Cabinet of the Netherlands, Christian Union

Background

The Christian Union (CU) is a Dutch political party founded in 2000 through the merger of the Reformed Political League (GPV) and the Reformed Political Federation (RPF).

The CU is a conservative Protestant party that advocates for traditional Christian values, social justice, and environmental protection.

The CU is a member of the European Christian Political Movement (ECPM) and the International Democrat Union (IDU).

Cabinet Participation

The CU has participated in several Dutch coalition governments since its founding.

From 2002 to 2006, the CU was part of the Second Balkenende cabinet, led by Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.

From 2010 to 2012, the CU was part of the First Rutte cabinet, led by People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

From 2017 to 2021, the CU was part of the Third Rutte cabinet, led by VVD Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Current Cabinet

The CU is currently part of the Fourth Rutte cabinet, which was formed in January 2022.

In the Fourth Rutte cabinet, the CU holds the following ministerial positions:

• Minister of Education, Culture and Science: Arie Slob
• Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport: Ernst Kuipers
• Minister for Long-Term Care and Sports: Conny Helder
• State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment: Maarten van Ooijen

Policy Positions

The CU's policy positions are based on its Christian principles.

The CU supports:

• Traditional family values
• Social justice
• Environmental protection
• Limited government
• Free markets

Electoral Results

The CU has performed well in recent elections.

In the 2021 Dutch general election, the CU won 5 seats in the House of Representatives, up from 4 seats in the 2017 election.

The CU's success in recent elections is due in part to its strong support among conservative Protestant voters.