1917 Dutch general election explained

Country:Netherlands
Nopercentage:yes
Previous Election:1913
Next Election:1918
Seats For Election:All 100 seats in the House of Representatives
Majority Seats:51
Election Date:15 June 1917 (first round)
22 June 1917 (second round)
Turnout:21.36%
Party1:General League of Roman Catholic Electoral Associations
Leader1:Willem Hubert Nolens
Last Election1:25
Seats1:24
Party2:Liberal Union (Netherlands)
Leader2:Theo de Meester
Last Election2:22
Seats2:21
Party3:Social Democratic Workers' Party (Netherlands)
Leader3:Pieter Jelles Troelstra
Last Election3:15
Seats3:15
Party4:Anti-Revolutionary Party
Leader4:Abraham Kuyper
Last Election4:11
Seats4:12
Party5:League of Free Liberals
Last Election5:10
Seats5:10
Party6:Christian Historical Union
Leader6:Alexander de Savornin Lohman
Last Election6:10
Seats6:9
Party7:Free-thinking Democratic League
Leader7:Henri Marchant
Last Election7:7
Seats7:8
Party8:Other parties
Leader8:
Last Election8:New
Seats8:1
Cabinet
Before Election:Cort van der Linden cabinet
Before Party:Liberal
After Election:Cort van der Linden cabinet
After Party:Liberal

General elections were held in the Netherlands on 15 June 1917 to elect members of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament. The elections were held following the Pacification of 1917, an agreement between the seven parties with seats in parliament to allow a change in the constitution to introduce universal manhood suffrage and proportional representation. The parties cooperated to create a supermajority to pass the reforms. Voting did not take place in 50 constituencies where the incumbent ran unopposed. These seats were filled on 5 June.

In the other 50 constituencies with opposition candidates, voting was held on 15 June. The majoritarian two-round system was in effect and a second round was required in the Amsterdam II constituency, which was held on 22 June,[1] and saw Social Democratic Workers' Party candidate Adriaan Gerhard re-elected.

1,078,205 citizens were eligible to vote of which 230,310 cast a vote, representing a turnout of 21%.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Verkiezingen. Huygens Instituut.
  2. Web site: Tweede Kamer 15 juni 1917 . Kiesraad. Dutch.