View source for 1981 Dutch general election

{{Short description|none}}
{{Infobox legislative election
| country = Netherlands
| previous_election = [[1977 Dutch general election|1977]]
| next_election = [[1982 Dutch general election|1982]]
| seats_for_election = All 150 seats in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| majority_seats = 76
| election_date = 26 May 1981
| turnout = 87.0% ({{decrease}} 1.1 [[Percentage point|pp]])

| leader1 = [[Dries van Agt]]
| party1 = Christian Democratic Appeal
| last_election1 = 49
| seats1 = 48
| percentage1 = 30.8%

| leader2 = [[Joop den Uyl]]
| party2 = Labour Party (Netherlands)
| last_election2 = 53
| seats2 = 44
| percentage2 = 28.3%

| leader3 = [[Hans Wiegel]]
| party3 = People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
| last_election3 = 28
| seats3 = 26
| percentage3 = 17.3%

| leader4 = [[Jan Terlouw]]
| party4 = Democrats 66
| last_election4 = 8
| seats4 = 17
| percentage4 = 11.1%

| leader5 = [[Fred van der Spek]]
| party5 = Pacifist Socialist Party
| last_election5 = 1
| seats5 = 3
| percentage5 = 2.1%

| leader6 = [[Marcus Bakker]]
| party6 = Communist Party of the Netherlands
| last_election6 = 2
| seats6 = 3
| percentage6 = 2.1%

| leader7 = [[Henk van Rossum]]
| party7 = Reformed Political Party
| last_election7 = 3
| seats7 = 3
| percentage7 = 2.0%

| leader8 = [[Ria Beckers]]
| party8 = Political Party of Radicals
| last_election8 = 3
| seats8 = 3
| percentage8 = 2.0%

| leader9 = [[Meindert Leerling]]
| party9 = Reformatory Political Federation
| last_election9 = 0
| seats9 = 2
| percentage9 = 1.2%

| leader10 = [[Gert Schutte]]
| party10 = Reformed Political League
| last_election10 = 1
| seats10 = 1
| percentage10 = 0.8%

| map = Tweede Kamerverkiezingen 1981.png
| map_caption = Most voted-for party by municipality

| title = [[Cabinet of the Netherlands|Cabinet]]
| before_election = [[First Van Agt cabinet]]
| before_party = [[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]]–[[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]]
| after_election = [[Second Van Agt cabinet]]
| after_party = [[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]]–[[Labour Party (Netherlands)|PvdA]]–[[Democrats 66|D66]]
}}

General elections were held in the [[Netherlands]] on 26 May 1981.<ref name=NS>[[Dieter Nohlen]] & Philip Stöver (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', p1396 {{ISBN|978-3-8329-5609-7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=van Mierlo |first=Hans J. G. A. |date=1981 |title=The 1981 Netherlands election |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/01402388108424339 |journal=West European Politics |volume=4 |issue=3 |pages=297–301 |doi=10.1080/01402388108424339 |issn=0140-2382|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA) emerged as the largest party, winning 48 of the 150 seats in the [[House of Representatives of the Netherlands|House of Representatives]].<ref>Nohlen & Stöver, p1414</ref>

The incumbent Christian Democratic Appeal-[[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] coalition lost its overall majority leading to a new coalition being formed between the CDA, the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA) and [[Democrats 66]], with the CDA's Dries van Agt continuing as Prime Minister. However due to disagreements between the CDA and PvdA on government spending the coalition collapsed after just a year, leading to [[1982 Dutch general election|fresh elections]].

==Results==
{{Election results
|image=[[File:1981 Dutch General Election.svg]]
|party1=[[Christian Democratic Appeal]]|votes1=2677259|seats1=48|sc1=–1
|party2=[[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]]|votes2=2458452|seats2=44|sc2=–9
|party3=[[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]]|votes3=1505311|seats3=26|sc3=–2
|party4=[[Democrats 66]]|votes4=961121|seats4=17|sc4=+9
|party5=[[Pacifist Socialist Party]]|votes5=184422|seats5=3|sc5=+2
|party6=[[Communist Party of the Netherlands]]|votes6=178292|seats6=3|sc6=+1
|party7=[[Reformed Political Party]]|votes7=171324|seats7=3|sc7=0
|party8=[[Political Party of Radicals]]|votes8=171042|seats8=3|sc8=0
|party9=[[Reformatory Political Federation]]|votes9=108364|seats9=2|sc9=+2
|party10=[[Reformed Political League]]|votes10=70878|seats10=1|sc10=0
|party11=[[Democratic Socialists '70]]|votes11=48568|seats11=0|sc11=–1
|party12=[[Evangelical People's Party (Netherlands)|Evangelical People's Party]]|votes12=45189|seats12=0|sc12=New
|party13=[[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|Socialist Party]]|votes13=30380|seats13=0|sc13=0
|party14=[[Roman Catholic Party of the Netherlands]]|votes14=20812|seats14=0|sc14=0
|party15=[[Farmers' Party (Netherlands)|Rightist People's Party]]|votes15=17371|seats15=0|sc15=–1
|party16=[[Centre Party (Netherlands)|Centre Party]]|votes16=12242|seats16=0|sc16=New
|party17=[[Dutch People's Union]]|votes17=10641|seats17=0|sc17=0
|party18={{ill|Liveable Netherlands (1981)|nl|Leefbaar Nederland (1981-1986)|lt=Liveable Netherlands}}|votes18=8336|seats18=0|sc18=New
|party19=Survive Together or Die|votes19=3377|seats19=0|sc19=New
|party20={{ill|Realists '81|nl|Realisten '81}}|votes20=2080|seats20=0|sc20=New
|party21=[[Socialist Alternative Politics|International Communist League]]|votes21=1814|seats21=0|sc21=New
|party22={{ill|God with Us (political party)|nl|God Met Ons|lt=God with Us}}|votes22=918|seats22=0|sc22=New
|party23={{ill|Wereld Welzijns Bewustwording|nl}}|votes23=891|seats23=0|sc23=New
|party24={{ill|Party for the Liquidation of the Netherlands|nl|Partij tot Likwidatie van Nederland}}|votes24=826|seats24=0|sc24=New
|party25=The Peace Party|votes25=464|seats25=0|sc25=New
|party26=Partij Van Rijksgenoten|votes26=207|seats26=0|sc26=New
|party27=Small Party|votes27=186|seats27=0|sc27=New
|party28=Dutch Evolution Party|votes28=70|seats28=0|sc28=New
|invalid=47401
|total_sc=0
|electorate=10040121
|source=Kiesraad<ref name=K>{{cite web|url=https://www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl/verkiezingen/detail/TK19810526|title=Tweede Kamer 26 mei 1981|website=Kiesraad}}</ref>
}}

===By province===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px"
|+ Results by province<ref name=K/>
|- style="height:40px;"
! rowspan="2"| [[Provinces of the Netherlands|Province]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|PvdA]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Democrats 66|D'66]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Pacifist Socialist Party|PSP]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Communist Party of the Netherlands|CPN]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Reformed Political Party|SGP]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Political Party of Radicals|PPR]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Reformatory Political Federation|RPF]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Reformed Political League|GPV]]
! style="width:40px;" rowspan="2"| Others
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Appeal}};"|
!style="background:{{party color|Labour Party (Netherlands)}};"|
!style="background:{{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Democrats 66}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Pacifist Socialist Party}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Communist Party of the Netherlands}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Reformed Political Party}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Political Party of Radicals}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Reformatory Political Federation}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Reformed Political League}};"|
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Drenthe}}
| 24.8
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''38.6'''
| 17.8
| 9.3
| 1.3
| 1.3
| 0.3
| 1.6
| 1.5
| 1.6
| 1.9
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Friesland}}
| 33.2
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''33.2'''
| 12.7
| 9.5
| 1.7
| 1.7
| 0.8
| 1.8
| 2.1
| 1.4
| 1.9
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Gelderland}}
| style="background:#BADBD3;"| '''34.4'''
| 26.1
| 16.6
| 10.2
| 2.1
| 0.8
| 3.4
| 2.1
| 1.7
| 0.5
| 2.1
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Groningen}}
| 21.4
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''39.3'''
| 13.4
| 8.8
| 2.6
| 4.1
| 0.2
| 2.2
| 1.7
| 3.7
| 2.6
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Limburg (Netherlands)|name=Limburg}}
| style="background:#BADBD3;"| '''43.4'''
| 25.3
| 12.6
| 11.2
| 1.6
| 1.1
| 0.1
| 1.9
| 0.1
| 0.1
| 2.6
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|North Brabant}}
| style="background:#BADBD3;"| '''42.7'''
| 23.6
| 14.5
| 11.2
| 1.9
| 0.9
| 0.5
| 1.9
| 0.3
| 0.1
| 2.4
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|North Holland}}
| 22.7
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''28.4'''
| 21.3
| 12.4
| 3.5
| 5.3
| 0.4
| 2.4
| 0.8
| 0.3
| 2.5
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Overijssel}}
| style="background:#BADBD3;"| '''37.8'''
| 26.8
| 13.2
| 9.2
| 1.2
| 1.1
| 2.8
| 1.5
| 2.4
| 2.1
| 1.9
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|South Holland}}
| 23.7
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''31.2'''
| 19.8
| 12.0
| 1.9
| 1.9
| 3.5
| 1.7
| 1.8
| 1.6
| 0.9
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Flevoland|name=''Southern IJsselmeer Polders''}}
| 20.8
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''30.8'''
| 18.9
| 14.6
| 1.7
| 4.6
| 0.6
| 2.4
| 1.5
| 1.0
| 3.1
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Utrecht}}
| style="background:#BADBD3;"| '''28.9'''
| 22.6
| 21.9
| 11.4
| 2.5
| 1.4
| 3.0
| 2.5
| 1.8
| 1.4
| 2.6
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Zeeland}}
| style="background:#BADBD3;"| '''29.5'''
| 27.2
| 17.0
| 9.9
| 1.1
| 0.7
| 8.0
| 1.8
| 1.9
| 1.2
| 1.7
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Dutch elections}}

[[Category:General elections in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:1981 elections in Europe|Netherlands]]
[[Category:1981 elections in the Netherlands|General]]
[[Category:May 1981 in Europe|Netherlands]]