Jump to content

New Social Contract

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the political party. For the manifesto it is based on, seeA New Social Contract.

New Social Contract
Nieuw Sociaal Contract
AbbreviationNSC
LeaderPieter Omtzigt
ChairpersonBert van Boggelen(acting)[1]
FounderPieter Omtzigt
Founded19 August 2023;10 months ago(2023-08-19)
Split fromChristian Democratic Appeal
Youth wingJong Sociaal Contract[2]
Membership(2024)Increase9,979[3]
IdeologyChristian democracy
Political positionCentretocentre-right
Regional affiliationChristian Group[4]
European affiliationEuropean People's Party(PACE)[5]
European Parliament groupEuropean People's Party[6]
ColoursDark blue
Yellow
Senate
0 / 75
House of Representatives
20 / 150
European Parliament
1 / 31
Benelux Parliament
1 / 21
Website
partijnieuwsociaalcontract.nlEdit this at Wikidata

New Social Contract(Dutch:Nieuw Sociaal Contract,[niusoːˈʃaːlkɔnˈtrɑkt];NSC) is apolitical partyin theNetherlandsfounded and led byPieter Omtzigt.[7]The party focuses on the themes ofgood governanceandsocial security.[8]

History[edit]

In early 2021, Omtzigt wrote themanifestoA New Social Contract,[9]with ideas for theChristian Democratic Appeal(CDA), the party for which he served in theHouse of Representativesat the time.[10]After a falling out with his party over the appointment ofWopke Hoekstraas party leader[11]and the"Position Omtzigt, function elsewhere"note that leaked during the 2021–2022 cabinet formation, he split from the CDA in June 2021 and continued as a one-man faction in September of that year.[12]

After the2023 Dutch general electionwas announced following the fall of thefourth Rutte cabinet,Omtzigt founded New Social Contract (NSC) on 19 August 2023.[7]His 2021 manifesto has served as the basis for the views of the new party.[8]On 20 August 2023, Omtzigt announced inTubantianewspaper that he did not strive for NSC to become the largest party in the general election in November that year. If that does happen, he did not want to becomeprime minister,but to remain in the House of Representatives asparliamentary leader.[12]After the party's candidate list was presented, Omtzigt no longer ruled out premiership.[13]

CDA prominentEddy van Hijumbecame chairman of the committee that would write the party's manifesto ahead of the 2023 general election.[14]FormerVVDhopefulOnno Aerdenwas introduced as the party's spokesperson on 12 September 2023, but he stepped down a few hours later when atweetresurfaced in which he had referred to theFarmer–Citizen Movement(BBB) as "a tumor that destroys the fragile democracy from within".[15]On 2 October, NSC announced the resignation of its co-founder and inaugural chairmanHein Pieper,after the revelation of a past allegation ofabuse of power.[16]

Party leader Pieter Omtzigt and Nicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok at the first NSC membership meeting on 10 November 2023

Until 28 August 2023, the party offered people who endorsed the party's principles the opportunity to apply online for a seat in the House of Representatives. It was later announced that around 2,400 candidates had registered.[17]NSC presented a list of 44 candidates on 26 September 2023. It includes several former members of parliament, such asNicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok,Eddy van Hijum,Wytske Postma,andFolkert Idsinga,as well as people without political experience, including a judge, a pensions expert, a public prosecutor, a former ambassador, a microbiologist/columnist, a director of a housing corporation, civil servants, and businesspeople.[18][19]

NSC won twenty seats in the 22 November general election, entering the House as the fourth largest party, while the right-wing populistParty for Freedom(PVV) received aplurality.Omtzigt had told during the campaign that NSC would be unwilling to form acoalition governmentwith the PVV andFVD,as he felt they did not meet the "basic conditions of therule of law".[20]Followinggovernment formation talkswith the PVV, VVD, and BBB, Omtzigt left open the possibility for anextraparliamentary cabinet.The four parties struck acoalition agreementin May 2024 after Omtzigt had once stepped out of the talks due to concerns about government finances.[21]

Ideology and positions[edit]

NSC has been described ascentre[22]tocentre-right,[23]anti-establishment,[24][25]Christian democratic[26][27][28][29]and close tocommunitarianphilosophy.[29]Article 2 of the party's statutes speak of "personal responsibility, family and communities and distributed private property" as founding principles, while an accompanying programme of principles mentions notions includingpersonalism,virtue ethicsand thesocial market economy.[30]The party is also critical ofneoliberalismand believes that neoliberal tendencies in Dutch economy should be reined in.[31]

Good governance and social security are the party's primary concerns.[8]Policies regarding good governance include the establishment of aconstitutional courtand instituting a regional electoral system similar tothat of Sweden.[32][33]With regard to social security, the party proposes revising theliving wageto aid people living on low incomes.[34]

While the NSC has been compared to the centre-leftGroenLinks–PvdAalliance in terms of social issues, the party has a more conservative attitute towards immigration. Omtzigt proposed a two-status system that would apply different admission criteria to asylum seekers andeconomic migrants.He also stated that the current figure of the Netherlands accepting more than 100,000 immigrants per year is too high, and the party aims to limit net migration to no more than 50,000 per year.[31][35]On its platform, NSC supports reforms to asylum laws such as limiting the duration asylum seekers can be in the Netherlands and faster deportation of rejected asylum cases. The party also supports limits and stricter quotas for the number of foreign students in the Netherlands and wants Dutch to be reinstated as the standard language of the university system, with exceptions for certain postgraduate degrees.[36]

In foreign policy, NSC aspires to continue intensive cooperation within Europe. The idea is that by working together, the Netherlands gets a better grip on cross-border problems such as migration, CO2 emissions and the power of big tech. Nevertheless, NSC also sees the need to strengthen the democratic legitimacy of European legislation and calls for the European Union to be more transparent and accountable to European citizens. According to its party manifesto, European decision-making must become more transparent and be more focused on upholding the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. Ultimately, Omtzigt has vowed for a firm stance from the Netherlands in Europe, without creeping transfers of budgets and powers eroding national sovereignty and democratic control, and argues that the Netherlands should protect its interests on the European stage.[37]The party also calls for no more Dutch participation inEurozonebailouts, less EU influence on Dutch taxation policies and for the Netherlands to opt-out of EU agreements it deems contradictory to Dutch interests. NSC supports DutchNATOmembership and argues for the Netherlands to meet the standard of at least 2% of GDP on defense.[38]

Electorate[edit]

According tomarket researcherI&O Research, NSC attracts voters from parties across the political spectrum, including theSocialist Party,JA21,BBB,andPVV.[39]Polls in late August 2023 showed that it was the most popular party, with 40% of its electorate coming from BBB, reducing that party's vote share by more than a third.[40][41][42]

Leadership[edit]

Party leader[edit]

Party chair[edit]

Electoral results[edit]

House of Representatives[edit]

Election Lead candidate Votes % Seats +/– Government
2023 Pieter Omtzigt 1,343,287 12.88 (#4)
20 / 150
 New Coalition

European Parliament[edit]

Election List Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
2024 List 233,564 3.75 (#9)
1 / 31
 New EPP

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ab"Voorzitter partij Omtzigt stapt op na klacht over machtsmisbruik".RTL Nieuws(in Dutch). 2 October 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 2 October 2023.Retrieved2 October2023.
  2. ^"Jong & Sociaal".Nieuw Sociaal Contract(in Dutch).Archivedfrom the original on 10 November 2023.Retrieved14 November2023.
  3. ^"Ledentallen Nederlandse politieke partijen per 1 januari 2024"[Membership of Dutch political parties as of 1 January 2024].University of Groningen(in Dutch). Documentation Centre Dutch Political Parties. 28 February 2024.Retrieved28 February2024.
  4. ^"Politieke fracties".beneluxparl.eu.Retrieved6 February2024.
  5. ^Taibi, Nassreddin (28 August 2023)."Three parties lead Dutch election race".Euractiv.Archivedfrom the original on 30 August 2023.Retrieved30 August2023.
  6. ^"EPP Group welcomes new members".eppgroup.eu.Retrieved24 June2024.
  7. ^abAdams, Kelly (20 August 2023)."Pieter Omtzigt begint eigen partij en doet mee aan de verkiezingen".Tubantia(in Dutch).Retrieved22 August2023.
  8. ^abc"Partij Nieuw Sociaal Contract opgericht".Pieteromtzigt.nl(in Dutch). 20 August 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 30 August 2023.Retrieved23 August2023.
  9. ^Omtzigt, Pieter Herman(23 February 2021).Een nieuw sociaal contract(in Dutch).Amsterdam:Uitgeverij Prometheus.ISBN9789044648058.
  10. ^Hanna, Marc (22 May 2021)."Een Nieuw Sociaal Contract: Omtzigts Belangrijkste Politieke Lessen En Aanbevelingen".Interruptie(in Dutch).Christian Democratic Youth Appeal.Archivedfrom the original on 30 August 2023.Retrieved22 August2023.
  11. ^Lammers, Esther (12 June 2021)."Omtzigt voelt zich gepasseerd voor lijsttrekkerschap CDA".Trouw(in Dutch).Archivedfrom the original on 24 June 2021.
  12. ^ab"Omtzigt doet mee aan verkiezingen met eigen partij: Nieuw Sociaal Contract".NOS(in Dutch). 20 August 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 30 August 2023.Retrieved20 August2023.
  13. ^Hartog, Tobias den; Timmer, Edwin (26 September 2023)."Omtzigt kiest voor veel ex-CDA'ers, een model en lokale politici – en sluit het premierschap toch niet uit".Het Parool(in Dutch).Archivedfrom the original on 27 September 2023.Retrieved3 October2023.
  14. ^Kieskamp, Wilma (27 August 2023)."Het verdriet van CDA'ers: Omtzigt scoort wél met hun gedachtegoed".Trouw(in Dutch).Archivedfrom the original on 27 August 2023.Retrieved10 September2023.
  15. ^"Omtzigt zet nieuwe woordvoerder al na 3,5 uur op straat vanwege tweet".RTV Oost(in Dutch). 12 September 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 13 September 2023.Retrieved13 September2023.
  16. ^Koster, Mark (2 October 2023)."Medeoprichter partij Omtzigt stapt op na klacht over machtsmisbruik".De Telegraaf(in Dutch).The Hague.Archivedfrom the original on 2 October 2023.Retrieved3 October2023.
  17. ^"2400 sollicitanten voor kandidatenlijst partij Omtzigt".RTL Nieuws(in Dutch). 5 September 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 5 September 2023.Retrieved10 September2023.
  18. ^"Wat zegt de kandidatenlijst van NSC over de koers van Omtzigts partij?".NOS(in Dutch). 27 September 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 27 September 2023.Retrieved27 September2023.
  19. ^"Onze kandidaten".Nieuw Sociaal Contract(in Dutch).Archivedfrom the original on 27 September 2023.Retrieved27 September2023.
  20. ^Adams, Kelly (20 August 2023)."Pieter Omtzigt over deelname aan verkiezingen: 'De grootste worden is niet het doel'".Algemeen Dagblad(in Dutch).Archivedfrom the original on 20 August 2023.Retrieved1 October2023.
  21. ^Righton, Natalie (28 June 2024)."Nee, nee, nee, zei Omtzigt maandenlang over samenwerken met de PVV. Hoe werd het ja?"[No, no, no was what Omtzigt was telling about working with the PVV for months. How did it turn into yes?].de Volkskrant(in Dutch).Retrieved30 June2024.
  22. ^
  23. ^
  24. ^Henley, Jon (21 September 2023)."'A perfect storm brewing': how anti-establishment politicians could challenge Europe this autumn ".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 26 October 2023.Retrieved31 October2023.
  25. ^Stöckl, Benedikt (25 October 2023)."Dutch anti-establishment newcomer party opposes further EU integration".Euractiv.Archivedfrom the original on 28 October 2023.Retrieved31 October2023.
  26. ^Graafland, Johan (28 August 2023)."Op naar een nieuwe en sociale christendemocratie".Trouw(in Dutch).Retrieved30 August2023.
  27. ^Berg, Prof. dr. Joop van den (8 September 2023)."Drie CDA's: is dat niet wat veel?".Denederlandsegrondwet.nl(in Dutch).Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2023.Retrieved11 September2021.
  28. ^Valk, Guus (25 August 2023)."Het CDA-denken is springlevend, in de partijen van Omtzigt en Van der Plas".NRC(in Dutch).Archivedfrom the original on 30 August 2023.Retrieved26 August2023.
  29. ^abVoerman, Gerrit; Jonge, Léonie de (28 August 2023)."NSC: Nieuw Sociaal Contract of Nieuw Sociaal CDA?"(in Dutch).Montesquieu Institute.Archivedfrom the original on 1 September 2023.Retrieved1 September2023.
  30. ^"Fundamentals & Principles of the Political Party New Social Contract"(PDF).Pieteromtzigt.nl(in Dutch). 19 August 2023.Archived(PDF)from the original on 30 August 2023.Retrieved24 August2023.
  31. ^abSenay Boztas; Pjotr Sauer (14 November 2023)."Pieter Omtzigt: centrist outsider who wants to remake Dutch politics in his own image".theguardian.Amersfoort.
  32. ^"Omtzigt: herstellen van het bestuur kost misschien wel tien jaar".NOS(in Dutch). 21 August 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 30 August 2023.Retrieved20 August2023.
  33. ^"Goed Bestuur".Nieuw Sociaal Contract(in Dutch).Archivedfrom the original on 30 August 2023.Retrieved29 August2023.
  34. ^"Bestaanszekerheid".Nieuw Sociaal Contract(in Dutch).Archivedfrom the original on 30 August 2023.Retrieved29 August2023.
  35. ^"Verkiezingsprogramma Omtzigt: geen gratis kinderopvang, maximaal 50.000 migranten".RTL Nieuws(in Dutch). 24 October 2023.Retrieved23 November2023.
  36. ^"Een houdbare migratie".Retrieved11 January2024.
  37. ^Nieuw Sociaal Contract, Verkiezingsprogramma 2023: Tijd voor herstel,https://storage.googleapis /groep-pieter-website/NSC_verkiezingsprogramma_2023_v3.pdf
  38. ^"Stabiliteit in Europa en de wereld".Retrieved11 January2024.
  39. ^Goot, Edo van der (20 August 2023)."Stemmenkanon Pieter Omtzigt vaart ook met nieuwe partij zijn eigen koers".NU.nl(in Dutch).Retrieved20 August2023.
  40. ^Kanne, Peter; Schelde, Asher van der (26 August 2023)."I&O zetelpeiling: Kiezers enthousiast over Nieuw Sociaal Contract"(in Dutch).I&O Research.Archivedfrom the original on 29 August 2023.Retrieved30 August2023.
  41. ^Hond, Maurice de (26 August 2023)."Nieuw Sociaal Contract op 1e plaats met 29 zetels".Maurice.nl(in Dutch).Maurice de Hond.Archivedfrom the original on 26 August 2023.Retrieved26 August2023.
  42. ^Hond, Maurice de (19 August 2023)."Klaar voor de start is…".Maurice.nl(in Dutch).Maurice de Hond.Archivedfrom the original on 20 August 2023.Retrieved30 August2023.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Social_Contract&oldid=1233984334"