Social:50Plus

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50Plus (nl; stylised as 50PLUS and abbreviated 50+) is a political party in the Netherlands that advocates pensioners' interests with a centrist political line.[1][2] The party was founded in 2009 by Maurice Koopman, Alexander Münninghoff and Jan Nagel.

The party first participated in the 2011 provincial elections, in which it won 9 provincial council seats, allowing it to be represented in the Senate by Nagel. Under lead candidate Henk Krol, the party entered the House of Representatives for the first time at the 2012 general election. On 6 May 2021, party leader Liane den Haan, its sole member in the House of Representatives, left to sit as an Independent following an internal dispute.[3]

At the European level, 50Plus was first affiliated with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), as its sole Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Toine Manders sat with the liberal ALDE group from 2013 to 2014. Following the 2019 European Parliament election, which saw Manders regain his seat, he sat with the conservative European People's Party group. Manders left the party in 2020 to join the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). In 2023, 50Plus joined the European Democratic Party (EDP).[4]

History

2009–2011

The party was founded under the name Onafhankelijke Ouderen en Kinderen Unie (Independent Elderly and Children Union) in 2009, succeeding the Partij voor Rechtvaardigheid, Daadkracht en Vooruitgang (Party for Justice, Vigour and Progress). It was an initiative of Maurice Koopman, Alexander Münninghoff and Jan Nagel.[5] The party decided not to participate in the 2010 Dutch general election.[6] During autumn that same year the name was changed to 50Plus.

Leading up to the 2011 Senate election, 50Plus made an agreement with the Independent Politics Netherlands (OSF). The regional parties had too little seats in the Provincial councils to collectively get a seat in the Senate, and the members of 50Plus promised to vote for the OSF to help them gain one. In return for this, 50Plus member Kees de Lange would be the OSF's lead candidate on the electoral list.[7] De Lange left the party in 2012 after a conflict with Nagel.[8]

2012–2015

The party participated in the 2012 general election with Henk Krol as the lead candidate. The party won two seats, which were taken by Krol and Norbert Klein.

On 15 September 2013, sympathizers and former employees founded the movement Ouderen Politiek Actief (OPA) after 50Plus decided not to participate in the 2014 municipal elections. On 20 September, OPA founder Dick Schouw and his partner, board member Adriana Hernández, were expelled from the party for "repeated violation of party-established boundaries" and "breach of integrity," respectively.[9] Krol was unaware of the decision, which led to the leaking of confidential emails, also involving Nagel.[10] Following the commotion, three board members resigned, including chairman Holthuizen. The expulsion of Schouw and Hernández was converted into a suspension and fully reversed in November.[11]

On 4 October, Krol resigned as a Member of Parliament. The reason for this was a publication in the newspaper de Volkskrant about unpaid pension premiums during the period when he was the owner of the Gay Krant.[12][13] He was succeeded as parliamentary leader by Klein and as Member of Parliament by Martine Baay-Timmerman.

Election poster of the party during the 2014 European Parliament election in the Netherlands.

On 28 May 2014, Baay-Timmerman was expelled from the parliamentary group by Klein due to an 'irreparable breach of trust.' Subsequently, the 50Plus board withdrew its confidence in Klein. Both MPs claimed to represent 50Plus, with Baay assured of the party's support. As a result, there was both the 50Plus/Baay-Timmerman and the 50Plus/Klein parliamentary group. On 10 September 2014, Krol returned to the House of Representatives because Baay-Timmerman went on sick leave and later did not return. On 13 November of that year, Klein continued as an independent MP and founded the Vrijzinnige Partij.

2016–2019

The 50Plus MPs after the 2017 general election. In the middle row are Henk Krol and Léonie Sazias. Behind them are Corrie van Brenk and Martin van Rooijen.

For the general election of March 2017, Krol was again chosen as the lead candidate. The candidate list faced much criticism and led to members leaving. The criticism was mainly focused on the high placement of candidates who had only recently become members or active, such as former TV presenter Léonie Sazias and former chair of the ABVA-KABO Corrie van Brenk. The list was eventually approved by a majority. At the start of the campaign, the party was polling at ten seats in some surveys, but ultimately secured four. According to their scientific bureau, voters were put off by the chaotic campaign. The four seats were taken by Krol, Martin van Rooijen, Van Brenk, and Sazias.[8]

In May 2018, a long-simmering conflict within the party's board erupted. Seven of the eight members of the main board resigned, followed by the resignation of chairman Jan Zoetelief.[14] Geert Dales became the new chairman.

2020

In February 2020, Krol proposed the idea of nominating Dales for a position in the House of Representatives. Other party members disagreed with this. This was followed by a period in which the involved parties treated each other poorly in various ways. Nagel announced he would file a police report against Krol for committing a criminal offense[15] and all 50Plus members of the Senate and House of Representatives, except Krol, demanded Dales' immediate resignation as chairman. The parliamentarians accused Dales of an "autocratic and undemocratic style of leadership" and "rude language".[16] On 26 April 2020, Dales announced he would step down.[17] On 3 May 2020, Krol left the faction but remained an independent member of the House of Representatives. Together with Femke Merel van Kooten-Arissen (who had split from the PvdD and joined the party 50Plus, but not the parliamentary group[18]), he temporarily formed a faction and the Party for the Future. On the same day, Van Brenk took over the parliamentary leadership from Krol.[19]

After Krol's departure, Dales announced he would remain chairman of 50Plus until 1 August 2020. However, he eventually resigned on 24 May of that year.[20] After Dales' resignation, Bert Kannegieter became acting chairman. He remained in this position until 1 August 2020, when Jan Nagel was again elected chairman at the party congress after a digital vote.[21]

On 2 June 2020, the only 50Plus Member of the European Parliament, Toine Manders, switched to the CDA delegation.

Lead candidate Liane den Haan during an interview

Liane den Haan, director of the Algemene Nederlandse Bond voor Ouderen, was nominated by the board in August 2020 as the lead candidate for the next general election, as she was deemed by chairman Nagel to be well-versed in senior citizens' issues and capable of debating well. However, the choice of Den Haan was not without controversy: as ANBO director, she was accused of dictatorial behavior[22] and had also expressed support for a revision of the pension system, which 50Plus strongly opposed.[23] Furthermore, she had not previously been a member of 50Plus.[24] On 3 October 2020, party members elected Den Haan as the lead candidate.[25] Out of dissatisfaction with the choice of Den Haan and the manner in which it was made, several prominent party members left, including former party chairman Zoetelief and the chairman of the programme committee Rob de Brouwer.[26]

2021–present

In the March 2021 general election, the party lost three seats. Den Haan, as the lead candidate, took the only remaining seat. On 6 May 2021, she left 50Plus out of dissatisfaction and took her seat with her.[27] In the Provincial Council elections, 50Plus retained eight seats. After the senate election in May 2023, Van Rooijen remained as a senator. On 24 June 2023, Jorien van den Herik was elected as the new party chairman during the members' meeting.[28]

For the 22 November 2023 general election, the board asked former presenter Catherine Keyl, but she declined.[29] The board then nominated Ellen Verkoelen, a provincial council member in South Holland and a city council member in Rotterdam.[30] Former party chairman Gerard van Hooft put himself forward as candidate. Due to conflicts with the board,[31] he was expelled shortly before the party congress on 30 September 2023, after the court had overturned a previous expulsion. When he still showed up, chaos ensued. At the request of the board, Van Hooft was removed by the police, and the congress was adjourned without electing a lead candidate or establishing an election program.[32] The court then overturned Van Hooft's expulsion again on 6 October. During a digital vote on 7 October - two days before the election deadline - the party elected Van Hooft as the lead candidate with 51% of the votes.[33] Verkoelen then left the party and founded the Young Seniors Union (JOU).[34] In the election, 50Plus did not receive enough votes for a seat.

Election results

House of Representatives

Election Lead candidate List Votes % Seats +/– Government
  1. REDIRECT Template:Reference column heading
2012 Henk Krol List 177,631 1.88 Template:Composition bar compact Increase 2 Opposition
2017 List 327,131 3.11 Template:Composition bar compact Increase 2 Opposition
2021 Liane den Haan List 106,658 1.02 Template:Composition bar compact Decrease 3 Opposition
2023 Gerard van Hooft List 51,043 0.49 Template:Composition bar compact Decrease 1 No seats
2025 Jan Struijs List Template:Composition bar compact Increase 2

Senate

Election Votes % Seats +/–
  1. REDIRECT Template:Reference column heading
2011 2,193 1.3 Template:Composition bar compact Increase 1
2015 4,388 2.6 Template:Composition bar compact Increase 1
2019 5,251 3.0 Template:Composition bar compact Steady 0
2023 3,264 1.8 Template:Composition bar compact Decrease 1

European Parliament

Election List Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
  1. REDIRECT Template:Reference column heading
2014 List 175,343 3.69 Template:Composition bar compact New –
2019 List 215,199 3.91 Template:Composition bar compact Increase 1 EPP
2024 List 58,498 0.94 Template:Composition bar compact Decrease 1 –

Provincial councils

Election Votes % Seats +/–
2011 Template:Composition bar compact New
2015 204,858 Template:Composition bar compact Increase 5
2019 265,215 Template:Composition bar compact Increase 3
2023 178,014 Template:Composition bar compact Decrease 9

Organization

Leadership

Representation

House of Representatives

Senate

See also

  • Union 55+, Defunct Dutch pensioners' interests party active from 1992 until 1998.
  • General Elderly Alliance, Defunct Dutch pensioners' interests party active from 1993 until 1998.

Notes

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Andeweg and Irwin
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named PEE
  3. ↑ "50Plus verdwijnt uit de Kamer: Den Haan stapt op en neemt zetel mee" (in nl). 6 May 2021. https://nos.nl/artikel/2379612-50plus-verdwijnt-uit-de-kamer-den-haan-stapt-op-en-neemt-zetel-mee. 
  4. ↑ "50PLUS". https://democrats.eu/en/50plus/. 
  5. ↑ Boerboom 2021.
  6. ↑ "'OokU gaat door, maar 9 juni komt te vroeg'" (in nl). De Volkskrant. 2010-03-23. https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/ooku-gaat-door-maar-9-juni-komt-te-vroeg~b71c3ae4/. 
  7. ↑ Van Lieshout, Marcel (2011-03-30). "50Plus en OSF verdelen restzetel" (in nl). De Volkskrant. https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/50plus-en-osf-verdelen-restzetel~b03a3909/. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Partijgeschiedenis" (in nl). Documentatiecentrum Nederlandse Politieke Partijen. 27 July 2021. https://www.rug.nl/research/dnpp/politieke-partijen/50plus/geschiedenis/. 
  9. ↑ "50plus royeert bestuurslid en lid" (in nl). NOS Nieuws. 2013-09-20. https://nos.nl/artikel/553637-50plus-royeert-bestuurslid-en-lid.html. 
  10. ↑ "Ruzie in 50PLUS over rondsturen vertrouwelijke e-mails" (in nl). Elsevier. 2013-09-26. http://www.elsevier.nl/Politiek/nieuws/2013/9/Ruzie-in-50Plus-over-rondsturen-vertrouwelijke-e-mails-1374455W/. 
  11. ↑ Huiskamp, Frank (2013-11-13). "Twee leden 50Plus onterecht geroyeerd" (in nl). NRC Handelsblad. https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2013/11/13/twee-leden-50plus-onterecht-geroyeerd/. 
  12. ↑ "Krol ontdook voor tienduizenden euro's aan pensioenpremies" (in nl). de Volkskrant. 4 October 2013. https://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/14229/Henk-Krol-verlaat-50Plus/article/detail/3520996/2013/10/04/Henk-Krol-ontdook-voor-tienduizenden-euro-s-aan-pensioenpremies.dhtml. 
  13. ↑ "Krol stapt op na onthulling pensioenschandaal" (in nl). Algemeen Dagblad. 4 October 2013. https://www.ad.nl/economie/krol-stapt-op-na-onthulling-pensioenschandaal~a8d48fe7/. 
  14. ↑ "Crisis bij 50Plus: bijna hele bestuur stapt op" (in nl). De Volkskrant. 15 May 2018. https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/crisis-bij-50plus-bijna-hele-bestuur-stapt-op~bd78dd55/. 
  15. ↑ Verlaan, Jos (14 April 2020). "Partijvoorzitter Dales wil namens 50Plus de Tweede Kamer in" (in nl). nrc.nl. https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2020/04/14/partijvoorzitter-dales-wil-namens-50plus-de-kamer-in-a3996684. 
  16. ↑ van der Aa, Edwin (14 April 2020). "Meerderheid Kamerleden 50Plus zegt vertrouwen op in voorzitter Dales" (in nl). parool.nl. https://www.parool.nl/nederland/meerderheid-kamerleden-50plus-zegt-vertrouwen-op-in-voorzitter-dales~be205a3b/. 
  17. ↑ "Bestuur 50Plus stapt op vanwege crisis in de partij" (in nl). NOS Nieuws. 26 April 2020. https://nos.nl/artikel/2331792-bestuur-50plus-stapt-op-vanwege-crisis-in-de-partij.html. 
  18. ↑ "Femke Merel van Kooten stapt over naar 50Plus" (in nl). Algemeen Dagblad. 5 February 2020. https://www.ad.nl/politiek/femke-merel-van-kooten-stapt-over-naar-50plus~adca8918/. 
  19. ↑ van Soest, Hans (3 May 2020). "50Plus heeft geen goed woord over voor 'zetelroof' Henk Krol" (in nl). ad.nl. https://www.ad.nl/politiek/50plus-heeft-geen-goed-woord-over-voor-zetelroof-henk-krol~a85d53a4/. 
  20. ↑ "Geert Dales per direct weg als voorzitter bij 50PLUS" (in nl). nos.nl. 24 May 2020. https://nos.nl/artikel/2334914-geert-dales-per-direct-weg-als-voorzitter-bij-50plus.html. 
  21. ↑ "Jan Nagel nieuwe voorzitter 50Plus: 'Partij aan rand afgrond'" (in nl). Algemeen Dagblad. 1 August 2020. https://www.ad.nl/politiek/jan-nagel-nieuwe-voorzitter-50plus-partij-aan-rand-afgrond~a4feb28e. 
  22. ↑ "Directeur ouderenbond 'dictatoriaal'" (in nl). de Volkskrant. 30 September 2015. https://www.volkskrant.nl/economie/directeur-ouderenbond-dictatoriaal~b1d358f7/. 
  23. ↑ "50Plus twist over pensioen, een 'kroonjuweel'" (in nl). Trouw. 2 October 2020. https://www.trouw.nl/politiek/50plus-twist-over-pensioen-een-kroonjuweel~bc7b9bf5/. 
  24. ↑ "50Plus wil ANBO-directeur Liane den Haan als lijsttrekker". NOS Nieuws. 17 August 2020. https://nos.nl/artikel/2344428-50plus-wil-anbo-directeur-liane-den-haan-als-lijsttrekker.html. 
  25. ↑ "Liane den Haan nieuwe leider 50Plus" (in nl). NOS Nieuws. 3 October 2020. https://nos.nl/artikel/2350802-liane-den-haan-nieuwe-leider-50plus.html. 
  26. ↑ "50Plus-prominenten verlaten partij na uitverkiezing Liane den Haan" (in nl). de Volkskrant. 5 October 2020. https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/50plus-prominenten-verlaten-partij-na-uitverkiezing-liane-den-haan~bedfc179/. 
  27. ↑ "50Plus verdwijnt uit de Kamer: Den Haan stapt op en neemt zetel mee" (in nl). NOS Nieuws. 2021-05-06. https://nos.nl/artikel/2379612-50plus-verdwijnt-uit-de-kamer-den-haan-stapt-op-en-neemt-zetel-mee. 
  28. ↑ "Jorien van den Herik nieuwe voorzitter 50Plus: ‘We willen een professionele organisatie neerzetten’" (in nl). Algemeen Dagblad. 2023-06-24. https://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/jorien-van-den-herik-nieuwe-voorzitter-50plus-we-willen-een-professionele-organisatie-neerzetten~a2627dd0/. 
  29. ↑ de Goede, Agnes (2023-10-07). "Chaos bij 50PLUS vlak voor belangrijke deadline: 'Ruzie maken zit in het DNA'" (in nl). RTL Nieuws. https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/5411343/chaos-bestuur-rechter-verkiezingen-50plus-het-zit-hun-dna-om-ruzie. 
  30. ↑ "50Plus wil met Ellen Verkoelen als lijsttrekker terug in Tweede Kamer" (in nl). NOS Nieuws. 2023-09-04. https://nos.nl/collectie/13944/artikel/2489171-50plus-wil-met-ellen-verkoelen-als-lijsttrekker-terug-in-tweede-kamer. 
  31. ↑ Groenendijk, Peter (2023-09-25). "Ook onder ex-Feyenoord-baas Van den Herik chaos bij 50Plus: kandidaat-lijsttrekker uit partij gezet" (in nl). Algemeen Dagblad. https://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/ook-onder-ex-feyenoord-baas-van-den-herik-chaos-bij-50plus-kandidaat-lijsttrekker-uit-partij-gezet~ae5d9c8c/. 
  32. ↑ "Congres 50Plus eindigt in chaos, geen lijsttrekker aangewezen" (in nl). NOS Nieuws. 2023-09-30. https://nos.nl/artikel/2492377-congres-50plus-eindigt-in-chaos-geen-lijsttrekker-aangewezen. 
  33. ↑ "'Tegenkandidaat' Van Hooft alsnog gekozen tot lijsttrekker 50Plus" (in nl). NOS Nieuws. 7 October 2023. https://nos.nl/artikel/2493223-tegenkandidaat-van-hooft-alsnog-gekozen-tot-lijsttrekker-50plus. 
  34. ↑ Groenendijk, Peter (2023-11-17). "50Plus-boegbeeld verlaat partij en begint nieuwe: ‘50Plus is gekaapt door akelige oude mannetjes’" (in nl). Algemeen Dagblad. https://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/50plus-boegbeeld-verlaat-partij-en-begint-nieuwe-50plus-is-gekaapt-door-akelige-oude-mannetjes~aa3e549e/. 
  35. ↑ "Voorzitters" (in nl). Documentatiecentrum Nederlandse Politieke Partijen. https://www.rug.nl/research/dnpp/politieke-partijen/50plus/geschiedenis/50plus-partijvoorzitters. 

References

  • Boerboom, Joep (2021) (in nl). Ouderenstrijd. De bewogen geschiedenis van 50PLUS. Amsterdam: Boom. ISBN 978-90-244-4337-6. 

Template:50PLUS Template:Political parties in the Netherlands Template:European Democratic Party Template:European Parliament, (Netherlands)



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