Christian Democratic Union (Netherlands)

The Christian-Democratic Union (in Dutch: Christelijk-Democratische Unie) was a minor progressive Protestant party in the Netherlands during in the interbellum.

History

It was formed in 1926 as a merger of three even smaller Christian left parties, the Christian Social Party, the Christian Democratic Party and the League of Christian Socialists. It had one seat between 1929 and 1937 and two between 1937 and 1946. The party always was in opposition.

It was linked to the minor denomination Reformed Churches in Repaired Union (Dutch: Gereformeerde Kerken in Hersteld Verband), which was split from the mainstream Reformed churches, because of their pacifism. The Synod of the reformed church therefore decreed disciplinary measures against members of the CDU.

After World War II, the party joined the newly founded Partij van de Arbeid. In the 1950s many members left to join the pacifist PSP because of the relatively rightwing course of the PvdA.

Ideology

The CDU stood for a just society based on biblical rules. The parties principals were based on the reformed theologian Karl Barth. It was a left-wing party, to the extent that it was opposed to war in any form and it demanded radical redistribution of income, nationalisation of core industries and influence of workers' on corporations. But it was in favor of Christian Democracy to the extent that it wanted to keep the sabbath.

External links

• Small political parties in Dutch