View source for Socialist Party (Netherlands)

{{Short description|Political party in the Netherlands}}
{{redirect|Socialistische Partij (Netherlands)||Socialistische Partij (disambiguation)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Socialist Party
| native_name      = Socialistische Partij
| native_name_lang = nl
| logo             = Socialistische Partij (nl 2006) Logo.svg
| colorcode        = {{Political party data|color}}
| abbreviation     = SP
| leader           = [[Jimmy Dijk]] ([[Leader of the Socialist Party (Netherlands)|list]])
| chairman         = [[Jannie Visscher]]
| secretary        = [[Arnout Hoekstra]]
| leader1_title    = Leader in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]
| leader1_name     = [[Rik Janssen]]
| leader2_title    = Leader in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| leader2_name     = [[Jimmy Dijk]]
| founded          = {{start date|1971|10|22|df=y}}
| split            = [[Communist Unity Movement of the Netherlands (Marxist–Leninist)]]
| headquarters     = De Moed Partijbureau SP Snouckaertlaan 70, [[Amersfoort]]
| think_tank       = Scientific Office of the SP
| youth_wing       = [[SP Jongeren]]<ref>{{cite web|title=SP Jongeren: een nieuwe naam, nieuwe energie|url=https://jongeren.sp.nl/landelijk/nieuws/2022/sp-jongeren-een-nieuwe-naam-nieuwe-energie|website=SP.nl|date=27 January 2022 |access-date=30 January 2022|language=nl}}</ref> (2022–present)<br />[[ROOD]]{{efn|It has not been funded by the SP since November 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=SP stopt financiering jongerenorganisatie ROOD |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2357950-sp-stopt-financiering-jongerenorganisatie-rood.html |website=NOS.nl |date=24 November 2020 |access-date=24 November 2020 |language=nl}}</ref>}} (2003–2021)
| membership_year  = January 2025
| membership       = {{decrease}} 28,737<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.rug.nl/research/dnpp/themas/ledentallen/ledental-2025 |date = 10 March 2025 |access-date = 7 April 2025 |language = nl |website = [[University of Groningen]] |publisher = Documentation Centre Dutch Political Parties |title = Ledentallen Nederlandse politieke partijen per 1 januari 2025 |trans-title = Membership of Dutch political parties as of 1 January 2025 }}</ref>
| ideology         = {{ubl|class=nowrap|
 |[[Democratic socialism]]{{refn|<ref name="Magone2013">{{cite book|last=Magone|first=José|title=Contemporary European Politics: A Comparative Introduction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AqrHBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT533|date=3 July 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-93397-4|page=533|quote=Several smaller leftwing parties were able to improve their electoral positions in the past decade. ... One such party is the Dutch Socialist Party ..., which has its origins in Marxism–Leninism and Maoisim, but which has moderated its ideology towards democratic socialism.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The Palgrave Handbook of Radical Left Parties in Europe |editor1=Fabien Escalona |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-137-56264-7 |doi=10.1057/978-1-137-56264-7 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |chapter=Conclusion |first1=Daniel |last1=Keith |first2=Luke |last2=March |author-link2=:es:Luke March |page=403 |quote=SP: Democratic socialist (Left social democratic, left populist).}}</ref>}}
 |[[Left-wing populism]]{{refn|<ref>{{Cite web | title=Will Dutch Voters Keep Right or Turn Left? | url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/will-dutch-voters-keep-right-or-turn-left/ | access-date=2024-12-25 | website=www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Links-populistische partijvorming |url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vl0wf3150lu4/links_populistische_partijvorming |website=[[parlement.com]] |access-date=15 August 2023 |language=nl |date=15 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Links populisme: Een strategie tegen het neoliberalisme |url=https://www.sp.nl/achtergrond/links-populisme-strategie-tegen-neoliberalisme |website=sp.nl |access-date=15 August 2023|language=nl |date=15 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Left-Wing Populism |url=https://www.populismstudies.org/Vocabulary/left-wing-populism/ |website=Populismstudies.org |publisher=European Center For Populism Studies |access-date=2025-04-29}}</ref>}}
 |[[Social democracy]]{{refn|<ref name="Merijn">{{cite book|first=Merijn|last=Oudenampsen|title=Explaining the Swing to the Right: The Dutch Debate on the Rise of Right-Wing Populism |editor1=Ruth Wodak|editor2=Majid KhosraviNik|editor3=Brigitte Mral|series=Right-Wing Populism in Europe: Politics and Discourse|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EUhMAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA202|date=23 May 2013|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-1-78093-245-3|page=202}}</ref><ref name="Gerrit">{{cite news |first1=Gerrit |last1=Voerman |first2=Anthonie |last2=Lucardie |title=Sociaal-democratie nu definitief verdeeld: Met volwassen SP is het abonnement van de PvdA op de linkse stem verlopen |newspaper=NRC Handelsblad |year=2007 |url=https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/sociaal-democratie-nu-definitief-verdeeld-met-volwassen-sp-is-het}}</ref>}}
 |[[Cultural conservatism]]<ref name="culcon">{{bulleted list|{{cite web |title=Can Europe's new 'conservative left' persuade voters to abandon the far right? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/16/conservative-left-europe-far-right-sahra-wagenknecht-germany |date=16 January 2024 |first=Cas |last=Mudde |author-link=Cas Mudde |website=[[The Guardian]] |quote="The Dutch Socialist party (SP) campaigned on an “old left” platform combining traditional leftwing economic positions, for example on healthcare, with demands for a temporary stop on migrant workers and a popular leader, Lilian Marijnissen, attacking “identity politics”. But it lost yet again, while the (combined) far right won a postwar record number of votes. In some countries this “leftwing conservative” approach has led to a fall in far-right support: for example, it benefited the Danish Social Democrats."}}|{{cite web |url=https://nieuwsociaalengroen.nl/waarom-het-niet-goed-gaat-met-de-sp/ |language=nl |website=Sociaal & Groen |date=29 January 2021 |title=Waarom het niet goed gaat met de SP |first=Alex |last=de Jong |quote="Dat de SP geen grotere rol speelt in dergelijke bewegingen is niet het gevolg van een gebrek aan middelen. Dit is eerder een strategie, gemotiveerd door het prioriteren van verkiezingsresultaten en een afweging van wat de partijleiding denkt dat de meeste stemmen zal opleveren. Antiracistische en klimaatveranderingsmaatregelen worden verondersteld te ‘controversieel’ te zijn bij SP-kiezers. Voormalig SP-raadslid Mahmut Erciyas beschrijft dit als een ‘gecombineerde strategie van sociaal-economisch progressivisme én cultureel conservatisme’." |trans-quote="That the SP does not play a bigger role in such movements is not due to a lack of resources. Rather, this is a strategy, motivated by prioritising election results and weighing up what the party leadership thinks will garner the most votes. Anti-racist and climate change measures are assumed to be too ‘controversial’ among SP voters. Former SP councillor Mahmut Erciyas describes this as a ‘combined strategy of socio-economic progressivism as well as cultural conservatism’."}}|{{cite journal |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/pdf/did-the-dutch-elections-go-wrong-for-groenlinks.pdf |title=Where Did the Dutch Elections Go Wrong for GroenLinks? |date=19 May 2021 |first=Simon |last=Otjes |journal=[[Green European Journal]] |page=4 |quote=The party appealed to far-left circles unhappy with the cultural conservatism of the SP and the eagerness of Groenlinks to enter into a prospective government. |issn=2684-4494}}|{{cite web |language=de |website=[[Rosa Luxemburg Foundation]] |url=https://rosalux.eu/2025/die-niederlaendische-linke-ist-weiterhin-orientierungslos/ |title=Die Orientierungslosigkeit der niederländischen Linken |date=27 August 2025 |first=Jouke |last=Huijzer |quote=Die SP muss sich immer noch von der Wahlniederlage unter Lilian Marijnissen (2017-2023) erholen. Unter ihrer Führung verfolgte die Partei eine kulturell konservativere Linie – ähnlich wie Sahra Wagenknecht in Deutschland: Sie setzte auf die Integration bereits im Land lebender Migrant*innen und auf die Begrenzung weiterer Zuwanderung, angeblich zum Schutz der inländischen Löhne und der Interessen der Herkunftsländer. |trans-quote=The SP must still recover from its election defeat under Lilian Marijnissen (2017-2023). Under her leadership, the party adopted a culturally conservative line – similar to Sahra Wagenknecht in Germany: it focused on the integration of migrants already living in the country and on limiting further immigration, ostensibly to protect domestic wages and the interests of the countries of origin.}}|{{cite web |url=https://jacobin.com/2021/01/dutch-welfare-benefits-childcare-scandal |website=[[The Jacobin]] |date=23 January 2021 |first=Kevyn |last=Levie |title=The Dutch Government’s Benefits Scandal Is Rooted in Stigma Against Welfare Recipients |quote="The Socialist Party (SP), on the other hand, persists in a course of cultural conservatism that alienates both activists and potential voters."}}|{{cite journal |last=Thomeczek |first=Jan Philipp |year=2024 |title=The Voting Potential of Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht |journal=Political Studies Review |doi=10.1177/14789299241264975 |publisher=[[SAGE Publishing]] |page=2 |quote="So far, left-authoritarian voters in Germany faced a dilemma: no party represented in the German Bundestag combines economically left-wing positions with culturally conservative stances (Steiner and Hillen, 2021). However, around 20% of German voters hold such left-authoritarian attitudes (Steiner and Hillen, 2019). Parties with a similar profile exist in other countries (e.g. the Dutch Socialist Party)." |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/14789299241264975|url-access=subscription }}}}</ref>
}}
| regional         = [[Benelux Parliament|Socialists, Greens and Democrats]]
| europarl         = [[European United Left/Nordic Green Left]] (1999–2019)
| position         = [[Left-wing politics|Left-wing]]{{cref|A}}
| colours          = {{color box|{{Political party data|color}}|border=darkgray}} [[Crimson]]
<!-- Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/-->
| seats1_title     = [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]
| seats1           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-upper-house}}
| seats2_title     = [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| seats2           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house}}
| seats3_title     = [[States-Provincial]]
| seats3           = {{composition bar|22|570|hex={{Political party data|color}}}}
| seats4_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats4           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|EP}}
| seats5_title     = [[King's Commissioner]]s
| seats5           = {{composition bar|1|12|hex={{Political party data|color}}}}
| seats6_title     = [[Benelux Parliament]]
| seats6           = {{Composition bar|1|21|hex={{Political party data|color}}}}
| website          = {{Political party data|website}}<br />[https://international.sp.nl/ international.sp.nl]
| country          = the Netherlands
| footnotes        = {{cnote|A|SP has been variously described as {{Nowrap|[[Left-wing politics|left-wing]]}},{{refn|<ref>{{cite news |last= O'Leary |first= Naomi |date= 27 February 2017 |title= Dutch Labor exits stage left |url= https://www.politico.eu/article/dutch-labor-party-exits-stage-left-dutch-elections-lodewijk-asscher/ |work= POLITICO EU |access-date= 9 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date= 4 March 2023 |title= Disagreement among populists in the Netherlands: The diverging rhetorical and policy positions of Dutch populist Radical Right parties following Russia's invasion of Ukraine |url= https://www.populismstudies.org/disagreement-among-populists-in-the-netherlands-the-diverging-rhetorical-and-policy-positions-of-dutch-populist-radical-right-parties-following-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/ |website= The European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS) |access-date= 9 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Schminke |first= Tobias |date= 10 July 2023 |title= Netherlands: agrarian party ahead in polls |url= https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/netherlands-agrarian-party-ahead-in-polls/ |work= Euractiv |access-date= 9 April 2025}}</ref>}} {{nowrap|"[[old left]]"}}, [[Far-left politics|far-left]], and [[Left-conservatism|left-conservative]]; the latter label is due its more [[Social conservatism|conservative]] stances on [[Sociocultural evolution|socio-cultural]] issues.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Can Europe's new 'conservative left' persuade voters to abandon the far right? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/16/conservative-left-europe-far-right-sahra-wagenknecht-germany |date=16 January 2024 |first=Cas |last=Mudde |author-link=Cas Mudde |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>}}
}}
The '''Socialist Party''' ({{langx|nl|Socialistische Partij}} {{IPA|nl|soːɕaːˈlɪstisə pɑrˈtɛi|}}; '''SP''' {{IPA|nl|ɛsˈpeː|}}) is a [[democratic socialist]] [[political party in the Netherlands]].<ref name="Nordsieck 2021">{{cite web|first=Wolfram|last=Nordsieck|date=March 2021|title=Netherlands|website=Parties and Elections in Europe|access-date=21 March 2021|url=http://parties-and-elections.eu/netherlands.html}}</ref> Founded in 1971 as the '''Communist Party of the Netherlands/Marxist–Leninist''' (KPN/ML, {{langx|nl|link=no|Communistische Partij van Nederland/Marxistisch–Leninistisch}}), the party has since moderated itself from [[Marxism–Leninism]] and [[Maoism]] towards democratic socialism<ref name="Magone2013"/> and [[social democracy]].<ref name=":1">{{cite book|first=Merijn|last=Oudenampsen|title=Explaining the Swing to the Right: The Dutch Debate on the Rise of Right-Wing Populism |editor1=Ruth Wodak|editor2=Majid KhosraviNik|editor3=Brigitte Mral|series=Right-Wing Populism in Europe: Politics and Discourse|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EUhMAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA202|date=23 May 2013|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-1-78093-245-3|page=202}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite news |first1=Gerrit |last1=Voerman |first2=Anthonie |last2=Lucardie |title=Sociaal-democratie nu definitief verdeeld: Met volwassen SP is het abonnement van de PvdA op de linkse stem verlopen |newspaper=NRC Handelsblad |year=2007 |url=https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/sociaal-democratie-nu-definitief-verdeeld-met-volwassen-sp-is-het}}</ref><ref name="Watkins">{{cite journal|last=Watkins|first=Susan|title=Continental tremors|journal=[[New Left Review]]|volume=II|issue=33|publisher=New Left Review|date=May–June 2005|url=https://newleftreview.org/II/33/susan-watkins-continental-tremors}}</ref>

Positioned to the [[Left-wing politics|political left]] of the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]], the party has been part of the [[parliamentary opposition]] since it was formed.<ref>Stone, Jon (19 February 2018). [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/forum-for-democracy-netherlands-eu-referendum-pvv-fvd-mark-rutte-a8217956.html "Forum For Democracy: New Dutch Eurosceptic party that wants EU referendum now polling in second place"]. ''The Independent''. Retrieved 9 April 2018.</ref><ref>Kroet, Chyntia (22 March 2018). [https://www.politico.eu/article/mark-ruttes-support-steady-in-dutch-local-elections/ "Rutte's support steady in Dutch local elections"]. ''Politico''. Retrieved 9 April 2018.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=A Dutch election boosts both pro-EU liberals and the far right|url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/03/20/a-dutch-election-boosts-both-pro-eu-liberals-and-the-far-right|newspaper=The Economist|accessdate=23 March 2021}}</ref> After the [[2006 Dutch general election]], the SP became one of the major parties of the Netherlands winning 25 out of 150 parliamentary seats, an increase of 16 seats. The SP delegation shrank over the next elections, reaching three seats in 2025.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Parties and Elections in Europe |url=http://parties-and-elections.eu/netherlands.html}}</ref><ref name="Nordsieck 2021"/>

== History ==
=== Foundation until 1994 ===
The Socialist Party was founded in October 1971 as a [[Maoist]] party named the Communist Party of the Netherlands/Marxist–Leninist (KPN/ML). This KPN/ML was formed following a split from the [[Communist Unity Movement of the Netherlands (Marxist–Leninist)]]. The issue that provoked the split from {{Not a typo|KEN(ml)}} was an intense debate on the role of intellectuals in the [[class struggle]]. The founders of KPN/ML, with [[Daan Monjé]] in a prominent role, belonged to the [[proletarian]] wing of the {{Not a typo|KEN(ml)}}, who did not want an organisation dominated by students and intellectuals. In 1972, the KPN/ML changed its name to the Socialist Party (Dutch: {{Lang|nl|Socialistiese Partij}}). Even in its early years, while adhering to Maoist principles such as organising the masses, the SP was very critical of the [[Chinese Communist Party]], condemning its support for [[UNITA]] in Angola with the brochure "{{Lang|nl|Antwoord aan de dikhuiden van de KEN|italic=no}}" ('Answer to the thick skins of the KEN').{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}

[[File:Marijnissen2006.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Jan Marijnissen]]]]
The SP started to build a network of local parties, with strong local roots. The SP had its own [[General Practitioner]]s' offices, provided advice to citizens and set up local action groups. This developed within front organisations, separate [[trade union]]s, environmental organisations and tenant associations. This work resulted in a strong representation in several [[Gemeenteraad|municipal legislatures]], notably in [[Oss]]. Also in some [[States-Provincial]], the SP gained a foothold, especially in the province of [[North Brabant]].

Since 1977, SP attempted to enter the House of Representatives, but the party failed in [[1977 Dutch general election|1977]], [[1981 Dutch general election|1981]], [[1982 Dutch general election|1982]], [[1986 Dutch general election|1986]] and [[1989 Dutch general election|1989]]. In 1991, the SP officially scrapped the term [[Marxism–Leninism]] because the party had evolved to the point that the term was no longer considered appropriate.

=== Rise in support 1994–2012 ===
In the [[1994 Dutch general election|1994 general election]], the party's first members of parliament, namely [[Remi Poppe]] and Jan Marijnissen, were elected. Its slogan was "Vote Against" (Dutch: {{Lang|nl|Stem tegen}}). In the 1990s, the major party of the Dutch left, the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA), moved to the [[centrism|centre]], making the SP and the [[GroenLinks]] viable alternatives for some left-wing voters. In the [[1998 Dutch general election|1998 general election]], the party was rewarded for its opposition to the [[Purple (government)|purple government]] of the [[first Kok cabinet]] and more than doubled its seats to five. In the [[1999 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1999 European Parliament election]], [[Erik Meijer (politician)|Erik Meijer]] was elected into the [[European Parliament]] for the SP.

In the [[2002 Dutch general election|2002 general election]], the SP ran with the slogan "Vote in Favor" (Dutch: {{Lang|nl|Stem Voor}}). The party nearly doubled to nine seats. This result was kept in the [[2003 Dutch general election|2003 general election]]. Leading up to the latter election, the SP was predicted to win as many as 24 (16%) seats in the polls. However, these gains failed to materialise as many potential SP voters chose to cast strategic votes for the Labour Party which stood a good chance of winning the elections. In the [[2004 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2004 European Parliament election]], its one seat was doubled to two.

In the [[2005 Dutch European Constitution referendum|2005 referendum]] on the European Constitution, the SP was the only left-wing party in parliament to oppose it. Support for the party grew in opinion polls, but it fell slightly after the referendum.

The [[2006 Dutch municipal elections|2006 municipal elections]] were a success for the SP which more than doubled its total number of seats. This can in part be explained by the party standing in many more municipalities, but it can also be seen as a reaction to the so-called "right-wing winter" in national politics as the welfare reforms of the right-wing [[second Balkenende cabinet]] were called by its [[centre-left]] and left-wing opponents. In a reaction to these results, Marijnissen declared on election night that the "SP has grown up".

After the untimely end of the second Balkenende cabinet and the minority government of the [[third Balkenende cabinet]], the SP gained 16 seats in the parliament after the [[2006 Dutch general election|2006 general election]], nearly tripling its parliamentary representation. With 25 seats, the SP became the third largest party of the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Dutch parliament]]. In the [[2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation|2006–2007 cabinet formation]], the SP was unable to work out its policy differences with the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA) and remained in opposition against the [[fourth Balkenende cabinet]] which comprised the CDA, the PvdA and the [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian Union]] parties.

In the [[2007 Dutch provincial elections|2007 provincial elections]], the SP gained 54 provincial legislators more than in the 2003 provincial elections and made it to a total of 83 provincial legislators. As a result of the provincial elections, the SP has increased its representatives in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate of the Netherlands]] ([[upper house]]) to 11 from the 4 it had previously.

[[File:Emile Roemer 2012-1.jpg|thumb|[[Emile Roemer]]]]
In the [[2010 Dutch general election|2010 general election]], the SP fared worse than in the previous election, with a loss of 10 seats, a gain of 15 and only 9.9% of the overall vote. The party's popularity rose after the election, with polls throughout 2012 indicating it could challenge the ruling [[Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]] with a seat count reaching into the 30s. The SP's popularity peaked in early August, a month before the election, with polls from Peil, [[Ipsos]], and [[TNS NIPO]] indicating it would become the largest party with a result as high as 37 seats.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nieuw Haags Peil|url=https://n7.noties.nl/peil.nl/get.php?id=3423&a=peil.nl&s=weekpoll&f=2012--01-22.pdf&PHPSESSID=43uduvk5ctrkcls3fone47no65|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308162456/http://n7.noties.nl/peil.nl/get.php?a=peil.nl&f=2012--01-22.pdf&id=3423&phpsessid=43uduvk5ctrkcls3fone47no65&s=weekpoll|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 March 2016|access-date=24 February 2012}}</ref> However, PvdA's popularity surged in the final weeks, and the SP's lead collapsed. The party ultimately placed fourth on 15 seats, with a slight decrease in its vote share compared to 2010.

=== Decline (2012–present) ===
In the [[2017 Dutch general election|2017 general election]], the SP lost one seat and finished sixth.

At the [[2021 Dutch general election|2021 general election]], the party returned to the nine seats it held before 2006.

After the [[2023 Dutch general election]], the SP delegation shrank from nine seats to five.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="Nordsieck 2021" /> The party experienced further losses in the [[2025 Dutch general election|2025 snap election]] under current [[Leader of the Socialist Party (Netherlands)|leader]] [[Jimmy Dijk]], with their seat count almost halving from five to three.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2025-10-30 |title=Dutch election 2025: The winners and losers |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/dutch-election-2025-winners-losers-rob-jetten-geert-wilders-frans-timmermans/ |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=POLITICO |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Ideology ==
The SP has been described as [[Socialism|socialist]],<ref name="mirte29">{{cite web |title=Argumentation and fallacy in Dutch populist discourse: A comparative analysis of right-wing and left-wing parties |date=20 May 2023 |first=Mirte |last=van Driel |url=https://theses.ubn.ru.nl/server/api/core/bitstreams/5bc0b6ea-1880-480f-ae6d-8eac46db6f00/content |publisher=Radboud Universiteit |page=29}}</ref> [[Democratic socialism|democratic socialist]],<ref name="Magone2013" /> [[social democracy|social democratic]],<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name="Watkins" /> [[left-wing populist]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Andeweg |first=R. B. |author-link=Rudy Andeweg |title=Governance and politics of the Netherlands |author2=Galen A. Irwin |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |year=2002 |isbn=0333961579 |location=Basingstoke |page=51}}</ref> [[Old Left#Social policy|left-wing conservative]],<ref name="culcon"/> and [[Eurosceptic]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Pater Teffer |date=28 April 2014 |title=Dutch euroscepticism moves mainstream |url=https://euobserver.com/eu-elections/123923 |access-date=30 July 2014 |newspaper=[[EUobserver]]}}</ref> It advocates [[Republicanism in the Netherlands|for the Netherlands to become a republic]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Koninklijk Huis: Geen politieke functies voor ongekozen staatshoofd |url=https://www.sp.nl/standpunt/koninklijk-huis |accessdate=21 September 2020 |website=Socialist Party |language=nl}}</ref> The party labels itself as [[socialist]],<ref>[https://international.sp.nl/introducing-the-dutch-socialist-party Introducing the Dutch Socialist Party]. Socialist Party (Netherlands). Retrieved 15 June 2017.</ref> and in its manifesto of principles, it calls for a society where human [[dignity]], [[social equality|equality]] and [[solidarity]] are most important. Its core issues are [[employment]], social [[welfare spending|welfare]] and investing in [[health care]], [[public education]] and [[public safety]]. The party opposes [[privatisation]] of public services and is critical of [[globalisation]]. It has taken a [[soft Eurosceptic]] stance. The SP is also opposed to [[capitalism]], as noted in what the SP calls its three main tasks:

{{Blockquote|In a world dominated by the interests of capital, human dignity, equality and solidarity are under pressure. Our goal is to build a modern socialist society in which we put these values into practice. To achieve this, the SP has three main tasks:
# Providing fundamental criticism of capitalism and organizing people against it
# Presenting our alternatives for the short and long term and fighting for them
# Collaborate with everyone who endorses our values, locally, nationally and internationally.

Capitalism leads to exploitation of people and division in society; pollution of the environment and depletion of the earth. The preservation of life is under pressure due to the overexploitation of current capitalism. This leads to destruction of the environment, to wars and flows of refugees. Our way of life must change to save nature and thus humans. More and more people are coming to the realization that the capitalist market economy does not work.<ref>[https://www.sp.nl/programmas/2023/heel-mens HEEL DE MENS]</ref>}}

According to [[Cas Mudde]], the party has an "[[Old Left|old left]]" platform that combines left-wing economic stances with "[[Left-conservatism|left-conservative]]" positions on some social issues — the party proposes a temporary stop on [[Migrant worker|migrant workers]], and it also rejects "[[identity politics]]".<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Can Europe's new 'conservative left' persuade voters to abandon the far right? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/16/conservative-left-europe-far-right-sahra-wagenknecht-germany |date=16 January 2024 |first=Cas |last=Mudde |author-link=Cas Mudde |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The party program is heavily focused on Dutch [[Blue-collar worker|blue collar workers]], recalling a 'historical homeland' of Dutch workers that was destroyed by [[Privatization|privatisation]], [[deregulation]] and [[neoliberalism]]; in the same vein, the party is [[Euroscepticism|critical of the EU]], calling its policies 'false [[Internationalism (politics)|internationalism]]' and accusing it of being in the service of big corporations and neoliberalism. The party's [[Opposition to immigration|opposition to mass migration]] is explained by its focus on the protection of the [[working class]]; the SP argues that the Dutch working class must be protected by preventing an inflow of cheap labour into the Netherlands; party's slogan on immigration is "[[Class struggle]] instead of [[race struggle]]".<ref>{{cite thesis |title=Alternating between 'vote against!' and 'vote for!' A case study of left-wing populism in the Netherlands |date=31 January 2022 |first=Thijs |last=Blanksma |degree=European Studies – Identity and Integration |publisher=University of Amsterdam |pages=20–23}}</ref> The Socialist Party is also regarded as a textbook example of a left-wing populist party,<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Populist Zeitgeist |journal=Government and Opposition |volume=39 |issue=4 |pages=542–563 |doi=10.1111/j.1477-7053.2004.00135.x  |year=2004 |first=Cas |last=Mudde |author-link=Cas Mudde}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=A Matter of Supply and Demand: The Electoral Performance of Populist Parties in Three European Countries |first=Stijn |last=van Kessel |volume=48 |issue=2 |pages=175–199 |journal=Government and Opposition |date=23 January 2024 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |jstor=26347392 }}</ref> and is also considered populist socialist.<ref>{{cite thesis |title=Radical Left Parties and the Role of Euroscepticism |first=Sarah |last=Wagner |date=3 November 2021 |degree=Doctor of Philosophy |publisher=University of Essex |url=https://repository.essex.ac.uk/32005/1/Final_PHD_Wagner.pdf |page=87}}</ref>
===Social issues===
Because of its social stances, the party has been described as [[Cultural conservatism|culturally conservative]].<ref name="culcon"/> Political scientist Jan Philipp Thomeczek compares the party to the German [[Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance]], classifying both as left-authoritarian, i.e. economically left-wing and culturally conservative, parties.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Thomeczek |first=Jan Philipp |year=2024 |title=The Voting Potential of Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht |journal=Political Studies Review |doi=10.1177/14789299241264975 |publisher=[[SAGE Publishing]] |pages=1-2 |quote="A new challenger seeks to enter the German party system: Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW). With her new party, former Die Linke politician Sahra Wagenknecht combines a left-authoritarian profile (economically left-leaning, but culturally conservative) with anti-US, pro-Russia and antielitist stances. [...] Parties with a similar profile exist in other countries (e.g. the Dutch Socialist Party)."}}</ref> Apart from campaigning on restricting immigration, the SP opposes climate change measures that it considers unfair or disadvantageous to the working class. It also strongly opposes a "European superstate" and demands the return of the Dutch national currency, the [[Dutch guilder]]; in addition, the party supports border controls within the EU, and advocates introducing a work permit requirement for people entering the Netherlands from other EU countries.<ref name="dejong"/> 

The party also denounced feminism, arguing that it divides the working class and sets up workers' wives against their husbands. On immigration, arguing that since a group of second-class workers divides the working class and benefits capitalists, the SP states that immigrants and 'guest workers' in the Netherlands must choose between remigration and full integration into the Dutch culture and nationality.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Palgrave Handbook of Radical Left Parties in Europe |editor1=Fabien Escalona |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-137-56264-7 |doi=10.1057/978-1-137-56264-7 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |chapter=Conclusion |first1=Daniel |last1=Keith |first2=Luke |last2=March |author-link2=:es:Luke March |page=413}}</ref> Given the party's social stances, its voter base consists of low-income and working-class Catholics of the [[Southern Netherlands]], as well as trade union members.<ref name="dejong"/> It combines its social stances with an anti-neoliberal rhetoric, demanding the end of the elite's "pillage of the state, deception, and flogging off its people to a cabal of foreign capitalists".<ref>{{cite journal |title=Policy and Populism: Explaining Support for the Radical Left in Contemporary Western Democracies |first1=Edward |last1=Goodger |first2=William |last2=Harvey |year=2021 |journal=Durham e-Theses |publisher=Durham University |page=65}}</ref>
===Economic issues===
The SP is anti-capitalist,<ref>{{cite book |title=The SAGE Handbook of Political Science |volume=2 |chapter=Parties |first=Daniel-Louis |last=Seiler |editor1=Dirk Berg-Schlosser |editor2=Bertrand Badie |editor3=Leonardo Morlino |isbn=978-1-5264-5955-8 |year=2020 |publisher=SAGE Publications Ltd |page=555}}</ref> and adheres to a socialist economic agenda.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://pure.uva.nl/ws/files/205402288/PaulTHartSarahD_2024_26TheEverChangingAndE_TheOxfordHandbookOfDu.pdf |chapter=The Ever-Changing and Ever-Stable Dutch Party System |first1=Simon |last1=Otjes |first2=Sarah |last2=de Lange |title=The Oxford Handbook of Dutch Politics |year=2024 |doi=10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198875499.013.26 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780198875499 |page=440}}</ref> Its main economic postulate is "drastic reduction in the enormous disparities in incomes and assets". It proposed a [[maximum wage]], demanding that the highest salaries of private-sector executive be no more than ten times the salary of the lowest-paid employee; in case of the public sector, SP proposed that managers should earn no more than cabinet ministers. It also postulated a 65 percent tax on incomes above €150,000, and limitation of tax deduction for mortgage interest payments by removing it for mortgages above €350,000, denuncing it as "villa subsidy".<ref name="fabien415"/> Since 1974, the party has instituted a pay cap for all MPs and elected officials. Any salary in excess of the cap is donated to the party to be used for mutual aid.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sp.nl/info/onze-solidariteitsregeling |title=Onze Solidariteitsregeling |lang=nl |trans-title=Our Solidarity Scheme |work=SP.nl |access-date=18 October 2024 |quote=Tweede Kamerleden ontvangen van het parlement een politieke vergoeding van ongeveer 7000 euro netto per maand. SP-Tweede Kamerleden dragen dat aan de partij af en krijgen van de partij ter compensatie van hun inzet daarvoor in ruil een bedrag van 3.276 euro per maand terug. Dat geldt ook voor wethouders en Gedeputeerden. |trans-quote=Lower House members receive from parliament a political allowance of about 7,000 euros net per month. SP Lower House members remit that to the party and receive a sum of 3,276 euros per month from the party in return for their efforts. The same applies to aldermen and deputies. }}</ref> 

The party also proposes an increase of minimum wage, social welfare benfits and old age security payment by the state, along with protecting employment rights by allowing flexible work contrasts to become eligible for a permanent contact more easily. The SP also criticizes the presence of market force in the healthcare system, arguing for a nationa health insurance with income-dependent insurance premiums and no personal contributions instead.<ref name="fabien415">{{cite book |title=The Palgrave Handbook of Radical Left Parties in Europe |editor1=Fabien Escalona |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-137-56264-7 |doi=10.1057/978-1-137-56264-7 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |chapter=Conclusion |first1=Daniel |last1=Keith |first2=Luke |last2=March |author-link2=:es:Luke March |page=415}}</ref> The SP has also been a vocal opponent of the new Dutch pension law calling it casino pensions,<ref>{{Cite web |access-date=11 May 2025 |title=Voor een goed pensioen, zonder casinopensioenwet |url=https://www.sp.nl/standpunten/voor-een-goed-pensioen-zonder-casinopensioenwet}}</ref> the party also has calls for the retirement age to be lowered back to 65 and for AOW income to be coupled to the minimum-wage.<ref>{{Cite journal |access-date=11 May 2025 |title= Zonder analytische ethiek blijft toezicht suboptimaal|url=https://www.sp.nl/standpunten/voor-een-goed-pensioen-zonder-casinopensioenwet |journal=Tijdschrift voor Toezicht |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=47–48 |doi=10.5553/tvt/187987052023014001008 |issn=1879-8705|last1= Fiole|first1= Eelco}}</ref>

===Other stances===
The party has increased its opposition towards further armament of Europe since the 2020s, stating that Europe already has enough weapons to defend itself from any potential aggressors and only needs limited investments into its military instead of the mass-rearmament program that the European Commission has proposed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=🎥 3 keer meer aan defensie is meer dan genoeg |url=https://www.sp.nl/nieuws/%F0%9F%8E%A5-3-keer-meer-aan-defensie-is-meer-dan-genoeg |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=SP - Socialistische Partij |language=nl}}</ref> The SP has also strongly expressed its opposition to the war in Gaza and expressed support for the recognition of a Palestinian state.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stop het geweld en erken een Palestijnse staat |url=https://www.sp.nl/nieuws/stop-het-geweld-en-erken-een-palestijnse-staat |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=SP - Socialistische Partij |language=nl}}</ref> The party's leader Dijk has, among others in the party, called the war a genocide.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TikTok - Make Your Day |url=https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmydijk1985/video/7449507817930919191 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241228031439/https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmydijk1985/video/7449507817930919191 |archive-date=2024-12-28 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=www.tiktok.com |language=en}}</ref>
=== Relationships with other parties ===
The SP has always been in opposition on a national level, although there are now numerous examples of government participation on a local and provincial level. On many issues, the SP is the most left-wing party in parliament. Between 1994 and 2002, the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA) had a conscious strategy to isolate the party, always voting against the latter's proposals. However, the party did co-operate well with [[GroenLinks]]. After its disastrous election result in 2002, the PvdA, now back in opposition, did co-operate with the SP against some of the policies of the centre-right [[Second Balkenende cabinet|Balkenende government]] and their relationship improved significantly. New tensions arose after the 2006 general election, when the SP approached the PvdA in electoral support and the PvdA joined the government whereas the SP did not.

== Election results ==
=== House of Representatives ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
|-
! Election
! [[Lead candidate]]
! List
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Government
|-
! [[1977 Dutch general election|1977]]
| align="left"|[[Remi Poppe]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 1977 Dutch general election|List]]
| 24,420
| 0.29
| {{composition bar compact|0|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| ''New''
| {{n/a|No seats}}
|-
! [[1981 Dutch general election|1981]]
| rowspan=3 align="left"|[[Hans van Hooft Sr.]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 1981 Dutch general election|List]]
| 30,357
| 0.35
| {{composition bar compact|0|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 
| {{n/a|No seats}}
|-
! [[1982 Dutch general election|1982]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 1982 Dutch general election|List]]
| 44,690
| 0.55
| {{composition bar compact|0|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 
| {{n/a|No seats}}
|-
! [[1986 Dutch general election|1986]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 1986 Dutch general election|List]]
| 31,983
| 0.35
| {{composition bar compact|0|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 
| {{n/a|No seats}}
|-
! [[1989 Dutch general election|1989]]
| rowspan="6" align="left"|[[Jan Marijnissen]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 1989 Dutch general election|List]]
| 38,789
| 0.44
| {{composition bar compact|0|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 
| {{n/a|No seats}}
|-
! [[1994 Dutch general election|1994]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 1994 Dutch general election|List]]
| 118,768
| 1.32
| {{composition bar compact|2|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1998 Dutch general election|1998]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 1998 Dutch general election|List]]
| 303,703
| 3.53
| {{composition bar compact|5|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{increase}} 3 
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2002 Dutch general election|2002]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 2002 Dutch general election|List]]
| 560,447
| 5.90
| {{composition bar compact|9|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{increase}} 4 
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2003 Dutch general election|2003]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 2003 Dutch general election|List]]
| 609,723
| 6.32
| {{composition bar compact|9|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2006 Dutch general election|2006]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 2006 Dutch general election|List]]
| 1,630,803
| 16.58
| {{composition bar compact|25|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| class="nowrap"|{{increase}} 16 
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2010 Dutch general election|2010]]
| rowspan="3" align="left"|[[Emile Roemer]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 2010 Dutch general election|List]]
| 924,696
| 9.82
| {{composition bar compact|15|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 10 
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2012 Dutch general election|2012]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 2012 Dutch general election|List]]
| 909,853
| 9.65
| {{composition bar compact|15|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2017 Dutch general election|2017]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 2017 Dutch general election|List]]
| 955,633
| 9.09
| {{composition bar compact|14|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1 
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2021 Dutch general election|2021]]
| rowspan="2" align="left"|[[Lilian Marijnissen]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 2021 Dutch general election|List]]
| 623,436
| 5.98
| {{composition bar compact|9|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2023 Dutch general election|2023]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 2023 Dutch general election|List]]
| 328,225
| 3.15
| {{composition bar compact|5|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2025 Dutch general election|2025]]
| align="left"|[[Jimmy Dijk]]
| [[List of Socialist Party candidates in the 2025 Dutch general election|List]]
| 199,585
| 1.89
| {{composition bar compact|3|150|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{TBA}}
|}

=== Senate ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
! Election
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
|-
! 1991
|
|
| {{composition bar compact|0|75|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| ''New''
|-
! 1995
|
|
| {{composition bar compact|1|75|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! 1999
| 4,801
| 3.0
| {{Composition bar compact|2|75|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! [[2003 Dutch Senate election|2003]]
| 8,551 
| 5.3
| {{composition bar compact|4|75|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
|-
! [[2007 Dutch Senate election|2007]]
| 25,231
| 15.47
| {{composition bar compact|12|75|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{increase}} 8
|-
! [[2011 Dutch Senate election|2011]]
| 17,187
| 10.35
| {{composition bar compact|8|75|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
|-
! [[2015 Dutch Senate election|2015]]
| 20,038
| 11.9
| {{composition bar compact|9|75|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! [[2019 Dutch Senate election|2019]]
| 10,179
| 5,88
| {{composition bar compact|4|75|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
|-
! [[2023 Dutch Senate election|2023]]
| 7,404
| 4.14
| {{composition bar compact|3|75|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|}

=== European Parliament ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
! Election
! List
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! EP Group
|-
! [[1989 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1989]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 1989 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#Socialisties Party|List]]
| 34,332
| 0.65
| {{composition bar compact|0|26|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| New
| style="text-align: left;" rowspan="2" | –
|-
! [[1994 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1994]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 1994 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#SP (Socialist Party)|List]]
| 55,311
| 1.34
| {{Composition bar compact|0|26|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[1999 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|1999]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 1999 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#SP (Socialist Party)|List]]
| 178,642
| 5.04
| {{composition bar compact|1|26|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| style="text-align: left;"  rowspan="5" | [[European United Left/Nordic Green Left|GUE/NGL]]
|-
! [[2004 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2004]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 2004 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#SP (Socialist Party)|List]]
| 332,326
| 6.97
| {{composition bar compact|2|26|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[2009 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2009]]
| style="text-align: left;"  rowspan="2" | [[Party lists in the 2009 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#SP (Socialist Party)|List]]
| rowspan="2" | 323,269
| rowspan="2" | 7.10
| {{composition bar compact|2|25|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
| {{composition bar compact|2|26|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[2014 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2014]]
| style="text-align: left;"| [[Party lists in the 2014 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#SP (Socialist Party)|List]]
| 458,079
| 9.64
| {{composition bar compact|2|26|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[2019 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2019]]
| style="text-align: left;" rowspan="2" | [[Party lists in the 2019 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#SP (Socialist Party)|List]]
| rowspan="2" | 185,224
| rowspan="2" | 3.37
| {{composition bar compact|0|26|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| style="text-align: left;" rowspan="3" | –
|-
| {{composition bar compact|0|29|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|-
! [[2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2024]]
| style="text-align: left;" | [[Party lists in the 2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands#SP (Socialist Party)|List]]
| 136,978
| 2.20
| {{composition bar compact|0|31|hex={{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
|}

== Representation ==
=== Members of the House of Representatives ===
{{Main|List of members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2025–present}}

=== Members of the Senate ===
{{Main|List of members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2023–2027}}

=== Members of the European Parliament ===
{{see also|List of Socialist Party (Netherlands) Members of the European Parliament}}
The party currently has no members of the [[European Parliament]] since the [[2024 European Parliament election in the Netherlands|2024 European Parliamentary election]].

=== Local and provincial government ===
Former SP leader [[Emile Roemer]] was the first party member who became both mayor and commissioner (he was acting mayor of [[Heerlen]] and [[Alkmaar]], and has been King's Commissioner of [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]] since 1 December 2021). The SP is part of the provincial executive ([[Gedeputeerde staten]]) in six out of twelve provinces. The SP is also part of several municipal executives ([[College van burgemeester en wethouders]]), notably in [[Amsterdam]] and [[Utrecht]].

== Organisation ==

=== Name ===
The party was founded as the Communist Party of the Netherlands/Marxist–Leninist (KPN/ML) in 1971. In 1972, it adopted the Socialist Party name ({{Langx|nl|Socialistiese Partij}}), with the spelling using ''{{Not a typo|-iese}}'' instead of ''{{Not a typo|-ische}}''. This was due to the Dutch spelling reforms at the time. However, these spelling reforms failed and the party changed its name to {{Lang|nl|Socialistische Partij}} in 1993.

=== Leadership ===
{{div col|colwidth=28em}}
* [[Party chair|Chairmen]]
** [[Hans van Hooft Sr.]] (22 October 1971 – 20 May 1988)
** [[Jan Marijnissen]] (20 May 1988 – 28 November 2015)
** [[Ron Meyer (politician)|Ron Meyer]] (28 November 2015 – 14 December 2019)
** [[Jannie Visscher]] (since 14 December 2019)
* [[Party secretary|Secretaries]]
** [[Tiny Kox]] (20 January 1994 – 24 May 2003)
** [[Paulus Jansen]] (24 May 2003 – 20 June 2005)
** [[Hans van Heijningen]] (20 June 2005 – 20 January 2018)
** [[Lieke Smits]] (20 January 2018 – 14 December 2019)
** [[Arnout Hoekstra]] (since 14 December 2019)
* [[Parliamentary leader]]s in the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]
** [[Jan de Wit]] (13 June 1995 – 19 May 1998)
** [[Bob Ruers]] (19 May 1998 – 10 June 2003)
** [[Tiny Kox]] (10 June 2003 – 25 January 2022)
** [[Rik Janssen]] (since 25 January 2022)
* Parliamentary leaders in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
** [[Jan Marijnissen]] (17 May 1994 – 20 June 2008)
** [[Agnes Kant]] (20 June 2008 – 5 March 2010)
** [[Emile Roemer]] (5 March 2010 – 13 December 2017)
** [[Lilian Marijnissen]] (13 December 2017 – 9 December 2023)
** [[Jimmy Dijk]] (since 13 December 2023)
{{div col end}}

=== Membership ===
As of 2016, the SP has 41,710 members and has grown considerably since it entered [[Parliament of the Netherlands|parliament]] in 1994, making it the third largest party in terms of its number of members. Like other parties in the Netherlands, the SP has seen a decline in membership in recent years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dnpp.ub.rug.nl/dnpp/pp/sp/leden/per_jaar|title=SP ledentallen per jaar (1992– ) – Documentatiecentrum Nederlandse Politieke Partijen (DNPP)|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161212162702/http://dnpp.ub.rug.nl/dnpp/pp/sp/leden/per_jaar|archive-date=12 December 2016}}</ref>

=== Organisational structure ===
The highest body within the SP is the party council, formed by the chairs of all local branches and the party board. It convenes at least four times a year. The party board is elected by the party congress which is formed by delegates from the municipal branches. The congress decides on the order of the candidates for national and European elections and it has a final say over the party program.

The SP is a constant active force in extra-parliamentary protest. Many of its members are active in local campaigning groups, often independent groups dominated by the SP, or in the SP neighbourhood centres, where the party provides help for the [[working class]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://international.sp.nl/an-activist-party/|title=An activist party|work=Socialistische Partij|date=11 June 2014 }}</ref>

An example more of nationwide nature is the movement for a National Healthcare Fund ({{langx|nl|Nationaal ZorgFonds}}).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nationaalzorgfonds.nl/|title=Op naar een Nationaal ZorgFonds|website=Op naar een Nationaal ZorgFonds, zonder eigen risico|language=nl-NL|access-date=8 August 2017}}</ref> This campaign demonstrates the necessity of a single payer system and wants to remove market and commercialisation aspects of the current healthcare system. The expensive advertising annually organised by healthcare insurance companies in order to attract new customers is a big example. The [[National Health Service|NHS]] inspired movement thinks that money should solely be spent on healthcare itself. Switching from one insurance company to another can only be done once every year as restricted by Dutch law.

=== Linked organisations ===
The [[youth wing]] of the Socialist Party is called [[SP Jongeren]]. Its old youth-wing was [[ROOD]]; the word ''rood'' is officially written in capitals but is not an [[acronym]]. The SP publishes the magazine the ''Tribune'' monthly<ref>[http://www.sp.nl/nieuws/tribune/ Tribune's website] (in Dutch)</ref> which was also the name of a historical [[Communist Party of the Netherlands]] newspaper. The relationship between Rood and the SP became rocky in 2020 due to the youth wing taking a more radical approach to politics.<ref>[https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/conflict-rond-radicale-communisten-binnen-de-sp-escaleert~bb88c290/ "Conflict rond 'radicale communisten' binnen de SP escaleert"] (in Dutch).</ref> In late 2020 the party cut ties with ROOD.<ref name="dejong">{{cite news |last= de Jong |first= Alex |date= 18 January 2021 |title= Why the Dutch Socialist Party Is in Crisis |url= https://jacobin.com/2021/01/dutch-socialist-party-expulsions-rood |website=[[The Jacobin]] |access-date= 18 September 2022}}</ref>

==== Splinter groups ====
At one point, two [[Trotskyist]] [[entryist]] groups operated within the SP. This included Offensive, now called [[Socialist Alternative (Netherlands)|Socialist Alternative]], and the [[International Socialists (Netherlands)|International Socialists]]. The latter was expelled on the grounds of double membership. The similar yet very small group Offensief was not considered a factor of power, but its members were banned from the SP in February 2009, on the grounds of being "a party within a party". Members of the party [[Socialist Alternative Politics]] still operate within the SP.

== Notes ==
{{notelist|2}}

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Socialistische Partij}}
* {{official website|https://www.sp.nl/}} {{in lang|nl}}
* {{official website|http://international.sp.nl/}} {{in lang|en}}

{{Political parties in the Netherlands}}
{{European Parliament, (Netherlands)}}

[[Category:Socialist Party (Netherlands)| ]]
[[Category:Socialist parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Conservative parties in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Utrecht (province)]]
[[Category:Amersfoort]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1971]]
[[Category:Cultural conservative parties]]
[[Category:Conservatism and left-wing politics]]