Editing People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

{{Short description|Political party in the Netherlands}}
{{for|the Dutch footballer nicknamed "VVD"|Virgil van Dijk}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=November 2024}}
{{Lead too short|date=March 2023}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox political party
| country          = the Netherlands
| name             = People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
| native_name      = Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie
| native_name_lang = nl
| logo             = Vvd-logo-2020.svg
| logo_size        = 125px
| colorcode        = {{Political party data|color}}
| abbreviation     = VVD
| leader           = [[Dilan Yeşilgöz]] ([[Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|List]])
| chairperson      = {{interlanguage link|Eric Wetzels|nl}} ([[Chair of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|List]])
| leader1_title    = {{nowrap|Leader in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]}}
| leader1_name     = {{ill|Tanja Klip-Martin|nl}}
| leader2_title    = Leader in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House]]
| leader2_name     = Dilan Yeşilgöz
| leader3_title    = Leader in the [[European Parliament]]
| leader3_name     = [[Malik Azmani]]
| foundation       = {{start date and years ago|1948|01|28|df=y}}
| merger           = [[Freedom Party (Netherlands)|Freedom Party]], [[Committee-Oud]]
| seats1_title     = [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]
| seats1           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-upper-house}}
| seats2_title     = [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| seats2           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house}}
| seats3_title     = {{nowrap|[[King's commissioner]]s}}
| seats3           = {{Composition bar|5|12|hex={{party color| People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}}}}
| seats4_title     = [[Provincial council (Netherlands)|Provincial councils]]
| seats4           = {{Composition bar|63|570|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}}}}
| seats5_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats5           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ep}}
| seats6_title     = [[Benelux Parliament]]
| seats6           = {{Composition bar|4|21|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}}}}
| youth_wing       = [[Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy]]
| wing1_title      = [[Think tank|Policy institute]]
| wing1            = Telders Foundation
| membership_year  = January 2025
| membership       = {{decrease}} 20,902<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         = {{nowrap|[[Conservative liberalism]]}}
| position         = [[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]{{refn|{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/netherlands-general-election-2021-mark-rutte-polls/ |title=Mark Rutte: The Netherlands' Mr. Normal |date=16 March 2021 |access-date=9 November 2021 |archive-date=9 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109154227/https://www.politico.eu/article/netherlands-general-election-2021-mark-rutte-polls/amp/ |url-status=live}}|{{citation |author=Hans Keman |title=The Low Countries: Confrontation and Coalition in Segmented Societies |work=Comparative European Politics |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |year=2008 |page=221 |isbn=978-0-203-94609-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=18aSGqADApUC&pg=PA221 |access-date=17 March 2016 |archive-date=3 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103150849/https://books.google.com/books?id=18aSGqADApUC&pg=PA221 |url-status=live}}|{{cite book |author1=Sean Lusk |author2=Nick Birks |title=Rethinking Public Strategy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w1IdBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA168 |year=2014 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-1-137-37758-6 |page=168 |access-date=12 February 2017 |archive-date=3 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103130300/https://books.google.com/books?id=w1IdBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA168 |url-status=live}}}}}}
| 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>
| slogan           = 
| colours          = {{colorbox|{{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}}|border=silver}} [[Ultramarine]]<br />{{colorbox|#FF6400|border=silver}} Orange
| headquarters     = Mauritskade 21, 2514 HD [[The Hague]], [[South Holland]]
| website          = {{Political party data|website}}
}}

The '''People's Party for Freedom and Democracy''' ({{langx|nl|Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie}} {{IPA|nl|ˈvɔl(ə)kspɑrˌtɛi voːr ˈvrɛiɦɛit ɛn deːmoːkra:ˈtsi|}}, '''VVD''') is a [[Conservative liberalism|conservative-liberal]] [[List of political parties in the Netherlands|political party in the Netherlands]]. The VVD, whose forerunner was the [[Freedom Party (Netherlands)|Freedom Party]], is a party of the [[centre-right]] that tries to promote [[Privately owned enterprise|private enterprise]] and [[economic liberalism]].{{refn|Multiple sources:
* {{cite book |author=T. Banchoff |title=Legitimacy and the European Union |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GgvLEFPY8l4C&pg=PA123 |access-date=26 August 2012 |year=1999 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-415-18188-4 |page=123 |archive-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226033235/https://books.google.com/books?id=GgvLEFPY8l4C&pg=PA123|url-status=live}}
* Andeweg R.B. and G.A. Irwin, ''Government & Politics in the Netherlands'' (2002), Palgrave, p. 48}}

==History==

===Founding===
In 1947, the [[Freedom Party (Netherlands)|Freedom Party]] led by [[Dirk Stikker]] and the [[Committee-Oud]] led by [[Pieter Oud]] started negotiations with the goal of a merger. The [[Conservative liberalism|conservative liberal]] Freedom Party was a continuation of the [[Liberal State Party]], but was disappointed with only six seats in the [[1946 Dutch general election|1946 general election]]. The Committee-Oud was a group of former members of the social liberal [[Free-thinking Democratic League]] (VDB), who had been dissatisfied with the social-democratic character of the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA), in which the VDB had merged with the [[Social Democratic Workers' Party (Netherlands)|Social Democratic Workers' Party]] as part of the [[Breakthrough (Dutch political history)|breakthrough movement]]. As a result, the part was founded on 24 January 1948.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vvd-digitaal.dnpp.nl/perioden/1948/geschiedenis|title=Geschiedenis 1948|author=Documentatiecentrum Nederlandse politieke partijen|language=nl|access-date=2 October 2024}}</ref>

=== 1948–1963: Oud ===
[[File:Jaarvergadering VVD in Utrecht. Burgemeester van Rotterdam Oud in gesprek met m…, Bestanddeelnr 903-3057.jpg|thumb|left|Founders of the VVD, [[Dirk Stikker]] and [[Pieter Oud]], in 1949.]]
Between 1948 and 1952, the VVD took part in the broad cabinets led by the Labour Party [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Prime Minister]] [[Willem Drees]]. The party was a junior partner with only eight seats to the [[Catholic People's Party]] (KVP) and Labour Party, which both had around thirty seats (out of 100). The Drees cabinets laid the foundation for the [[welfare state]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cox |first=Robert H. |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/jj.3385968 |title=The Development of the Dutch Welfare State: From Workers' Insurance to Universal Entitlement |date=1993 |publisher=University of Pittsburgh Press |doi=10.2307/jj.3385968 |isbn=978-0-8229-3760-9}}</ref> and decolonisation of the [[Dutch East Indies]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jong |first=Wim De |date=2022-11-02 |title=Decolonizing citizenship: democracy, citizenship and education in the Netherlands, 1960–2020 |journal=European Review of History: Revue européenne d'histoire |volume=29 |issue=6 |pages=1002–1023 |doi=10.1080/13507486.2022.2131507 |issn=1350-7486|doi-access=free }}</ref> In the [[1952 Dutch general election|general election of 1952]] the VVD gained one seat, but did not join the government. In the [[1956 Dutch general election|general election of 1956]] it increased its total, receiving thirteen seats, but was stayed out of government during the [[1956 Dutch cabinet formation|cabinet formation]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vjb7m26w4huj/kabinetsformatie_1956 | title=Kabinetsformatie 1956 }}</ref> until the [[1959 Dutch general election|general election of 1959]], which was held early because of a cabinet crisis. This time it gained nineteen seats, and the party entered government alongside the Protestant [[Anti-Revolutionary Party]] (ARP), the [[Christian Historical Union]] (CHU) and the KVP.

=== 1963–1971: Toxopeus and Geertsema ===
In 1963, Oud retired from politics, and was succeeded by the Minister of the Interior [[Edzo Toxopeus]]. With Toxopeus as its leader, the VVD lost three seats in the [[1963 Dutch general election|1963 election]], but remained in government after the [[1963 Dutch cabinet formation|1963 cabinet formation]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Nohlen |first1=Dieter |title=Elections in Europe: A data handbook |last2=Stöver |first2=Philip |date=2010 |isbn=978-3-8329-5609-7 |pages=1396 |publisher=Nomos |language=en}}</ref> In 1962, a substantial group of disillusioned VVD members founded the Liberal Democratic Centre ({{langx|nl|Liberaal Democratisch Centrum}}, LDC) which was intended to introduce a more twentieth-century [[Liberalism|liberal]] direction to the [[classical liberal]] VVD.{{Cn|date=November 2024}}

In 1966, frustrated with their hopeless efforts, left-wing LDC members joined a new political party, the [[Democrats 66]] (D66). In 1965, there also occurred a conflict between VVD Ministers and their counterparts from the KVP and ARP in the [[Marijnen cabinet]]. The cabinet fell; without an election taking place, it was replaced by [[Cals cabinet|a KVP–ARP–PvdA cabinet]] under [[Jo Cals]], which itself fell during the [[Night of Schmelzer]] the following year. In the subsequent [[1967 Dutch general election|1967 election]] the VVD remained relatively stable and entered the [[De Jong cabinet]].{{Cn|date=November 2024}}

During this period the VVD had loose ties with other liberal organisations; together, these formed the [[Pillarisation|neutral pillar]]. They included the liberal papers ''[[Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant]]'' and ''[[Algemeen Handelsblad]]'', the broadcaster [[Algemene Vereniging Radio Omroep|AVRO]] and the [[Employers' organization|employers' organisation]] [[VNO-NCW|VNO]].{{Cn|date=November 2024}}

===1971–1994 ===
[[File:Hans Wiegel 1977 (1).jpg|thumb|200px|[[Hans Wiegel]], Leader from 1971 until 1982]]
In the [[1971 Dutch general election|Dutch general election of 1971]], the VVD lost one seat and the cabinet lost its majority. A cabinet was formed by the Christian democratic parties, the VVD and the Labour Party offshoot [[Democratic Socialists '70]]. This cabinet collapsed after a few months. Meanwhile, the charismatic young MP [[Hans Wiegel]] had attracted considerable attention. He became the new leader of the VVD. In 1971, he became the new parliamentary leader, and he was appointed [[lead candidate]] in 1972. Under Wiegel's leadership, the party oriented towards a new political course, aiming to reform the welfare state and cut taxes. Wiegel did not shrink from conflict with the Labour Party and the [[trade union]]s.{{Cn|date=November 2024}} With this new course came a new electorate: [[working-class]] and middle-class voters who, because of individualisation and [[Pillarisation|depillarisation]], were more easy to attract.{{Cn|date=November 2024}}

The course proved to be profitable: in the heavily polarised [[1972 Dutch general election|general election of 1972]], the VVD gained six seats. The VVD was kept out of government by the social democratic and Christian democratic [[Den Uyl cabinet]]. Although the ties between the VVD and other organisations within the neutral pillar became ever looser, the number of neutral organisations friendly to the VVD grew.{{Cn|date=November 2024}} The [[TROS]] and later [[Radio Veronica|Veronica]], new broadcasters which entered the [[Netherlands Public Broadcasting]], were friendly to the VVD. In 1977, the VVD again won six seats, bringing its total to twenty-eight seats. When lengthy formation talks between the social democrats and Christian democrats eventually led to a final break between the two parties, the VVD formed [[Second Van Agt cabinet|cabinet]] with the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA), with a majority of only two seats.

In the [[1981 Dutch general election|general election of 1981]], the VVD lost two seats and its partner the CDA lost even more. The cabinet was without a majority and a CDA, Labour and D66 [[Second Van Agt cabinet|cabinet]] was formed, falling after only a few months. In 1982, Hans Wiegel left Parliament to become [[Queen's Commissioner]] in [[Friesland]] and was succeeded by [[Ed Nijpels]]. In the [[1982 Dutch general election|general election of 1982]] Nijpels' VVD gained ten seats, bringing its total up to 36. Once again, it formed the [[First Lubbers cabinet]] with the CDA. The cabinet began a programme of radical reform of the welfare state, which is still in place today.{{Cn|date=November 2024}} The VVD lost nine seats in the [[1986 Dutch general election|1986 election]] but the cabinet nonetheless retained its majority. The losses were blamed on Nijpels, who stood down as leader of the VVD. He was succeeded by [[Joris Voorhoeve]]. In 1989 the CDA–VVD cabinet fell over a minor issue, and the VVD lost five seats in the [[1989 Dutch general election|subsequent election]], leaving only twenty-two. The VVD was kept out of government, and Voorhoeve stood down and was succeeded by [[Frits Bolkestein]].{{Cn|date=November 2024}}

=== 1994–2006 ===
[[File:Frits Bolkestein 1999.jpg|thumb|left|[[Frits Bolkestein]], leader from 1990 until 1998]]
Bolkestein's VVD was one of the winners of the [[1994 Dutch general election|general election of 1994]]: the party gained nine seats. It formed an unprecedented government with the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA) and the social liberal [[Democrats 66]]. The so-called "[[Purple (government)|purple]] [[First cabinet of Wim Kok|cabinet]]" led by [[Wim Kok]] was the first Dutch government without any Christian parties since 1918. Like many of his predecessors, Bolkestein remained in parliament. His political style was characterised as "opposition to one's own government.<ref>https://decorrespondent.nl/14344/deze-politicoloog-ziet-de-kiezer-is-klaar-met-allemansvrienden/2c3961ba-9a91-0c6d-3961-2442ea1ef979</ref> This style was very successful{{Cn|date=November 2024}} and the VVD gained another seven seats in the [[1998 Dutch general election|1998 election]], becoming the second largest party in parliament with thirty-eight seats. The VVD formed a [[Second Kok cabinet|second Purple cabinet]] with the Labour Party and D66. Bolkestein left Dutch politics in 1999 to become [[European Commission]]er. He was replaced by the more [[Technocracy|technocratic]]<!--bestuurder--> and social liberal [[Hans Dijkstal]].

In the heavily polarised [[2002 Dutch general election|Dutch general election of 2002]], dominated by the rise and murder of [[Pim Fortuyn]], the VVD lost fourteen seats, leaving only twenty-four. The VVD nonetheless entered a cabinet with the Christian Democratic Appeal and the [[Pim Fortuyn List]] (LPF). Dijkstal stood down and was replaced by the popular former [[Ministry of Finance (Netherlands)|Minister of Finance]] [[Gerrit Zalm]]. After a few months, Zalm "pulled the plug" on the [[First Balkenende cabinet]], after infighting between LPF ministers [[Eduard Bomhoff]] and [[Herman Heinsbroek]].{{Cn|date=November 2024}}

[[File:GZalm.jpg|thumb|[[Gerrit Zalm]], Leader from 2002 until 2004]]
In the subsequent [[2003 Dutch general election|general election of 2003]], the VVD with [[Gerrit Zalm]] as [[lead candidate]] gained four seats, making a total of twenty-eight. The party had expected to do much better, having adopted most of Fortuyn's proposals on immigration and integration. The VVD unwillingly entered the [[Second Balkenende cabinet]] with Zalm returning as [[Ministry of Finance (Netherlands)|Minister of Finance]] and as [[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Deputy Prime Minister]]. On 2 September 2004, [[Geert Wilders]], a [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Member of the House of Representatives]], left the party after a dispute with [[parliamentary leader]] Van Aartsen. He chose to continue as an [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] in the House of Representatives. On 27 November 2004 Zalm was succeeded as party leader by the parliamentary leader in the House [[Jozias van Aartsen]].

=== 2006–2023: Rutte ===
In 2006, the party lost a considerable number of seats in the [[2006 Dutch municipal election|municipal elections]], prompting parliamentary leader Van Aartsen to step down. [[Willibrord van Beek]] was subsequently appointed parliamentary leader ''ad interim''. In the subsequent [[2006 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy leadership election|party leadership election]] [[Mark Rutte]] was elected as the leader, defeating [[Rita Verdonk]] and [[Jelleke Veenendaal]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2006/06/01/rutte-nieuwe-lijsttrekker-vvd-11137675-a320360|title=Mark Rutte nieuwe lijsttrekker VVD|work=[[NRC Handelsblad]]|date=31 May 2006|language=nl}}</ref>

The [[2006 Dutch general election|general election of 2006]] did not start off well for the VVD: Mark Rutte was criticised by his own [[parliamentary party]] for being invisible in the campaign, and he was unable to break the attention away from the duel between then-Prime Minister [[Jan Peter Balkenende]] of the Christian democrats and [[Wouter Bos]] of the Labour Party. However, the VVD's campaign started relatively late.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rutte: "Het karwei begint nu pas"|url=http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/2006/11/4/0041106_ruttetoespraak.html|publisher=[[NOS Nieuws]]|date=4 November 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070529085929/http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/2006/11/4/0041106_ruttetoespraak.html |archive-date=29 May 2007 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The [[2006 Dutch general election#Opinion polls|election polls]] showed losses for the VVD; the former VVD deputy Prime Minister [[Hans Wiegel]] blamed a poor VVD campaign for this, caused by the heavily contested VVD leadership run-off between Mark Rutte and Rita Verdonk earlier in the year. Verdonk had her eyes on the deputy-minister post, while cabinet posts are normally decided upon by the political leader of the VVD.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article543569.ece/Wiegel_leest_Rutte_en_Verdonk_de_les|title=Wiegel leest Rutte en Verdonk de les|work=trouw.nl|access-date=15 November 2006}}</ref> On election day, the party received enough votes for twenty-two seats, a loss of six seats. When the official election results were announced on Monday 27 November 2006, preferential votes became known as well, showing that Rita Verdonk, the second candidate on the list, had obtained more votes than the VVD's [[lead candidate]], Mark Rutte. Rutte had received 553,200 votes, while Verdonk had received 620,555.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kiesraad.nl/nieuwsberichten/uitslag_van_de |title=Kiesraad.nl - Uitslag van de Tweede Kamerverkiezing van 22 november 2006 |access-date=2006-11-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208090557/http://www.kiesraad.nl/nieuwsberichten/uitslag_van_de |archive-date=8 December 2006 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> This led Verdonk to call for a party commission that would investigate the party leadership position, as a consequence of the situation of her obtaining more votes in the general election than Rutte, creating a short-lived crisis in the party.<ref>{{cite news|title=Verdonk wil onderzoek naar leiderschap VVD|url=http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/asp/artnr/128189/zoeken/ja/index.html|publisher=Elsevier|date=28 November 2006|language=nl|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210204/http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/asp/artnr/128189/zoeken/ja/index.html|archive-date=30 September 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> A crisis was averted when Rutte called for an ultimatum on his leadership, which Verdonk had to reconcile to, by rejecting her proposal for a party commission.<ref>{{cite news|title=Verdonk haalt bakzeil over leiderschap VVD|url=http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/asp/artnr/128261/zoeken/ja/index.html|publisher=Elsevier|date=29 November 2006|language=nl|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927221656/http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/asp/artnr/128261/zoeken/ja/index.html|archive-date=27 September 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> During 2007, signs of VVD infighting continued to play in the media. In June 2007, the former VVD minister Dekker presented a report on the previous election, showing that the VVD lacked clear leadership roles, however the report did not single out individuals for blame for the party's losses.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=40846 |title=Rutte pleased with committee report |publisher=[[Expatica]] |date=13 June 2007 |access-date=15 June 2007 |archive-date=29 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929115156/http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=40846 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Mark Rutte, 23.03.23 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|[[Mark Rutte]], leader from 2006 until 2023 and Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 2010 until 2024.]]
After Verdonk renewed her criticism of the party in September 2007, she was expelled from the parliamentary faction, and subsequently relinquished her membership of the party, after reconciliation attempts had proven futile.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/dut070913verdonkmc |title=Ex-minister Verdonk expelled from parliamentary party |publisher=[[Radio Netherlands]] |date=13 September 2007 |access-date=13 September 2007 |archive-date=11 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311200136/http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/dut070913verdonkmc |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Verdonk zegt lidmaatschap VVD op |url=http://www.nu.nl/news/1274899/11/Verdonk_zegt_lidmaatschap_VVD_op.html |publisher=[[Nu.nl]] |date=15 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016181601/http://www.nu.nl/news/1274899/11/Verdonk_zegt_lidmaatschap_VVD_op.html |archive-date=16 October 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Verdonk started her own political movement, [[Proud of the Netherlands]], subsequently. In opinion polls held after Verdonk's exit, the VVD was set to lose close to ten parliamentary seats in the next election.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Politieke Barometer week 42–19 oktober 2007 |url=http://www.politiekebarometer.nl/archief_polibar_popup.cfm?uid=207 |publisher=Interview-NSS |date=19 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027160332/http://www.politiekebarometer.nl/archief_polibar_popup.cfm?uid=207 |archive-date=27 October 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Politieke Barometer week 43–26 oktober 2007 |url=http://www.politiekebarometer.nl/archief_polibar_popup.cfm?uid=209 |publisher=Interview-NSS |date=26 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027160405/http://www.politiekebarometer.nl/archief_polibar_popup.cfm?uid=209 |archive-date=27 October 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nieuw Haags Peil van 21 oktober 2007 |url=http://www.peil.nl/?2369 |publisher=Peil.nl |date=26 October 2007 |access-date=26 October 2007 |archive-date=12 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312055609/http://www.peil.nl/?2369 |url-status=live }}</ref>

After the [[2010 Dutch general election|2010 general election]] the VVD became the largest party with 31 seats and was the senior party in a [[centre-right]] minority [[First Rutte cabinet]] with the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] supported by the [[Party for Freedom]] (PVV) of [[Geert Wilders]] to obtain a majority. Rutte was sworn in as Prime Minister on 21 October 2010. Not only was it the first time that the VVD had led a government, but it was the first liberal-led government in 92 years. However, on 21 April 2012, after failed negotiations with the PVV on renewed budget cuts, the government became unstable and Mark Rutte deemed it likely that a new election would be held in 2012.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dutch government unravels over Brussels budget rules |url=http://euobserver.com/9/115974 |publisher=EUobserver |date=22 April 2012 |access-date=23 April 2012 |archive-date=25 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425002259/http://euobserver.com/9/115974 |url-status=live }}</ref> On election day, 12 September 2012, the VVD remained the largest party in parliament, winning 41 seats, a gain of 10 seats.

After the [[2012 Dutch general election|2012 general election]], the VVD entered into a ruling coalition with the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] as its junior coalition partner. This coalition lasted a full term, but lost its majority at the [[2017 Dutch general election|2017 election]]; the VVD itself lost eight seats, though remained the largest party with 33.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/rapporten/2017/3/kerngegevens-tweede-kamerverkiezing-2017/kerngegevens-tweede-kamerverkiezing-2017|title=Kerngegevens Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2017|last=Kiesraad|website=www.kiesraad.nl|date=21 March 2017|access-date=25 March 2017 |archive-date=22 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322015128/https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/rapporten/2017/3/kerngegevens-tweede-kamerverkiezing-2017/kerngegevens-tweede-kamerverkiezing-2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Rutte became Prime Minister again, forming a centre-right green [[Third Rutte cabinet|cabinet]] with the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]], [[Democrats 66]] and the [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian Union]]. In March 2021, VVD was the winner of the [[2021 Netherlands general election|general election]], securing 34 out of 150 seats. Prime Minister Mark Rutte, in power since 2010, formed his fourth VVD-led coalition.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dutch election: PM Mark Rutte claims victory and fourth term |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56436297 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=18 March 2021 |access-date=20 April 2022 |archive-date=18 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418202305/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56436297 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===2023–present: Yeşilgöz ===
[[File:Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, April 2024.jpg|thumb|[[Dilan Yeşilgöz]], party leader since 2023.]]
After the [[fourth Rutte cabinet]] broke down due to disagreements over migration policy, a new election was called for 22 November 2023. Rutte announced that he would step down as leader of the VVD.<ref>{{cite web |date=10 July 2023 |title=Rutte stopt als partijleider VVD en kondigt vertrek aan uit politiek |url=https://nos.nl/collectie/13942/artikel/2482242-rutte-stopt-als-partijleider-vvd-en-kondigt-vertrek-aan-uit-politiek |access-date=2 December 2023 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}}</ref> [[Dilan Yeşilgöz]] became the new leader of the party in August 2023 after running unopposed in the leadership election.<ref>{{cite web |date=14 August 2023 |title=Dilan Yesilgöz officieel lijsttrekker voor de VVD, geen tegenkandidaten |url=https://nos.nl/collectie/13944/artikel/2486589-dilan-yesilgoz-officieel-lijsttrekker-voor-de-vvd-geen-tegenkandidaten |access-date=2 December 2023 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}}</ref> Following the [[2023 Dutch general election|2023 general election]], the VVD was reduced to 24 seats in the House of Representatives. It entered [[2023–2024 Dutch cabinet formation|formation talks]] with the Party for Freedom, the election winner, and the new parties [[New Social Contract]] and [[Farmer–Citizen Movement]], leading to the right-wing [[Schoof cabinet]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/05/25/weinig-blijdschap-veel-bange-stilte-in-de-vvd-a4199952 |url-access=subscription |date=25 May 2024 |last1=De Koning |first1=Petra |last2=Valk |first2=Guus |access-date=25 May 2024 |language=nl |website=[[NRC (newspaper)|NRC]] |title=Weinig blijdschap, veel bange stilte in de VVD |trans-title=Not much joy, lots of anxious silence within the VVD}}</ref>

==Ideology and policies==
The VVD is described as [[Conservative liberalism|conservative-liberal]],{{refn|Multiple sources:
* {{cite book|editor1=Sarah DeLange|editor2=Tom Louwerse|editor3=Paul ‘Thart|editor4=Carolien Van Ham|title=The Oxford Handbook off Dutch Politics|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2024|isbn=978-0-19-887551-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H28lEQAAQBAJ&pg=PA439|page=439}}
* {{cite book|author=Todd H. Weir|chapter=Heritage Discourse and Religious Change in Contemporary Europe|editor1=Todd H. Weir|editor2=Lieke Wijnia|title=The Bloomsbury Handbook of Religion and Heritage in Contemporary|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|year=2024|isbn=978-1-350-25138-0|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VTTpEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA27|page=27}}
* {{cite book|author1=Petia Kostadoniva|author2=Robert Thomson|chapter=Parties in Government|editor1=Neil Robinson|editor2=Rory Costello|title=Comparative European Politics: Distinctive Democracies, Common Challenges|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2024|isbn=978-0-19-286644-8|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GvPzEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA155|page=115|edition=Second}}
* {{cite book|author1=Willem Boterman|author2=Wouter van Gent|title= Making the Middle-class City: The Politics of Gentrifying Amsterdam|publisher=Springer Nature|year=2023|isbn= 978-1-137-55493-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3cOdEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA80|page=80}}
* {{cite book |author1=Rudy W Andeweg |author2=Lieven De Winter |author3=Patrick Dumont |title=Government Formation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cc3rUuZ6jG0C&pg=PA147 |access-date=17 August 2012 |year=2011 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-134-23972-6 |page=147 |archive-date=25 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525133711/http://books.google.com/books?id=cc3rUuZ6jG0C&pg=PA147 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite book|author=Michael Sharpe|chapter=The Parallels and Paradoxes of Postcolonial Sovereignty Games in the Dutch and French Caribbean: The End of the Netherlands Antilles and the Construction of New Dutch Caribbean Political Entities and Relations|editor=H. Adlai Murdoch|title=The Struggle of Non-Sovereign Caribbean Territories: Neoliberalism since the French Antillean Uprisings of 2009
|publisher=Rutgers University Press|year=2021|isbn= 978-1-9788-1574-2|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jrIWEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT209|page=209}}
*{{cite book|author=Saskia Hollander|title=The Politics of Referendum Use in European Democracies|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2019|isbn=978-3-030-04197-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LQGQDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA234|page=234}}
* {{cite book|author=Ayhan Kaya|title= Populism and Heritage in Europe: Lost in Diversity and Unity|publisher=Routledge|year=2020|isbn= 978-0-429-85543-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hMyxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT172|page=172}}
* {{cite book|author=Marcel Hoogenboom|chapter=The Netherlands and the crisis: from activation to ‘deficiency compensation’|editor=Sotiria Theodoropoulou|title=Labour Market Policies in the Era of Pervasive Austerity: A European Perspective|publisher=Policy Press, University of Bristol|year=2018|isbn=978-1-4473-3586-3|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ztFMDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA156|page=156}}
* {{cite book |author1=Jochen Clasen |author2=Daniel Clegg |title=Regulating the Risk of Unemployment: National Adaptations to Post-Industrial Labour Markets in Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dLAooCYXeVgC&pg=PA76|access-date=17 August 2012|year=2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-959229-6|page=76|archive-date=5 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105033559/http://books.google.com/books?id=dLAooCYXeVgC&pg=PA76|url-status=live}}
* {{cite book|author=David Broughton|title=Changing Party Systems in Western Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NkDNoNiBEjUC&pg=PA178|access-date=20 August 2012|year=1999|publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-85567-328-1|page=178|archive-date=5 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105033614/http://books.google.com/books?id=NkDNoNiBEjUC&pg=PA178|url-status=live}}
* {{cite book|author1=Thomas Poguntke|author2=Paul Webb|title=The Presidentialization of Politics: A Comparative Study of Modern Democracies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IJ5cCm9aVoEC&pg=PA158|access-date=24 August 2012|year=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-921849-3|page=158|archive-date=3 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103142557/http://books.google.com/books?id=IJ5cCm9aVoEC&pg=PA158|url-status=live}}}} [[liberal conservatism|liberal-conservative]],{{refn|Multiple sources:
* {{cite book |author1=Arco Timmermans |author2=Edwin van Rooyen |author3=Gerrit Voerman |chapter=Policy analysis and political party think tanks |editor1=Frans van Nispen |editor2=Peter Scholten |title=Policy analysis in the Netherlands |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s6GkBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA189 |year=2014 |publisher=Policy Press |isbn=978-1-4473-1333-5 |page=189 |access-date=10 March 2021 |archive-date=19 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619034736/https://books.google.com/books?id=s6GkBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA189 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite book |author=Liubomir K. Topaloff |title=Political Parties and Euroscepticism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PPPZMBzaRGwC&pg=PA21 |year=2012 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-137-00968-5 |page=21}}
* {{cite book |author=José M. Magone |title=The Statecraft of Consensus Democracies in a Turbulent World: A Comparative Study of Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nzIlDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA112 |year=2017 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-315-40785-2 |page=112 |access-date=10 March 2021 |archive-date=7 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907154957/https://books.google.com/books?id=nzIlDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA112 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite news |last1= Schaart |first1= Eline |last2= Moens |first2= Barbara |year= 2023 |title= Dutch on brink of electing first female leader |url= https://www.politico.eu/article/dutch-on-brink-of-electing-first-woman-dilan-yesilgoz-pm-netherlands-elections/ |work= Politico Europe |access-date= 3 October 2024}} 
* {{cite book|author1=Niels Spierings|author2=Marcel Lubbers|author3=Andrej Zaslove|chapter=Sexually modern nativist voters: do they exist, and do they vote for the populist radical right?|editor1=Cynthia Miller-Idriss|editor2=Hilary Pilkington|title=Gender and the Radical and Extreme Right: Mechanisms of Transmission and the Role of Educational Interventions|publisher= Routledge|year=2019|isbn=978-0-429-81269-9|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nureDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT100|page=100}}
* {{cite book |last= Duyvendak |first= Jan |year= 2022 |title= The Return of the Native Can Liberalism Safeguard Us Against Nativism? |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=L6CTEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22conservative+VVD%22&pg=PA77 |location= United Kingdom |publisher= Oxford University Press |page= 77 |isbn=978-0-19-766303-5}}}} and [[Conservatism|conservative]].{{refn|Multiple sources:
* {{cite news |last=Waterfield |first=Bruno |date=16 December 2021 |title=Mark Rutte heading for fourth term as Dutch prime minister |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/mark-rutte-heading-for-fourth-term-as-dutch-prime-minister-vh5gxnvmt |url-status=live |access-date=13 July 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211216101416/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mark-rutte-heading-for-fourth-term-as-dutch-prime-minister-vh5gxnvmt |archive-date=16 December 2021}}
* {{cite news |date=12 July 2023 |title=Dutch Justice Minister Yeşilgöz seeks to lead outgoing PM Rutte's party |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/dutch-justice-minister-yesilgoz-seeks-lead-outgoing-pm-ruttes-party-2023-07-12/ |access-date=13 July 2023}}
* {{Cite web |date=2021-10-01 |title=Dutch parties including PM Rutte's conservatives agree to coalition talks |url=https://www.euronews.com/2021/10/01/uk-netherlands-government |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=[[Euronews]] |language=en}}
* {{cite book |last= Lochocki |first= Timo |year= 2017 |title= The Rise of Populism in Western Europe A Media Analysis on Failed Political Messaging |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8aMxDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22conservative+VVD%22&pg=PA77 |location= Germany |publisher= Springer International Publishing |page= 77 |isbn=978-3-319-62855-4}}
* {{cite book |last= Koning |first= Edward |year= 2019 |title= Immigration and the Politics of Welfare Exclusion Selective Solidarity in Western Democracies |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=M5iRDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22conservative+VVD%22&pg=PA204 |location= United Kingdom |publisher= University of Toronto Press |page= 204 |isbn= 978-1-4875-2342-8}}
* {{cite book |last= Morieson |first= Nicholas |year= 2021 |title= Religion and the Populist Radical Right: Secular Christianism and Populism in Western Europe |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=LGoiEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22conservative+People%27s+Party+for+Freedom+and+Democracy%22&pg=PR24 |location= United States |publisher= Vernon Art and Science Incorporated |page= 24 |isbn= 978-1-64889-217-2}}
* {{cite book |year= 2022 |title= Controlling Immigration A Comparative Perspective, Fourth Edition |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=dVB-EAAAQBAJ&dq=%22conservative+VVD%22&pg=PT364 |location= United States |publisher= Stanford University Press |isbn=978-1-5036-3167-0}}
* {{cite book |last1= Palonen |first1= Emilia |last2= Herkman |first2= Juha |author-link= |date= 2023 |title= Populism, Twitter and the European Public Sphere Social Media Communication in the EP Elections 2019 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=VDz-EAAAQBAJ&dq=%22conservative+VVD%22&pg=PA42 |location= Germany |publisher= Palgrave Macmillan |page= 42 |isbn= 978-3-031-41737-5}}}} It was also described as [[Classical liberalism|classical liberal]]<ref name="BenoitLaver2006">{{cite book|author1=Kenneth Benoit|author2=Michael Laver|year=2006|title=Party Policy in Modern Democracies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rPlx1L2MY7YC&pg=PA112|publisher=[[Routledge]]|page=112|isbn=1-134-20618-6|access-date=4 May 2021|archive-date=7 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407103438/https://books.google.com/books?id=rPlx1L2MY7YC&pg=PA112|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Libertarianism|libertarian]]{{refn|Multiple sources:
* {{cite news |date= 29 June 2006 |title= Dutch minister wins confidence vote |url= https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2006/6/29/dutch-minister-wins-confidence-vote |work= Al Jazeera English |access-date= 18 September 2024}}
* {{cite news |last= Sterling |first= Toby |date= 18 May 2006 |title= Dutch forced to rethink decision on Somali-born MP |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/may/18/mainsection.international1 |work= The Guardian |location= Amsterdam |access-date= 18 September 2024}}
* {{cite news |date= 30 June 2006 |title= Dutch government stands down |url= https://www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-30265715.html |work= Irish Examiner |access-date= 18 September 2024}}
* {{cite news |last= Sterling |first= Toby |date= 31 August 2012 |title= Dutch populist leader takes aim at EU and flops |url= https://news.yahoo.com/news/dutch-populist-leader-takes-aim-144642841.html |work= Associated Press (via Yahoo! News) |access-date= 18 September 2024}}}} by sources between 2006 and 2012.

The VVD describes itself as a party founded on a [[liberalism|liberal]] philosophy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vvd.nl/over-de-vvd/detail/17/liberale-beginselen|title=VVD's Official page - Liberale Beginselen|access-date=12 May 2011|archive-date=23 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823185000/http://www.vvd.nl/over-de-vvd/detail/17/liberale-beginselen|url-status=live}}</ref> Traditionally, the party is the most ardent supporter of '[[free market]]s' of all Dutch political parties, promoting political, [[economic liberalism]], [[classical liberalism]], [[cultural liberalism]]. In contrast to this, it has helped build the [[welfare state]] since 1945.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://npokennis.nl/longread/7508/wat-is-de-vvd | title=Wat is de VVD? }}</ref> After 1971, the party became more [[Populism|populist]], although some conservative liberal elements remain.<ref>Andeweg R.B. and G.A. Irwin, ''Government & Politics in the Netherlands'' (2002), Palgrave, p. 48</ref>

===Liberal Manifesto===
The principles of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy were outlined in the "Liberal Manifesto" ({{langx|nl|Liberaal Manifest}}) and latterly the election programmes. The Liberal Manifesto was a general outlook on the direction of the party would like to mirror itself and is an extension of the party's foundational principles. The election programmes are more oriented to practical politics, for example, winning the elections on-the-day and by any means possible. The last Liberal Manifesto of the VVD was published in September 2005. It developed a broad outline around the themes of [[democracy]], [[security]], [[Political freedom|freedom]] and [[citizenship]], along with a vision of the future of party's internal structure. Below some of the points from the Manifesto are presented:<ref name="Manifesto">{{cite web|url=https://dnpprepo.ub.rug.nl/9900/1/lib-manif05.pdf|title=Om de vrijheid. Liberaal Manifest|language=nl|date=September 2005}}</ref>

====Democracy====
* The Manifesto calls for a directly elected [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Prime Minister]], whereby voters could express their preference on the ballot.
* The idea of (advisory) [[referendum]]s is not supported by the party.
* [[Mayor]]s should be directly elected by the people.
* Commitment to the four freedoms of the [[European Single Market]].

====Security====
* A common policy on defence and security in the European Union is called for.

====Freedom====
* The principle of non-discrimination should be given more importance than the exercise of religion.
* "Social rights" are to be continued. These are not simply rights, but they also create obligations.
* [[Euthanasia]] is part of a person's right to self-determination.
* Commitment to an open economy, with a "regulated [[free-market]]", including [[patent]]s.
* Support for the freedom of contract. No right for workers to enter into nationally binding [[collective bargaining]] agreements.

====Citizenship====
* Minimise the option of [[multiple citizenship|dual citizenship]].
* Social security should only be fully open for Dutch nationals. Migrants would have to integrate in order to become citizens.

===Migration===
The VVD has supported the [[European single market#Four Freedoms|free movement of goods and people]] within the [[European single market]], and it has historically opposed limits to [[labor migration]]. Since the early 2020s, the party has argued in favor of reducing the reliance of the Dutch economy on unskilled foreign labor.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/08/26/vvd-bepleit-slimmere-arbeidsmigratie-in-visiestuk-dreigt-met-fiscale-ingrepen-a4863725 |url-access = subscription |date = 26 August 2024 |last = Verkerk |first = Jorit |access-date = 31 August 2024 |language = nl |website = [[NRC (newspaper)|NRC]] |title = VVD bepleit 'slimmere' arbeidsmigratie in visiestuk, dreigt met fiscale ingrepen |trans-title = VVD argues for 'smarter' labor migration in white paper, threatens with changes in taxation }}</ref>

===Policy overview===
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-4}}
* Economy and Finance
** [[Small government]]<ref name=VVD>{{cite news|url=http://www.vvd.nl/standpunten|title=VVD Standpunten|work=VVD|access-date=24 September 2013|archive-date=27 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927191251/http://www.vvd.nl/standpunten|url-status=live}}</ref>
** [[Laissez-faire]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Tax cut|Tax reductions]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Market economy]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Balanced budget]]<ref name="VVD" />
{{Col-4}}
* Government and Social Affairs
** [[Deregulation]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Separation of church and state]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Multiple citizenship|Minimise multiple citizenship]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Emancipation]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Same-sex marriage]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Cultural Assimilation]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Refugee|Sober care of refugees]]<ref name="VVD" />
{{Col-4}}
* Foreign policy and Law
** [[Pro-Europeanism]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Internationalism (politics)|Internationalism]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Multilateralism]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Mandatory sentencing]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Squatting|Anti-squatting]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Drug policy of the Netherlands|Distinction between soft drugs and hard drugs]]<ref name="VVD" />
{{Col-4}}
* Health
** [[Universal health care]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Euthanasia|Expansion of the euthanasia policy]]<ref name="VVD" />
** [[Abortion-rights movements|Pro-choice]]<ref name="VVD" />
{{Col-end}}

==Election results==
===House of Representatives===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
! Election
! [[Lead candidate]]
! List
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Government
|-
! [[1948 Dutch general election|1948]]
| rowspan=5 align="left"|[[Pieter Oud]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1948 Dutch general election|List]]
| 391,908
| 7.9
| {{Composition bar compact|8|100|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| New
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1952 Dutch general election|1952]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1952 Dutch general election|List]]
| 470,820
| 8.8
| {{Composition bar compact|9|100|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[1956 Dutch general election|1956]]
| rowspan="2" align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1956 Dutch general election|List]]
| rowspan="2" | 502,325
| rowspan="2" | 8.7
| {{Composition bar compact|9|100|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{small|{{steady}}}}
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
| {{Composition bar compact|13|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1959 Dutch general election|1959]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1959 Dutch general election|List]]
| 732,658
| 12.2
| {{Composition bar compact|19|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 6
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1963 Dutch general election|1963]]
| rowspan=2 align="left"|[[Edzo Toxopeus]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1963 Dutch general election|List]]
| 643,839
| 10.2
| {{Composition bar compact|16|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1967 Dutch general election|1967]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1967 Dutch general election|List]]
| 738,202
| 10.7
| {{Composition bar compact|17|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1971 Dutch general election|1971]]
| align="left"|[[Molly Geertsema]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1971 Dutch general election|List]]
| 653,092
| 10.3
| {{Composition bar compact|16|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1972 Dutch general election|1972]]
| rowspan=3 align="left"|[[Hans Wiegel]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1972 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,068,375
| 14.4
| {{Composition bar compact|22|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 6
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1977 Dutch general election|1977]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1977 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,492,689
| 17.0
| {{Composition bar compact|28|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 6
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1981 Dutch general election|1981]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1981 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,504,293
| 17.3
| {{Composition bar compact|26|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1982 Dutch general election|1982]]
| rowspan=2 align="left"|[[Ed Nijpels]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1982 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,897,986
| 23.1
| {{Composition bar compact|36|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 10
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1986 Dutch general election|1986]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1986 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,595,377
| 17.4
| {{Composition bar compact|27|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 9
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1989 Dutch general election|1989]]
| align="left"|[[Joris Voorhoeve]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1989 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,295,402
| 14.6
| {{Composition bar compact|22|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1994 Dutch general election|1994]]
| rowspan=2 align="left"|[[Frits Bolkestein]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1994 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,792,401
| 20.0
| {{Composition bar compact|31|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 9
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1998 Dutch general election|1998]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1998 Dutch general election|List]]
| 2,124,971
| 24.7
| {{Composition bar compact|38|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 7
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2002 Dutch general election|2002]]
| align="left"|[[Hans Dijkstal]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2002 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,466,722
| 15.4
| {{Composition bar compact|24|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 14
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2003 Dutch general election|2003]]
| align="left"|[[Gerrit Zalm]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2003 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,728,707
| 17.9
| {{Composition bar compact|28|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[2006 Dutch general election|2006]]
| rowspan=5 align="left"|[[Mark Rutte]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2006 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,443,312
| 14.7
| {{Composition bar compact|22|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 6
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2010 Dutch general election|2010]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2010 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,929,575
| 20.5
| {{Composition bar compact|31|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 9
| {{yes2|[[First Rutte cabinet|Coalition]]}}
|-
! [[2012 Dutch general election|2012]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2012 Dutch general election|List]]
| 2,504,948
| 26.6
| {{Composition bar compact|41|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 10
| {{yes2|[[Second Rutte cabinet|Coalition]]}}
|-
! [[2017 Dutch general election|2017]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2017 Dutch general election|List]]
| 2,238,351
| 21.3
| {{Composition bar compact|33|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 8
| {{yes2|[[Third Rutte cabinet|Coalition]]}}
|-
! [[2021 Dutch general election|2021]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2021 Dutch general election|List]]
| 2,276,514
| 21.9
| {{Composition bar compact|34|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{yes2|[[Fourth Rutte cabinet|Coalition]]}}
|-
! [[2023 Dutch general election|2023]]
| align="left"|[[Dilan Yeşilgöz]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2023 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,589,519
| 15.2
| {{Composition bar compact|24|150|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 10
| {{yes2|[[Schoof cabinet|Coalition]]}}
|-
|}

===Senate===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
! Election
! Lead candidate
! List
! Votes
! Weight
! %
! Seats
! +/–
|-
! 1948
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1948 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|3|50|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| New
|-
! 1951
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1951 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|4|50|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! 1952
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1952 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|4|50|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{steady}}
|-
! 1955
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1955 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|4|50|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{steady}}
|-
! Apr 1956
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the April 1956 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|4|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{steady}}
|-
! Oct 1956
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the October 1956 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|7|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
|-
! 1960
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1960 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|8|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! 1963
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1963 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|7|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! 1966
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1966 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|8|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! 1969
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1969 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|8|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{steady}}
|-
! 1971
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1971 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|8|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{steady}}
|-
! 1974
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1974 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|12|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
|-
! 1977
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1977 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|15|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
|-
! 1980
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1980 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|13|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
! 1981
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1981 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|12|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! 1983
| align="left"|[[Guus Zoutendijk]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1983 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|17|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 5
|-
! 1986
|
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1986 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|16|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! 1987
| rowspan="2" align="left" | [[David Luteijn]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1987 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|12|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
|-
! 1991
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1991 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|12|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{steady}}
|-
! 1995
| align="left"| [[Frits Korthals Altes]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1995 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
|
|
| {{Composition bar compact|23|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 11
|-
! 1999
| rowspan="2" align="left" | [[Nicoline van den Broek-Laman Trip]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 1999 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
| 39,809
| 25,3
| {{Composition bar compact|19|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
|-
! [[2003 Dutch Senate election|2003]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2003 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
| 31,026
| 19,2
| {{Composition bar compact|15|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
|-
! [[2007 Dutch Senate election|2007]]
| align="left" | [[Uri Rosenthal]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2007 Dutch Senate election|List]]
|
| 31,360
| 19,2
| {{Composition bar compact|14|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! [[2011 Dutch Senate election|2011]]
| rowspan="2" align="left" | [[Loek Hermans]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2011 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| 111
| 34,590
| 20.83
| {{Composition bar compact|16|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
|-
! [[2015 Dutch Senate election|2015]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2015 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| 90
| 28,523
| 16.87
| {{Composition bar compact|13|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
|-
! [[2019 Dutch Senate election|2019]]
| align="left" | [[Annemarie Jorritsma]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2019 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| 78
| 26,157
| 15.11
| {{Composition bar compact|12|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! [[2023 Dutch Senate election|2023]]
|align="left"| [[Edith Schippers]]
| align="left"|[[List of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy candidates in the 2023 Dutch Senate election|List]]
| 67
| 22,194
| 12.40
| {{Composition bar compact|10|75|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
|}

===European Parliament===
[[File:Malik Azmani, 2019.jpg|thumb|[[Malik Azmani]], leader in the European Parliament since 2019]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
! Election
! List
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! EP Group
|-
! [[1979 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1979]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 1979 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#VVD - European Liberal-Democrats|List]]
| 914,787
| 16.14
| {{Composition bar compact|4|25|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| New
| style="text-align: left;" | [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|LD]]
|-
! [[1984 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1984]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 1984 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#VVD - European Liberal-Democrats|List]]
| 1,002,685
| 18.93
| {{Composition bar compact|5|25|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| style="text-align: left;" rowspan="2"| [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|LDR]]
|-
! [[1989 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1989]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 1989 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#VVD - European Liberal-Democrats|List]]
| 714,745
| 13.63
| {{Composition bar compact|3|25|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
! [[1994 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1994]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 1994 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#VVD/European Liberal-Democrats|List]]
| 740,443
| 17.91
| {{Composition bar compact|6|31|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
| style="text-align: left;" rowspan="2" | [[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|ELDR]]
|-
! [[1999 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1999]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 1999 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#VVD - European Liberal-Democrats|List]]
| 698,050
| 19.69
| {{Composition bar compact|6|31|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[2004 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2004]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 2004 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#VVD - European Liberal-Democrats|List]]
| 629,198
| 13.20
| {{Composition bar compact|4|27|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| rowspan="4" | [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group|ALDE]]
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[2009 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2009]]
| style="text-align: left;"  rowspan="2" | [[Party lists in the 2009 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#VVD - European Liberal-Democrats|List]]
| rowspan="2" | 518,643
| rowspan="2" | 11.39
| {{Composition bar compact|3|25|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| {{Composition bar compact|3|26|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[2014 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2014]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 2014 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#VVD|List]]
| 571,176
| 12.02
| {{Composition bar compact|3|26|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[2019 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2019]]
| style="text-align: left;"  rowspan="2" | [[Party lists in the 2019 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#VVD|List]]
| rowspan="2" | 805,100
| rowspan="2" | 14.64
| {{Composition bar compact|4|26|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| style="text-align: left;"  rowspan="3" | [[Renew Europe|RE]]
|-
| {{Composition bar compact|5|29|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! [[2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2024]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#VVD|List]]
| 707,141
| 11.35
| {{Composition bar compact|4|31|hex={{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|}

== Representation ==
=== Cabinet ===
{{Main|Schoof cabinet}}

=== Members of the States General ===
==== Members of the House of Representatives ====
{{see|Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands for People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|List of members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2023–present}}

==== Members of the Senate ====
{{see|List of members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2023–2027}}

=== Representation in EU institutions ===
{{Main|List of members of the European Parliament for the Netherlands, 2024–2029}}

In the [[European Committee of the Regions]], VVD sits in the [[Renew Europe in the European Committee of the Regions|Renew Europe CoR Group]], with one full and two alternate members for the 2020-2025 mandate.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CoR Members Page|url=https://memberspage.cor.europa.eu/#/?mandate=mem&language=en&country=NL&politicalgroup=2020112&v=1615214686374|url-status=live|access-date=8 March 2021|archive-date=30 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230124440/https://memberspage.cor.europa.eu/#/?mandate=mem&language=en&country=NL&politicalgroup=2020112&v=1615214686374}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=CoR Members Page|url=https://memberspage.cor.europa.eu/#/?mandate=alt&language=en&country=NL&politicalgroup=2020112&v=1615214983690|url-status=live|access-date=8 March 2021|archive-date=30 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230124440/https://memberspage.cor.europa.eu/#/?mandate=alt&language=en&country=NL&politicalgroup=2020112&v=1615214983690}}</ref> Martijn van Gruijthuijsen is Coordinator in the ECON Commission.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Coordinators|url=https://reneweurope-cor.eu/coordinators/|access-date=2021-04-16|website=Renew Europe CoR|language=en-GB|archive-date=11 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411155709/https://reneweurope-cor.eu/coordinators/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Electorate ==
Historically, the VVD electorate consisted mainly of [[secular]] [[middle-class]]<ref>Andeweg, R. (1982) ''Dutch voters adrift. On explanations of electoral change 1963–1977.'' Leiden: Leiden University. p. 17, 23</ref> and [[upper-class]] voters, with a strong support from entrepreneurs. Under the leadership of Wiegel, the VVD started to expand its appeal to [[working class]] voters.

== Organisation ==
=== Leadership ===
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
* [[Parliamentary leader]]s in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vh8lnhrqlyx3/eerste_kamerfractie_volkspartij_voor|title=Eerste Kamerfractie Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD)|work=[[Parlement.com]]|access-date=2 October 2024|language=nl}}</ref>
** [[Anthonie Nicolaas Molenaar]] <small>(24 January 1948 – 21 November 1958)</small>
** [[Harm van Riel]] <small>(23 December 1958 – 3 June 1976)</small>
** [[Haya van Someren]] <small>(3 June 1976 – 12 November 1980)</small>
** [[Guus Zoutendijk]] <small>(25 November 1980 – 23 June 1987)</small>
** [[David Luteijn]] <small>(23 June 1987 – 13 June 1995)</small>
** [[Frits Korthals Altes]] <small>(13 June 1995 – 11 March 1997)</small>
** [[Leendert Ginjaar]] <small>(11 March 1997 – 14 September 1999)</small>
** [[Nicoline van den Broek]] <small>(14 September 1999 – 1 May 2005)</small>
** [[Uri Rosenthal]] <small>(1 May 2005 – 14 October 2010)</small>
** [[Fred de Graaf]] <small>(14 October 2010 – 22 February 2011)</small>
** [[Loek Hermans]] <small>(22 February 2011 – 3 November 2015)</small>
** [[Helmi Huijbregts-Schiedon]] <small>(3 November 2015 – 24 November 2015)</small>
** [[Annemarie Jorritsma]] <small>(24 November 2015 – 13 June 2023)</small>
** [[Edith Schippers]] <small>(13 June 2023 – 31 December 2024)</small>
** {{ill|Tanja Klip-Martin|nl}} <small>(since 1 January 2025)</small>
{{Col-2}}
* [[Parliamentary leader]]s in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vh8lnhrouwxp/tweede_kamerfractie_volkspartij_voor|title=Tweede Kamerfractie Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD)|work=[[Parlement.com]]|access-date=2 October 2024|language=nl}}</ref>
** [[Pieter Oud]] <small>(27 July 1948 – 16 May 1963)</small>
** [[Roelof Zegering Hadders]] <small>(16 May 1963 – 2 July 1963)</small>
** [[Edzo Toxopeus]] <small>(2 July 1963 – 24 July 1963)</small>
** [[Molly Geertsema]] <small>(24 July 1963 – 12 March 1966)</small>
** [[Edzo Toxopeus]] <small>(12 March 1966 – 1 October 1969)</small>
** [[Molly Geertsema]] <small>(1 October 1969 – 6 July 1971)</small>
** [[Hans Wiegel]] <small>(6 July 1971 – 19 December 1977)</small>
** [[Koos Rietkerk]] <small>(19 December 1977 – 25 Augustus 1981)</small>
** [[Hans Wiegel]] <small>(25 Augustus 1981 – 20 April 1982)</small>
** [[Ed Nijpels]] <small>(20 April 1982 – 9 July 1986)</small>
** [[Joris Voorhoeve]] <small>(9 July 1986 – 30 April 1990)</small>
** [[Frits Bolkestein]] <small>(30 April 1990 – 30 July 1998)</small>
** [[Hans Dijkstal]] <small>(30 July 1998 – 23 May 2002)</small>
** [[Gerrit Zalm]] <small>(23 May 2002 – 27 May 2003)</small>
** [[Jozias van Aartsen]] <small>(27 May 2003 – 8 March 2006)</small>
** [[Willibrord van Beek]] <small>(8 March 2006 – 29 June 2006)</small>
** [[Mark Rutte]] <small>(29 June 2006 – 8 October 2010)</small>
** [[Stef Blok]] <small>(8 October 2010 – 20 September 2012)</small>
** [[Mark Rutte]] <small>(20 September 2012 – 1 November 2012)</small>
** [[Halbe Zijlstra]] <small>(1 November 2012 – 23 March 2017)</small>
** [[Mark Rutte]] <small> (23 March 2017 – 13 October 2017)</small>
** [[Halbe Zijlstra]] <small>(13 October 2017 – 25 October 2017)</small>
** [[Klaas Dijkhoff]] <small>(25 October 2017 – 31 March 2021)</small>
** [[Mark Rutte]] <small>(31 March 2021 – 10 January 2022)</small>
** [[Sophie Hermans]] <small>(11 January 2022 – 9 December 2023)</small>
** [[Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius]] <small>(since 9 December 2023)</small>
{{Col-end}}

=== Organisational structure ===
The highest organ of the VVD is the General Assembly, in which all members present have a single vote. It convenes usually twice every year. It appoints the party board and decides on the party programme.

The order of the First Chamber, Second Chamber and European Parliament candidates list is decided by a [[referendum]] under all members voting by internet, phone or mail. If contested, the [[lead candidate]] of a candidates lists is appointed in a separate referendum in advance. Since 2002 the General Assembly can call for a referendum on other subjects too.

About 90 members elected by the members in meetings of the regional branches form the Party Council, which advises the Party Board in the months that the General Assembly does not convene. This is an important forum within the party. The party board handles the daily affairs of the party.

=== Linked organisations ===
The independent youth organisation that has a partnership agreement with the VVD is the [[Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy]] ({{langx|nl|Jongeren Organisatie Vrijheid en Democratie}}, JOVD), which is a member of the [[Liberal Youth Movement of the European Union]] and the [[International Federation of Liberal and Radical Youth]].

The education institute of the VVD is the ''Haya van Someren Foundation''. The [[Telders Foundation]] is the party's scientific institute and publishes the magazine ''Liberaal Reveil'' every two months. The party published the magazine ''Liber'' bi-monthly.

=== International organisations ===
The VVD is a member of the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party]] and [[Liberal International]].

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

== See also ==
{{portal|Conservatism|liberalism}}
* [[Liberalism]]:
** [[Contributions to liberal theory]]
** [[Liberal democracy]]
** [[Liberalism in the Netherlands]]
** [[Liberalism worldwide]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book|last=Vermeulen|first=André|date=2013|title=De liberale opmars. 65 jaar VVD in de Tweede Kamer|url=https://dnpprepo.ub.rug.nl/10920/37/De%20Liberale%20Opmars.pdf|language=nl}}
* {{Cite book|last1=Schie|first1=Patrick van|last2=Voerman|first2=Gerrit|date=2006|title=Zestig jaar VVD|language=nl|publisher=Boom}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}
* {{Official website|http://www.vvd.nl}} {{in lang|nl}}
* [https://dnpp.nl/pp/vvd Documentation Centre Dutch Political Parties about VVD] {{in lang|nl}}

{{People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}
{{Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party}}
{{Renew Europe}}
{{Political parties in the Netherlands}}
{{European Parliament, (Netherlands)}}
{{ELDR member parties}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:People's Party For Freedom And Democracy}}
[[Category:People's Party for Freedom and Democracy| ]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Conservative liberal parties]]
[[Category:Conservative parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Liberal conservative parties]]
[[Category:Liberal International]]
[[Category:Libertarian parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Organisations based in The Hague]]
[[Category:Pro-European political parties in the Netherlands]]