in Amsterdam. In the [[1925 Dutch general election|1925 general election]], the party won another seat which was taken by [[Pieter Zandt]].{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=31-33}}

Later that year, the [[Anti-Catholicism|anti-Catholic]] SGP would cause the fall of the [[second Ruijs de Beerenbrouck cabinet]] in what became known as the [[Night of Kersten]] ({{langx|nl|Nacht van Kersten}}). During the debate on the budget of the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)|Foreign Affairs Ministry]], Kersten had proposed cutting the budget of the [[diplomatic mission of the Netherlands to the Holy See]]. The amendment received a majority, because it was supported by the Protestant [[Christian Historical Union]] (CHU), which was in cabinet together with the Catholic General League. It resulted in more publicity and a third seat in the [[1929 Dutch general election|1929 general election]], which was taken by {{ill|Cor van Dis sr.|nl}}.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=31-33}} Kersten, Zandt and Van Dis formed the parliamentary group until the [[1929 Dutch general election|1937 general election]], when the SGP lost one seat. The SGP did not achieve much in parliament other than during the Night of Kersten, but achieved some smaller goals outside of parliament through contact with the ministers.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=36-38}}

Kersten saw the [[German invasion of the Netherlands]] in 1940 as a punishment for its sins. He rejected [[Dutch resistance|resistance]] against the [[Netherlands in World War II|German occupation]] and was seen as friendly towards them. After the war, he was nominated again as lead candidate, but he was barred from the House of Representatives for his stances during the war.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trouw.nl/binnenland/veel-erger-nog-dan-hitler-vond-sgp-er-kersten-waren-de-roomsen~b23f1758/|title=Veel erger nog dan Hitler, vond SGP'er Kersten, waren de Roomsen|work=[[Trouw]]|access-date=17 August 2024|language=nl|first=Paul|last=Van der Steen|date=12 November 2021}}</ref>

===1945–present===
[[File:V.l.n.r. Van Rossum , Van Dis en Abma (allen SGP), Bestanddeelnr 926-8138.jpg|thumb|[[Henk van Rossum]] (party leader 1981–1986), [[Cor van Dis Sr.]] (party leader 1961–1971) and [[Hette Abma]] (party leader 1971–1981) in the House of Representatives in 1973.]]
Kersten was succeeded by Zandt, under whose leadership the SGP was very stable, continually getting 2% of votes. In the [[1956 Dutch general election|1956 general election]], the SGP profited from the enlargement of parliament, and entered the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]] for the first time. It lost that seat in [[1960 Dutch Senate election|1960 Senate election]], but regained it in the [[1971 Dutch Senate election|1971 Senate election]].<ref name="Parlement.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vh8lnhrouwy4/staatkundig_gereformeerde_partij_sgp|title=Staatkundig-Gereformeerde Partij (SGP)|work=[[Parlement.com]]|access-date=18 August 2024|language=nl}}</ref>

In 1961 Zandt died and was succeeded by Van Dis sr. After ten years he stood down in favour of Reverend [[Hette Abma]], who also stepped down after ten years, in favour of [[Henk van Rossum]], a civil engineer. In the [[1984 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1984 European Parliament election]], the SGP joined the two other orthodox Protestant parties, the [[Reformatory Political Federation]] (RPF) and the [[Reformed Political League]] (GPV). They won one seat in the European Parliament, which was taken by SGP member [[Leen van der Waal]], a mechanical engineer.<ref name="Parlement.com"/>

[[File:Bas van der Vlies (1986).jpg|thumb|left|[[Bas van der Vlies]], party leader from 1986 to 2010.]]
In 1986, Van Rossum was succeeded by [[Bas van der Vlies]]. In the [[1994 Dutch general election|1994 election]] the party lost one seat in the House, [[1998 Dutch general election|regained it in 1998]], and [[2002 Dutch general election|lost it again in 2002]]. During the [[2003 Dutch cabinet formation|2003 cabinet formation]], the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA) and the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (VVD) held talks with the SGP — the first time that the SGP was seriously considered as a possible coalition partner. Ultimately, the [[Democrats 66]] joined the [[second Balkenende cabinet]] instead of the SGP, mostly because of the ideological differences between the VVD and the SGP.<ref name="Parlement.com"/>

[[File:Kees van der Staaij - SGP 2017.jpg|thumb|[[Kees van der Staaij]], [[party leader]] from 2010 to 2023]]
In 2010, [[Kees van der Staaij]] succeeded Van der Vlies. During the [[2010 Dutch cabinet formation|2010 cabinet formation]], the negotiating CDA, VVD and [[Party for Freedom]] (PVV) took into account some wishes of the SGP, so that SGP would provide [[confidence and supply]] in the Senate where the [[first Rutte cabinet]] did not have a majority.<ref name="Parlement.com"/>

==Ideology and political positions ==
As a [[Protestant fundamentalist]]<ref>{{cite book|author=Amir Abedi|title=Anti-political Establishment Parties: A Comparative Analysis|url=|isbn=978-0-415-31961-4|page=62}}</ref> party the SGP draws much from its ideology from the [[Reformed Christian]] tradition, specifically the ecclesiastical doctrinal standards known as the [[Three Forms of Unity]], including an unamended version of the [[Belgic Confession]] ({{langx|nl|Nederlandse Geloofsbelijdenis}}). It includes 21 words that were removed by the [[synod]] of the [[Reformed Churches in the Netherlands]] in 1905, which state that the government must "eliminate and eradicate all [[idolatry]] and false religion, so as to destroy the kingdom of Antichrist". This contrasted with the other two Protestant parties, the [[Anti-Revolutionary Party]] (ARP) and the [[Christian Historical Union]] (CHU), which had accepted the change.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|p=71}}

=== Church and state ===
The SGP does favor some, but no strict, [[separation of church and state]]. The church and state should cooperate, including the advancement of the true faith.{{efn|Both Kersten and Abma did not specifiy specifically which Reformed denomination this referred to.}} The state should not curtail the freedom of the church, while the church similarly should not impose upon the state.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=73-74}} Abma rejected [[theocracy]] as form of government, instead harmonizing theocracy and [[democracy]].{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=76-77}} Over time, it has however become more realistic, accepting the religiously neutral state.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|p=90}}

The SGP supports the [[freedom of conscience]], but not an unconditional [[freedom of religion]].{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=82-84}} For example, it rejects the freedom of publicly exercising religion when they consider it idolatry or false religion.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=75-76}}

=== Women's rights ===
The SGP generally opposes [[women's suffrage]], both [[Passive suffrage|passive]] and active. SGP believes it is against a "woman's calling". From the start, the party is not united on this issue. Opponents argue that the biblical argumentation is not clear or that this could hurt them electorally.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=98-76}} In 1989 the party changed its principles, approving women voting if they can answer this to God in their conscience.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|p=103}}

=== Trans rights ===
In 2024, the SGP introduced a motion in the House of Representatives to abolish the so-called “transgender law” which had been brought in under the previous Dutch government and would enable people under the age of 16 to legally declare their gender without requiring a medical diagnosis.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/04/23/the-netherlands-hardens-stance-transgender-law/ |title=The Netherlands hardens stance as transgender law voted down |access-date=2024-09-29}}</ref>

== Election results ==

=== House of Representatives ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
! scope="col" | Election
! scope="col" | [[Lead candidate]]
!scope="col" class="unsortable" | List
! scope="col" | Votes
! scope="col" | %
! scope="col" | Seats
! scope="col" | +/–
|-
! scope="row" | [[1918 Dutch general election|1918]]
| align=left|{{Sortname|Barend|Lemans}}
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1918 Dutch general election|List]]
| 5,180
| 0.39
| {{Composition bar compact|0|100|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| New
|-
! scope="row" | [[1922 Dutch general election|1922]]
| rowspan="5" align=left|{{Sortname|Gerrit Hendrik|Kersten}}
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1922 Dutch general election|List]]
| 26,744
| 0.91
| {{Composition bar compact|1|100|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! scope="row" | [[1925 Dutch general election|1925]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1925 Dutch general election|List]]
| 62,513
| 2.03
| {{Composition bar compact|2|100|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! scope="row" | [[1929 Dutch general election|1929]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1929 Dutch general election|List]]
| 76,709
| 2.27
| {{Composition bar compact|3|100|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! scope="row" | [[1933 Dutch general election|1933]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1933 Dutch general election|List]]
| 93,273
| 2.51
| {{Composition bar compact|3|100|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1937 Dutch general election|1937]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1937 Dutch general election|List]]
| 78,619
| 1.94
| {{Composition bar compact|2|100|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! scope="row" | [[1946 Dutch general election|1946]]
| rowspan="5" align=left|[[Pieter Zandt]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1946 Dutch general election|List]]
| 101,759
| 2.14
| {{Composition bar compact|2|100|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1948 Dutch general election|1948]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1948 Dutch general election|List]]
| 116,937
| 2.37
| {{Composition bar compact|2|100|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1952 Dutch general election|1952]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1952 Dutch general election|List]]
| 129,081
| 2.42
| {{Composition bar compact|2|100|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1956 Dutch general election|1956]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1956 Dutch general election|List]]
| 129,515
| 2.26
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! scope="row" | [[1959 Dutch general election|1959]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1959 Dutch general election|List]]
| 129,678
| 2.16
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1963 Dutch general election|1963]]
| rowspan="2" align=left|{{Sortname|Cor van|Dis Sr.}}
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1963 Dutch general election|List]]
| 143,549
| 2.29
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1967 Dutch general election|1967]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1967 Dutch general election|List]]
| 138,119
| 2.01
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1971 Dutch general election|1971]]
| rowspan="3" align=left|[[Hette Abma]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1971 Dutch general election|List]]
| 148,221
| 2.35
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1972 Dutch general election|1972]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1972 Dutch general election|List]]
| 163,114
| 2.21
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1977 Dutch general election|1977]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1977 Dutch general election|List]]
| 177,010
| 2.13
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1981 Dutch general election|1981]]
| rowspan="2" align=left|[[Henk van Rossum]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1981 Dutch general election|List]]
| 171,324
| 1.97
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1982 Dutch general election|1982]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1982 Dutch general election|List]]
| 156,636
| 1.90
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1986 Dutch general election|1986]]
| rowspan="7" align=left|[[Bas van der Vlies]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1986 Dutch general election|List]]
| 159,740
| 1.74
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1989 Dutch general election|1989]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1989 Dutch general election|List]]
| 166,082
| 1.87
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[1994 Dutch general election|1994]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1994 Dutch general election|List]]
| 155,251
| 1.73
| {{Composition bar compact|2|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! scope="row" | [[1998 Dutch general election|1998]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 1998 Dutch general election|List]]
| 153,583
| 1.78
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! scope="row" | [[2002 Dutch general election|2002]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 2002 Dutch general election|List]]
| 163,562
| 1.72
| {{Composition bar compact|2|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! scope="row" | [[2003 Dutch general election|2003]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 2003 Dutch general election|List]]
| 150,305
| 1.56
| {{Composition bar compact|2|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[2006 Dutch general election|2006]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 2006 Dutch general election|List]]
| 153,266
| 1.56
| {{Composition bar compact|2|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[2010 Dutch general election|2010]]
| rowspan="4" align=left|[[Kees van der Staaij]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 2010 Dutch general election|List]]
| 163,581
| 1.74
| {{Composition bar compact|2|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[2012 Dutch general election|2012]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 2012 Dutch general election|List]]
| 196,780
| 2.09
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! scope="row" | [[2017 Dutch general election|2017]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 2017 Dutch general election|List]]
| 218,950
| 2.08
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[2021 Dutch general election|2021]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 2021 Dutch general election|List]]
| 215,249
| 2.07
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! scope="row" | [[2023 Dutch general election|2023]]
| align="left"| [[Chris Stoffer]]
| [[List of Reformed Political Party candidates in the 2023 Dutch general election|List]]
| 217,270
| 2.08
| {{Composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|}

===European Parliament===
Between 1984 and 2019, the SGP filed joint candidate lists with the [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian Union]] and its predecessors. See [[CU-SGP]] for these election results.
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
! scope="col" | Election
! scope="col" | List
! scope="col" | Votes
! scope="col" | %
! scope="col" | Seats
! scope="col" | +/–
! scope="col" | EP Group
|-
! scope="row" | [[1979 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1979]]
| [[Party lists in the 1979 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#S.G.P.|List]]
| 126,412
| 2.23
| {{composition bar compact|0|25|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| New
|-
! scope="row" | [[2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2024]]
| [[Party lists in the 2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#Reformed Political Party (SGP)|List]]
| 228,036
| 3.66
| {{composition bar compact|1|31|hex={{party color|Reformed Political Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|}

== Representation ==

=== Leadership ===
{{main|Leader of the Reformed Political Party|l1=Leaders of the Reformed Political Party}}

===House of Representatives===
{{Main|List of members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands for the Reformed Political Party}}

===Senate===
{{Main|List of members of the Senate of the Netherlands for the Reformed Political Party}}

===European Parliament===
Since the [[1984 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1984 European Parliament election]] the party has had one elected representative in the [[European Parliament]]. From 1984 to 1997 [[Leen van der Waal]] was the representative, from [[1999 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1999]] [[Bas Belder]] was the party's representative, succeeded by [[Bert-Jan Ruissen]] in the [[2019 European Parliament election]]. In European Parliament elections, the SGP formed one candidate list with the [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian Union]], called [[CU–SGP]], until the [[2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2024 European Parliament election]]. Currently the SGP is a member of the [[European Conservatives and Reformists Group]] (ECR Group) in the European Parliament.

==Electorate==
The SGP has had a very stable electorate since first entering the States-General in 1922. Since winning a second seat in 1926, it has usually varied between two and three seats in the House of Representatives.

Most of its electorate is formed by so-called [[Pietism|pietistic]] [[Reformed Christianity|Reformed Protestants]] ("{{ill|bevindelijk gereformeerden|nl}}"),{{refn|Translation derived from: {{Cite web|url=https://religiesamenleving.nl/article/download/11853/13393|title=Die Mij tergen, hebben verzekeringen|doi=10.54195/RS.11853|first=Koos-jan|last=De Jager|journal=Religie & Samenleving|year=2018}}}} Reformed Protestants for whom personal religious experience is very important. Most of the [[Old-Reformed Congregations in the Netherlands|Old Reformed Congregations]] and the [[Reformed Congregations in the Netherlands|Reformed Congregations]] are considered pietistic Reformed Protestants. Pietistic Reformed Protestants are also present in the [[Christian Reformed Churches]], the [[Reformed Association in the Protestant Church in the Netherlands]] and the [[Restored Reformed Church]]. Not all SGP voters are however pietistic Reformed Protestants, and not all pietistic Reformed Protestants vote SGP.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=155-157}}

=== Geographical ===
[[File:Sgpstemmen1.png|thumb|Areas where the SGP received a significant number of votes in the [[2010 Dutch general election|2010 general election]], largely co-extensive with the Dutch Bible Belt.]]
The SGP's support is concentrated geographically in the [[Bible Belt (Netherlands)|Dutch Bible Belt]], a band of strongly Reformed and mostly rural municipalities ranging from [[Zeeland]] in the South via [[Goeree-Overflakkee]] and the [[Alblasserwaard]] in [[South Holland]] and the [[Veluwe]] in [[Gelderland]] to the Western part of [[Overijssel]], around [[Staphorst]]. Outside the Bible Belt, the SGP also performs well in [[Urk]], [[Uddel]] and [[Rijssen-Holten]].{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|p=157}} The geographical concentration of SGP voters has however decreased between 1956 and 2017. Its votes have shifted away from [[Utrecht]] and [[South Holland]] towards [[Zeeland]], [[Gelderland]], [[Overijssel]], with a modest turnout in [[Drenthe]] and [[Gelderland]].{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|p=164}}

=== Socio-demographic ===
Despite SGP's opposition to [[women's suffrage]], it draws significant support from women. In the period 1971–1977, when the Dutch National Voter Survey started, around half of its voters were female. This declined to 34% in 1989–1998, but rose back to half in 2010–2017.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=143-144}} In the [[2021 Dutch general election|March 2021 general election]] and the [[2023 Dutch provincial elections|March 2023 provincial elections]], nearly 60% of SGP voters were female.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stukroodvlees.nl/plaatjes-van-de-electoraatjes-2023-christenunie-en-sgp/|title=Plaatjes van de electoraatjes 2023: ChristenUnie en SGP|language=nl|date=24 October 2023|access-date=18 August 2024|work=Stuk Rood Vlees|first=Simon|last=Otjes|first2=Matthijs|last2=Rooduijn}}</ref>

==Organisation==

===Organisational structure===
The highest organ of the SGP is the congress, which is formed by delegates from the municipal branches. It convenes once every year. It appoints the party board and decides the order of the Senate, House of Representatives, European Parliament candidates list and has the last say over the party program. The SGP chairman is always a [[minister (religion)|minister]]. Since 2001 this position is ceremonial, as the general chair leads the party's organisation.

The party has 245 municipal branches and has a provincial federation in each province, except for [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]].

=== Membership ===
==== Female membership ====
[[File:Lilian janse 27 maart 2014 bij de beediging als sgpraadslid in het stadhuis van vlissingen-1711546348 (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Lilian Janse]], the first female elected representative for the SGP, being sworn in as municipal councilor of Vlissingen in 2014.]]
Initially, women were not allowed to be member of the party. In 1983, the first woman, W. van Donge-van Bezooijen, applied for membership, but [[The Hague]] electoral association had rejected her application because she was a woman. She then wrote to the national party board, after which she and [[Riet Grabijn-van Putten]] became member in 1985. The party board however changed its position in 1991, rejecting membership for women. This position was supported by ninety percent of electoral associations in 1993. The party was aware that this might be against the [[Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women]].{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=104-107}}

Meanwhile, public opinion in the Netherlands turned against SGP's decision not to allow women. UN committees also recommended intervention. In 2003, the [[Clara Wichmann Institute]] and some other organisations sued the Dutch government, for subsidising SGP. The district court of The Hague ruled that the party could no longer receive subsidies from the government, while it did not force the SGP to change it statutes. Based on the verdict, the party decided to allow female membership, while still not allowing them on candidate lists.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=107-110}} At the end of 2017, SGP had 800 female members.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|p=110}}

Meanwhile in 2005, the Dutch government had refused the SGP's application for subsidies. The administrative law division of the district court of The Hague supported the rejection. However, the [[Council of State (Netherlands)|Council of State]] overturned this decision in December 2007, maintaining that a party's political philosophy takes precedence, and that women have the opportunity to join other political parties where they can obtain a leadership role. Two weeks later, The Hague courts of appeal ruled on the first case that the SGP should also allow women's passive suffrage. The [[Supreme Court of the Netherlands]] affirmed this decision in 2010 and an appeal to the [[European Court of Human Rights]] was unsuccessful in 2012. As a result, the SGP changed its internal regulations to allow women to be candidates in elections.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|pp=111-113}}

Some women have been candidates starting with the [[2014 Dutch municipal elections|2014 municipal elections]], with [[lead candidate]] [[Lilian Janse]] becoming the first female elected representative for the SGP when she was elected municipal councilor in [[Vlissingen]] in 2014.{{sfn|Vollaard|Voerman|2018|p=113}}

===Linked organisations===
The party publishes the Banner ({{langx|nl|De Banier}}) two-weekly since 1921. Its think tank was founded in 1974, and it was renamed after Walloon theologian [[Guido de Brès]] in 1992. It publishes the quarterly magazine Zicht (Sight).<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.rd.nl/artikel/1056913-de-guido-de-bres-is-geen-luis-in-de-pels-van-de-sgp-wel-een-waakhond |url-access = subscription |date = 18 March 2024 |last1 = Gunst |first1 = Jakko |last2 = Hermenet |first2 = Coen |last3 = Vroegindeweij |first3 = Gerard |access-date = 23 March 2024 |language = nl |website = [[Reformatorisch Dagblad]] |title = De 'Guido de Brès' is geen luis in de pels van de SGP, wel een waakhond |trans-title = The 'Guido de Brès' is not a thorn in the flesh of the SGP, it is a watchdog }}</ref> The youth organisation of the SGP is called the [[Reformed Political Party Youth]] (SGPJ), which with its approximately 12,000 members is the largest political youth organization in the Netherlands.{{citation needed|date=August 2012}}

The SGP participates in the [[Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy]], a democracy assistance organisation of seven Dutch political parties.

===Pillarised organisations===
The SGP has close links with several other orthodox Protestant organisations, such as several Reformed churches and the newspaper ''[[Reformatorisch Dagblad]]''. Together they form a small but strong orthodox-Reformed [[Pillarisation|pillar]].

===Relationships to other parties===
{{See also|CU–SGP}}
Until 1963, the SGP was relatively isolated in parliament. The strongly antipapal SGP refused to cooperate with either the [[Catholic People's Party]] or the secular [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (VVD) and [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA). The also Protestant, larger [[Anti-Revolutionary Party]] (ARP) had some sympathy for the SGP, but cooperated more tightly with the KVP and the other Protestant party, the [[Christian Historical Union]] (CHU). In 1963 another orthodox Protestant party, the [[Reformed Political League]] (GPV) entered parliament, in 1981 they were joined by the [[Reformatory Political Federation]] (RPF). Together these three parties formed the "Small Christian parties". They shared the same orthodox Protestant political ideals and had the same political strategy, as [[testimonial party|testimonial parties]]. They cooperated in municipalities, both in [[municipal executive]]s, where the parties were strong, as well as in common municipal parties, where the parties were weak. In the [[1984 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1984 European Parliamentary election]] the parties presented a common list and they won one seat in parliament. After 1993 the cooperation between the GPV and the RPF intensified, but the SGP's position at the time on [[female suffrage]] prevented the SGP joining this closer cooperation. However, in 2000 the GPV and RPF merged to form the [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|ChristianUnion]] (CU). Traditionally the SGP and the CU worked together closely as they were both based on Protestant Christian [[Christianity and politics|politics]]. Recently however, as the CU has moved more towards the centre-left,{{citation needed|date=August 2012}} discernible differences of philosophy between the SGP and CU have caused the parties to not join in elections. The most notable example was the 2011 Senate election where the SGP and CU did not combine their votes.<ref>{{cite episode |title=ChristenUnie en SGP lastig door één deur |url=http://archief.wereldomroep.nl/nederlands/radioshow/christenunie-en-sgp-lastig-door-%C3%A9%C3%A9n-deur |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208233452/http://archief.wereldomroep.nl/nederlands/radioshow/christenunie-en-sgp-lastig-door-%C3%A9%C3%A9n-deur |archive-date=8 December 2015 |series=Nieuwslijn Magazine |network=Radio Netherlands Worldwide |date=26 May 2011 |access-date=8 December 2015 }}</ref>

==Citations==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |first= A.H.M. |last= Dölle |title= De SGP onder vuur |publisher=Centre for the Documentation of Dutch Political Parties (DNPP), of the [[University of Groningen]] |year=2005 | url = http://dnpp.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/FILES/root/jb-dnpp/jb05/Dolle.pdf |access-date=14 October 2007 | language= nl }}
*{{cite book |first=J |last=Hippe |title=Reformatorisch Staatkundig Verbond? |publisher=DNPP |year=1988 | url = http://dnpp.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/FILES/root/jb-dnpp/jb88/hippe.pdf | access-date= 14 October 2007 | language = nl}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://dnpprepo.ub.rug.nl/12978/9/Mannen%20van%20Gods%20Woord%20.pdf|title= Mannen van Gods Woord. De Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij 1918-2018 |first1=Hans|last1=Vollaard|first2=Gerrit|last2=Voerman|language=nl|publisher=Uitgeverij Verloren B.V.|year=2018|isbn=978-90-8704-717-7}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book|first=Jan|last=Mulder|first2=W.Chr.|last2=Hovius|isbn=978-90-90-06114-6|title=Van goedertierenheid en trouw: 75 jaar Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij, 1918-1993|year=1993}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij}}
* {{Official website|https://www.sgp.nl/}} (closed on Sundays)

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

{{Political parties in the Netherlands}}
{{European Parliament, (Netherlands)}}
{{European Christian Political Movement}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Reformed Political Party| ]]
[[Category:Anti-Catholic organizations]]
[[Category:Anti-suffragist organizations]]
[[Category:European Conservatives and Reformists Group member parties]]
[[Category:Reformed Christianity in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Confessional parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Conservative parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Dutch Reformed Church]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1918]]
[[Category:Political parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Protestant political parties]]
[[Category:Social conservative parties]]
[[Category:1918 establishments in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Monarchist parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Eurosceptic parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Organisations based in South Holland]]
[[Category:Organizations that oppose LGBTQ rights in Europe]]
[[Category:Anti-LGBTQ Christian organizations]]
[[Category:European Christian Political Party]]