New Social Contract

New Social Contract (Dutch: Nieuw Sociaal Contract, [niu̯ soːˈʃaːl kɔnˈtrɑkt]; NSC) is a political party in the Netherlands launched and led by Pieter Omtzigt.[10] The party intends to focus on its main themes of good governance and social security.[11]

This article is about the political party. For the manifesto it is based on, see A New Social Contract.

New Social Contract
Nieuw Sociaal Contract
AbbreviationNSC
LeaderPieter Omtzigt
ChairpersonBert van Boggelen (acting)[1]
Founded19 August 2023 (2023-08-19)
Split fromChristian Democratic Appeal (CDA)
IdeologyChristian democracy[2][3]
Political positionCentre[4][5][6][7][8]
European affiliationEuropean People's Party (PACE)[9]
Colours  Dark blue
  Yellow
Senate
0 / 75
House of Representatives
0 / 150
Website
partijnieuwsociaalcontract.nl

History

In early 2021, Omtzigt wrote the manifesto A New Social Contract,[12] with ideas for the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), the party for which he served in the House of Representatives at the time.[13] After a falling out with his party over the appointment of Wopke Hoekstra as party leader[14] and the "Position Omtzigt, function elsewhere" note that leaked during the 2021–2022 cabinet formation, he split from the CDA in June 2021 and continued as a one-man faction in September of that year.[15]

After the 2023 Dutch general election was announced following the fall of the fourth Rutte cabinet, Omtzigt founded New Social Contract (NSC) on 19 August 2023.[10] His 2021 manifesto has served as the basis for the views of the new party.[11] On 20 August 2023, Omtzigt announced in Tubantia newspaper that he did not strive for NSC to become the largest party in the general election in November that year. If that does happen, he did not want to become prime minister, but to remain in the House of Representatives as parliamentary leader.[15] After the party's candidate list was presented, Omtzigt no longer ruled out premiership.[16]

CDA prominent Eddy van Hijum became chairman of the committee that would write the party's manifesto ahead of the 2023 general election.[17] Former VVD hopeful Onno Aerden was introduced as the party's spokesperson on 12 September 2023, but he stepped down a few hours later when a tweet resurfaced in which he had referred to the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB) as "a tumor that destroys the fragile democracy from within".[18] On 2 October, NSC announced the resignation of its co-founder and inaugural chairman Hein Pieper, after a past allegation of abuse of power had reappeared.[19]

Until 28 August 2023, the party offered people who endorsed the party's principles the opportunity to apply online for a seat in the House of Representatives. It was later announced that around 2,400 candidates had registered.[20] NSC presented a list of 44 candidates on 26 September 2023. It includes several former members of parliament, such as Nicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok, Eddy van Hijum, Wytske Postma, and Folkert Idsinga, as well as people without political experience, including a judge, a pensions expert, a public prosecutor, a former ambassador, a microbiologist/columnist, a director of a housing corporation, civil servants, and businesspeople.[21][22]

Ideology and positions

NSC has been described as Christian democratic[23][24][2] and close to communitarian philosophy.[24] Article 2 of the party's statutes speak of "personal responsibility, family and communities and distributed private property" as founding principles, while an accompanying programme of principles mentions notions including personalism, virtue ethics and the social market economy.[25]

Good governance and social security are the party's primary concerns.[11] Policies regarding good governance include the establishment of a constitutional court and instituting a regional electoral system similar to that of Sweden.[26][27] With regard to social security, the party proposes revising the living wage to aid people living on low incomes.[28]

When asked which political parties NSC would be unwilling to work with in a prospective coalition government, party leader Omtzigt excluded Forum for Democracy (FvD) and Party for Freedom (PVV), as he felt these do not meet the "basic conditions of the rule of law".[29] However, he added that if those parties raise attention to valid subjects, such as issues with migration and the so-called "jobs carousel" (baantjescarrousel) of the Dutch Senior Civil Service, they should be taken seriously.[29]

Electorate

According to market researcher I&O Research, NSC stands to attract voters from parties across the political spectrum, including the Socialist Party, JA21, BBB, and PVV.[30] Polls as of late August 2023 show that it is the most popular party, with 40% of its electorate coming from BBB, reducing that party's vote share by more than a third.[31][32][33]

Leadership

Party leader

Party chair

See also

References
  1. "Voorzitter partij Omtzigt stapt op na klacht over machtsmisbruik". RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 2 October 2023. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  2. Graafland, Johan (28 August 2023). "Op naar een nieuwe en sociale christendemocratie". Trouw (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  3. Berg, Prof. dr. Joop van den (8 September 2023). "Drie CDA's: is dat niet wat veel?". Denederlandsegrondwet.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  4. "Netherlands". Europe Elects. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  5. "Omtzigt doet mee met Nieuw Sociaal Contract". MSN (in Dutch). 21 August 2023. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  6. "De Opkomst van Nieuw Sociaal Contract - Een Nieuwe Speler op het Politieke Veld". Verkiezingen2023.com (in Dutch). 1 September 2023. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  7. Heck, Sjoerd van (6 September 2023). "Politiek met Sjoerd - Omtzigt en de strijd om de links-conservatieve kiezer" (in Dutch). Ipsos. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  8. Rossem, Maarten van; Folmer, Katinka. "Maarten: 'Goed nieuws dat Omtzigt deze moedige stap neemt'". Maartenonline.nl (in Dutch). Maarten van Rossem. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  9. Taibi, Nassreddin (28 August 2023). "Three parties lead Dutch election race". Euractiv. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  10. Adams, Kelly (20 August 2023). "Pieter Omtzigt begint eigen partij en doet mee aan de verkiezingen". Tubantia (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  11. "Partij Nieuw Sociaal Contract opgericht". Pieteromtzigt.nl (in Dutch). 20 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  12. Omtzigt, Pieter Herman (23 February 2021). Een nieuw sociaal contract (in Dutch). Amsterdam: Uitgeverij Prometheus. ISBN 9789044648058.
  13. Hanna, Marc (22 May 2021). "Een Nieuw Sociaal Contract: Omtzigts Belangrijkste Politieke Lessen En Aanbevelingen". Interruptie (in Dutch). Christian Democratic Youth Appeal. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  14. Lammers, Esther (12 June 2021). "Omtzigt voelt zich gepasseerd voor lijsttrekkerschap CDA". Trouw (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 24 June 2021.
  15. "Omtzigt doet mee aan verkiezingen met eigen partij: Nieuw Sociaal Contract". NOS (in Dutch). 20 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  16. Hartog, Tobias den; Timmer, Edwin (26 September 2023). "Omtzigt kiest voor veel ex-CDA'ers, een model en lokale politici – en sluit het premierschap toch niet uit". Het Parool (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  17. Kieskamp, Wilma (27 August 2023). "Het verdriet van CDA'ers: Omtzigt scoort wél met hun gedachtegoed". Trouw (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  18. "Omtzigt zet nieuwe woordvoerder al na 3,5 uur op straat vanwege tweet". RTV Oost (in Dutch). 12 September 2023. Archived from the original on 13 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  19. Koster, Mark (2 October 2023). "Medeoprichter partij Omtzigt stapt op na klacht over machtsmisbruik". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). The Hague. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  20. "2400 sollicitanten voor kandidatenlijst partij Omtzigt". RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  21. "Wat zegt de kandidatenlijst van NSC over de koers van Omtzigts partij?". NOS (in Dutch). 27 September 2023. Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  22. "Onze kandidaten". Nieuw Sociaal Contract (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  23. Valk, Guus (25 August 2023). "Het CDA-denken is springlevend, in de partijen van Omtzigt en Van der Plas". NRC (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  24. Voerman, Gerrit; Jonge, Léonie de (28 August 2023). "NSC: Nieuw Sociaal Contract of Nieuw Sociaal CDA?" (in Dutch). Montesquieu Institute. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  25. "Fundamentals & Principles of the Political Party New Social Contract" (PDF). Pieteromtzigt.nl (in Dutch). 19 August 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  26. "Omtzigt: herstellen van het bestuur kost misschien wel tien jaar". NOS (in Dutch). 21 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  27. "Goed Bestuur". Nieuw Sociaal Contract (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  28. "Bestaanszekerheid". Nieuw Sociaal Contract (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  29. Adams, Kelly (20 August 2023). "Pieter Omtzigt over deelname aan verkiezingen: 'De grootste worden is niet het doel'". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  30. Goot, Edo van der (20 August 2023). "Stemmenkanon Pieter Omtzigt vaart ook met nieuwe partij zijn eigen koers". NU.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  31. Kanne, Peter; Schelde, Asher van der (26 August 2023). "I&O zetelpeiling: Kiezers enthousiast over Nieuw Sociaal Contract" (in Dutch). I&O Research. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  32. Hond, Maurice de (26 August 2023). "Nieuw Sociaal Contract op 1e plaats met 29 zetels". Maurice.nl (in Dutch). Maurice de Hond. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  33. Hond, Maurice de (19 August 2023). "Klaar voor de start is…". Maurice.nl (in Dutch). Maurice de Hond. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
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