View source for 1998 Dutch general election

{{Short description|none}}
{{Infobox legislative election
| country = Netherlands
| previous_election = [[1994 Dutch general election|1994]]
| next_election = [[2002 Dutch general election|2002]]
| seats_for_election = All 150 seats in the [[House of Representatives of the Netherlands|House of Representatives]]
| majority_seats = 76
| election_date = 6 May 1998
| turnout = 73.35% ({{decrease}} 5.40[[Percentage point|pp]])

| leader1 = [[Wim Kok]]
| party1 = Labour Party (Netherlands)
| last_election1 = 37
| seats1 = 45
| percentage1 = 28.98

| leader2 = [[Frits Bolkestein]]
| party2 = People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
| last_election2 = 31
| seats2 = 38
| percentage2 = 24.69

| leader3 = [[Jaap de Hoop Scheffer]]
| party3 = Christian Democratic Appeal
| last_election3 = 34
| seats3 = 29
| percentage3 = 18.37

| leader4 = [[Els Borst]]
| party4 = Democrats 66
| last_election4 = 24
| seats4 = 14
| percentage4 = 8.99

| leader5 = [[Paul Rosenmöller]]
| party5 = GreenLeft
| last_election5 = 5
| seats5 = 11
| percentage5 = 7.27

| leader6 = [[Jan Marijnissen]]
| party6 = Socialist Party (Netherlands)
| last_election6 = 2
| seats6 = 5
| percentage6 = 3.53

| leader7 = [[Leen van Dijke]]
| party7 = Reformatory Political Federation
| last_election7 = 3
| seats7 = 3
| percentage7 = 2.03

| leader8 = [[Bas van der Vlies]]
| party8 = Reformed Political Party
| last_election8 = 2
| seats8 = 3
| percentage8 = 1.78

| leader9 = [[Gert Schutte]]
| party9 = Reformed Political League
| last_election9 = 2
| seats9 = 2
| percentage9 = 1.26

| map = Tweede Kamerverkiezingen 1998.png
| map_caption = Most voted-for party by municipality

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

General elections were held in the [[Netherlands]] on 6 May 1998.<ref name=NS>[[Dieter Nohlen]] & Philip Stöver (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', p1396 {{ISBN|978-3-8329-5609-7}}</ref> The elections saw the [[First cabinet of Wim Kok|purple coalition]] of [[social democracy|social democrats]] and [[liberalism|liberals]] ([[social liberalism|left]] and [[conservative liberalism|right]]) strengthen its majority. Both the social democratic [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA) and the conservative liberal [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (VVD) won considerably, much at the cost of their junior coalition partner, the social liberal [[Democrats 66]] (D66).

Political observers attributed the win to the economic performance of the coalition, including the reduction of unemployment and the budget deficit, steady growth and job creation, combined with wage freezes and trimming of the welfare state, together with a policy of fiscal restraint.<ref>[http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2231_98.htm Netherlands: Elections held in 1998] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref>

The two small left opposition parties, the green [[GroenLinks]], and the [[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|Socialist Party]], were rewarded for their 'quality opposition'. The major opposition party, the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA), after being in opposition for the first time in its history, also lost seats, and also failed to secure the most votes in the country's southernmost provinces [[North Brabant]] and [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]] for the first time ever. The two parties for the elderly AOV and [[Union 55+]] and the right-wing populist CD did not return to parliament.

The formation resulted in the continuation of the Kok cabinet with the [[Second cabinet of Wim Kok|second Kok cabinet]], consisting of the PvdA, VVD and D66, even though the latter was not necessary for a majority of 76 seats.

==Results==
{{Election results
|image=[[File:1998 Dutch General Election.svg]]
|party1=[[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]]|votes1=2494555|seats1=45|sc1=+8
|party2=[[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]]|votes2=2124971|seats2=38|sc2=+7
|party3=[[Christian Democratic Appeal]]|votes3=1581053|seats3=29|sc3=–5
|party4=[[Democrats 66]]|votes4=773497|seats4=14|sc4=–10
|party5=[[GroenLinks]]|votes5=625968|seats5=11|sc5=+6
|party6=[[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|Socialist Party]]|votes6=303703|seats6=5|sc6=+3
|party7=[[Reformatory Political Federation]]|votes7=174593|seats7=3|sc7=0
|party8=[[Reformed Political Party]]|votes8=153583|seats8=3|sc8=+1
|party9=[[Reformed Political League]]|votes9=108724|seats9=2|sc9=0
|party10=[[Centre Democrats (Netherlands)|Centre Democrats]]|votes10=52226|seats10=0|sc10=–3
|party11=[[General Elderly Alliance]]–[[Union 55+]]|votes11=45994|seats11=0|sc11=–7
|party12=[[Mobile Netherlands]]|votes12=45219|seats12=0|sc12=New
|party13=Seniors 2000|votes13=36157|seats13=0|sc13=New
|party14=[[New Middle Party]]|votes14=23512|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=[[The Greens (Netherlands)|The Greens]]|votes15=16585|seats15=0|sc15=0
|party16=[[Natural Law Party]]|votes16=15746|seats16=0|sc16=0
|party17=Catholic Political Party|votes17=8233|seats17=0|sc17=New
|party18=Free Indian Party|votes18=7225|seats18=0|sc18=0
|party19=New Solidarity Elderly Union|votes19=6455|seats19=0|sc19=New
|party20=[[New Communist Party of the Netherlands]]|votes20=5620|seats20=0|sc20=0
|party21=Idealists/Jij|votes21=2500|seats21=0|sc21=New
|party22=The Voters Collective|votes22=1668|seats22=0|sc22=New
|invalid=14435
|total_sc=0
|electorate=11755132
|source=Kiesraad<ref name="results"/>
}}

===By province===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px"
|+ Results by province<ref name="results">{{Cite web |title=Tweede Kamer 6 mei 1998 |url=https://www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl/verkiezingen/detail/TK19980506 |access-date=4 November 2021 |website=[[Kiesraad]] |language=Dutch}}</ref>
|- style="height:40px;"
! rowspan="2"| [[Provinces of the Netherlands|Province]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|PvdA]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Democrats 66|D66]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[GroenLinks|GL]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|SP]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Reformatory Political Federation|RPF]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Reformed Political Party|SGP]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Reformed Political League|GPV]]
! style="width:40px;" rowspan="2"| Others
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Labour Party (Netherlands)}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Appeal}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Democrats 66}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|GroenLinks}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Reformatory Political Federation}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Reformed Political Party}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Reformed Political League}};"|
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Drenthe}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''37.3'''
| 21.6
| 17.9
| 8.1
| 5.6
| 2.9
| 1.9
| 0.2
| 2.4
| 2.1
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Flevoland}}
| 25.8
| style="background:#CED7FD;"| '''29.1'''
| 14.8
| 9.0
| 6.6
| 2.7
| 3.3
| 2.3
| 2.2
| 4.2
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Friesland}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''33.6'''
| 16.4
| 26.4
| 7.0
| 6.8
| 3.2
| 2.4
| 0.5
| 1.9
| 1.8
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Gelderland}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''29.0'''
| 23.0
| 20.4
| 8.1
| 6.7
| 2.9
| 3.1
| 3.3
| 1.1
| 2.4
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Groningen}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''37.1'''
| 16.4
| 16.0
| 8.6
| 8.1
| 4.3
| 1.9
| 0.2
| 4.5
| 2.9
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Limburg (Netherlands)|name=Limburg}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''29.9'''
| 21.3
| 24.3
| 7.4
| 7.5
| 5.0
| 0.2
| 0.0
| 0.2
| 4.2
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|North Brabant}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"|'''28.9'''
| 24.5
| 21.5
| 8.4
| 6.7
| 5.3
| 0.6
| 0.4
| 0.3
| 3.4
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|North Holland}}
| 28.4
| style="background:#CED7FD;"| '''29.2'''
| 12.5
| 11.5
| 9.7
| 3.1
| 1.0
| 0.3
| 0.5
| 3.8
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Overijssel}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"| '''29.0'''
| 18.7
| 26.7
| 6.6
| 5.6
| 2.6
| 3.2
| 2.3
| 2.9
| 2.4
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|South Holland}}
| 27.7
| style="background:#CED7FD;"| '''28.0'''
| 14.6
| 9.4
| 6.7
| 3.4
| 2.6
| 3.1
| 1.1
| 3.4
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Utrecht}}
| 23.6
| style="background:#CED7FD;"| '''27.7'''
| 16.0
| 11.4
| 8.6
| 2.6
| 3.0
| 2.4
| 2.0
| 2.7
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Zeeland}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1;"| '''27.8'''
| 23.3
| 17.2
| 6.9
| 5.5
| 2.8
| 3.6
| 8.3
| 1.8
| 2.8
|}

===5 largest municipalities===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px"
|+ Results in the five largest municipalities<ref name="results"></ref>
|- style="height:40px;"
! rowspan="2"| Municipality
! style="width:40px;"| [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|PvdA]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Democrats 66|D66]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[GroenLinks|GL]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|SP]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Reformatory Political Federation|RPF]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Reformed Political Party|SGP]]
! style="width:40px;"| [[Reformed Political League|GPV]]
! style="width:40px;" rowspan="2"| Others
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Labour Party (Netherlands)}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Christian Democratic Appeal}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Democrats 66}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|GroenLinks}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Reformatory Political Federation}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Reformed Political Party}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Reformed Political League}};"|
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Amsterdam}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1"|'''32.3'''<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(107 065)</span>
| 22.2<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(73 757)</span>
| 6.1<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(20 214)</span>
| 14.3<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(47 612)</span>
| 15.0<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(49 731)</span>
| 4.5<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(14 890)</span>
| 0.5<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(1 671)</span>
| 0.1<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(319)</span>
| 0.3<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(943)</span>
| 4.8<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(15 752)</span>
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Rotterdam}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1"|'''36.4'''<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(96 189)</span>
| 22.8<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(60 256)</span>
| 9.3<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(24 525)</span>
| 9.1<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(24 147)</span>
| 8.8<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(23 298)</span>
| 6.0<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(15 810)</span>
| 1.2<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(3 219)</span>
| 1.0<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(2 742)</span>
| 0.9<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(2 395)</span>
| 4.5<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(11 958)</span>
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|The Hague}}
| 27.8<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(60 511)</span>
| style="background:#CED7FD"|'''30.7'''<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(66 875)</span>
| 11.6<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(25 309)</span>
| 11.1<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(24 079)</span>
| 8.9<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(19 442)</span>
| 3.7<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(8 035)</span>
| 1.1<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(2 466)</span>
| 0.6<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(1 365)</span>
| 0.7<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(1 489)</span>
| 3.7<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(8 119)</span>
|-
| align="left"| {{flagicon|Utrecht (municipality)}} [[Utrecht]]
| style="background:#F6C5C1"|'''29.2'''<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(36 230)</span>
| 20.1<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(24 993)</span>
| 9.6<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(11 930)</span>
| 15.2<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(18 858)</span>
| 15.7<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(19 524)</span>
| 4.7<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(5 836)</span>
| 1.0<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(1 276)</span>
| 0.3<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(388)</span>
| 0.7<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(845)</span>
| 3.3<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(4 129)</span>
|-
| align="left"| {{flag|Eindhoven}}
| style="background:#F6C5C1"|'''29.3'''<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(30 197)</span>
| 23.2<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(23 943)</span>
| 16.2<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(16 698)</span>
| 10.6<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(10 874)</span>
| 9.1<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(9 328)</span>
| 6.0<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(6 153)</span>
| 0.7<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(681)</span>
| 0.1<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(114)</span>
| 0.5<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(501)</span>
| 4.4<br /><span style="font-size:80%">(4 550)</span>
|}

=== Maps ===
{{Gallery
| title        = 
| align        =
| footer       =
| style        =
| state        =
| height       = 200
| width        =
| perrow       =
| mode         = 
| whitebg      = 
| noborder     =
| captionstyle =
| File:Elections législatives néerlandaises 1998.svg
| Results by province, shaded according to the vote share won by largest party
| File:Opkomst Tweede Kamer 6 mei 1998 Nederland.png
| Voter turnout by municipality
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite journal |last1=Aarts |first1=Kees |author1-link=Kees Aarts (political scientist) |last2=Semetko |first2=Holli A. |title=Representation and responsibility: the 1998 Dutch election in perspective |url=http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ap |journal=[[Acta Politica]] |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |volume=34 |issue=2 |pages=111–129 |date=1999}}
*{{cite journal |last=Irwin |first=Galen A. |title=The Dutch parliamentary election of 1998 |journal=Electoral Studies |volume=18 |issue=2 |pages=271–276 |date=1999 |doi=10.1016/S0261-3794(98)00048-1}}
*{{cite journal |last1=Irwin |first1=Galen A. |last2=van Holsteyn |first2=Joop J.M. |title=Parties and politicians in the parliamentary election of 1998 |url=http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ap |journal=Acta Politica |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |volume=34 |issue=2 |pages=130–157 |date=1999}}

{{Dutch elections}}

[[Category:General elections in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:1998 elections in Europe|Netherlands]]
[[Category:1998 elections in the Netherlands|General]]
[[Category:May 1988 in Europe|Netherlands]]