| Proud of the Netherlands Trots op Nederland |
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|---|---|
| Leader | Vacant |
| Founded | 17 October 2007 |
| Split from | VVD |
| Headquarters | Postbus 60 2501 CB The Hague |
| Ideology | Conservative liberalism Classical liberalism Nationalism |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| Official colours | Red, White, Blue & Orange |
| Website | |
| trotsopnederland.com | |
| Politics of the Netherlands Political parties Elections |
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Proud of the Netherlands (Dutch: Trots op Nederland, TON) is a Dutch Political party.[1] The party was founded on 17 October 2007 by Rita Verdonk, who at that time was an independent member of the House of Representatives. Verdonk declared that her movement would consist of "sympathizers" and, like the Party for Freedom, would not have a membership structure. However on July 7, 2009 it was officially announced that the "movement" would become a official Dutch political party.[2]
The party has been labeled as right wing and conservative liberal by the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad.[3] Dutch newspaper Trouw[4] has labeled the party "explicitly nationalist".
Verdonk stated that she wanted to use the party's own Wiki as a debating platform for citizens.
An opinion poll by Interview-NSS taken in week 42 of 2007 showed that Verdonk's movement would obtain 9.9% of the parliamentary vote, with losses for the VVD, PVV and SP.[5][6] Polls by TNS-Nipo and Maurice de Hond (Peil.nl) even indicated that the party would take second place.[7][8]
On 3 April 2008, Verdonk officially launched the party. A subsequent poll by Maurice De Hond indicated that Proud of the Netherlands and the PvdA would be tied for second place with 22 seats each in the Dutch Parliament which counts 150 seats.[9]
Since the party's launch its popularity has gradually dwindled. Starting from the middle of 2009 polls showed the party winning at most one seat.[10]
On March 3, 2010 the party participated for the first time in Dutch municipal elections. The party had a reasonable showing for a new party capturing nearly fifty seats in thirty different local councils. In Den Helder it was the second largest party.[11]
In the general elections on June 9, 2010 Verdonk did not receive enough votes to secure a seat in the House of Representatives.[12] As a result, she decided to drop out of national politics. [13]
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