Alliance for the Democratization of the Army

Kingdom of the Netherlands

This article is part of a series on the politics and government of the Netherlands
Constitution Charter Wet Algemene Bepalingen Human rights
Monarchy King Willem-Alexander Council of Ministers Ministers Plenipotentiary Aruba Curaçao St. Maarten
Cabinet Prime Minister (list) Mark Rutte Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher Cabinet (list) Current cabinet (69th / Rutte 2)
States General Senate President: Ankie Broekers-Knol Current membership Historic composition House of Representatives Speaker: vacant Current membership Historic composition Parliamentary committees
Judiciary Supreme Court High Councils of State Council of State Court of Audit National Ombudsman
Elections Recent elections General: 2006 2010 2012 Provincial: 2007 2011 2015 Municipal: 2006 2010 2014 European: 2004 2009 2014 Referendums Referendums: 2005 2016 Political parties Politicians
Local government Provincial politics Water boards Municipal politics BES islands
Foreign relations Diplomatic missions of the Netherlands to the Netherlands
Related topics Social Economic Council Central Bank Contemporary history
Other countries Atlas Politics portal

The Alliance for the Democratization of the Army (in Dutch: Verbond tot Democratisering der Weermacht, VDB) was a Dutch political party representing military interests. The VDW played only a marginal role in Dutch politics.

Party History

The VDW was founded as a political arm of the officers' union Ons Belang (Our Interest). The 1918 elections were the first election in the Netherlands which used a system of proportional representation. With only 7000 votes (0.5% of the votes) the VDW one seat, as did several other one or two person parties. After the elections the election law became more restrictive. Between 1918 and 1921 the VDW cooperated in the neutral parliamentary party, with other four one or two seat parties, namely the Peasants' League, the Economic League, the Middle Class Party and the Neutral Party. The parliamentary party was led by former minister Willem Treub. The alliance ended in 1921 when the Economic League, the Middle Class Party and the Neutral Party all merged into the Liberal State Party, together with two larger liberal parties. The VDW did not take part in the 1922 election.

Ideology & Issues

The VDW was a typical special interest party. Its main goal was to represent the interests of officers and petty officers. It favoured the implementation of a conscripted army in which men would serve as soldiers and women as nurses. It wanted schools to teach more physical education and youth to do more sports and shooting exercises. It advocated free education and free healthcare for students. It wanted a stronger army and fleet. It favoured a more democratic army, with a stronger role for military unions, better salaries and pensions for officers.

Leadership & Support

This table show the VDW's results in elections to the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the party's political leadership: the fractievoorzitter, is the chair of the parliamentary party and the lijsttrekker is the party's top candidate in the general election, these posts are normally taken by the party's leader.

Year	HoR	Lijsttrekker	Fractievoorzitter
1918	1	Willem Wijk	Willem Wijk
1919	1	no elections	Willem Wijk
1920	1	no elections	Willem Wijk
1921	1	no elections	Willem Wijk

Electorate

The party drew most its support from officers, under officer and petty officers.

Defunct political parties in the Netherlands

Catholic	General League Roman Catholic People's Party Roman-Catholic State Party Catholic People's Party Catholic National Party Political Party of Radicals Roman Catholic Party Netherlands

Liberal	Liberal Union Radical League Free-thinking Democratic League League of Free Liberals Liberal Party Economic League Middle Class Party Neutral Party Liberal State Party Freedom Party

Reformed	Anti Revolutionary Party Christian Historical Voters' League Free Anti Revolutionary Party Christian Historical Party Frisian League Christian Historical Union League of Christian Socialists Christian Democratic Party Christian Social Party Christian Democratic Union Reformed Reformed State Party Reformed Political Alliance Reformatory Political Federation Evangelical People's Party

Socialist	Social Democratic League Social Democratic Workers' Party Communist Party of the Netherlands Socialist Party Revolutionary Socialist Party Pacifist Socialist Party Democratic Socialists '70

Other	Alliance for the Democratization of the Army Peasants' League Middle Party for City and Country Alliance for National Reconstruction National Socialist Movement Farmers' Party New Middle Party Centre Party Centre Party '86 Centre Democrats Dutch Block New National Party New Right National Alliance General Elderly Alliance Union 55+ Livable Netherlands Pim Fortuyn List Proud of the Netherlands Independent Citizens' Party

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, March 16, 2013. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.