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Christian Democratic Union

Christelijk-Democratische Unie
Christian Democratic Union Christelijk-Democratische Unie
Abbreviation	CDU
Leader	Harm van Houten
Founded	11 December 1926
Dissolved	8 February 1946
Merger of	Christian Social Party; Christian Democratic Party; League of Christian Socialists
Merged into	Labour Party
Newspaper	De Strijder; De Christen-democraat
Ideology	Christian democracy; Pacifism; Christian left
Political position	Centre-left
Religion	Reformed Churches in Repaired Union
	Politics of the Netherlands; Political parties; Elections;

The Christian Democratic Union (Dutch: Christelijk-Democratische Unie, CDU) was a minor progressive Protestant^[1] party in the Netherlands during the interbellum.

History

The CDU was formed in 1926 as a merger of three even smaller Christian left-wing 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 split from the mainstream Reformed churches, because of its 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 right-wing course of the PvdA.

Ideology

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

Electoral results

House of Representatives

House of Representatives
Election	Leader	Votes		Seats
Election	Leader	No.	Share	No.	±
1929	Harm van Houten	12,407	0.38% ^[2]	0 / 100
1933	Harm van Houten	38,459	1.03% ^[3]	1 / 100	1
1937	Harm van Houten	85,004	2.09% ^[4]	2 / 100	1

References

^ Gebhard Moldenhauer (1 January 2001). Die Niederlande und Deutschland: einander kennen und verstehen. Waxmann Verlag. pp. 113–. ISBN 978-3-89325-747-8.
^ Verkiezingsuitslagen – Tweede Kamer – 3 juli 1929 [1], Kiesraad.
^ Verkiezingsuitslagen – Tweede Kamer – 26 april 1933 [2], Kiesraad.
^ Verkiezingsuitslagen – Tweede Kamer – 26 mei 1937 [3], Kiesraad.