Provincial elections were held in the Netherlands on 20 March 2019. Eligible voters elected the members of the Provincial States in the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. The elections were held on the same day as the 2019 Dutch water boards elections and, in the Caribbean Netherlands, island council elections.
These elections also indirectly determine the composition of the Senate, since the members of the twelve provincial states, alongside electoral colleges elected in the Caribbean Netherlands on the same day, will elect the Senate's 75 members in the Senate election on 27 May, two months after the provincial elections. Because of this, the provincial elections were a test for the third Rutte cabinet, which previously had a majority of one seat in the Senate, but has since lost that majority.
The outcome of the election is considered a historical upset, with the right-wing populist Forum for Democracy securing more than 15% of the national vote. Some analysts have described the election as a prelude to the 2023 provincial elections, which were won by an ever larger landslide of 19% by the right-wing populist BBB.
Seats summary +Legislatures and governments of the Provinces of the Netherlands, 2019–2023 States-Provincial Provincial Executive ProvinceVVDCDAD66 PVV SP PvdA GL CU SGP PvdD 50+ DENK FVD Provincial parties Total Groningen433 2 4564 1 1 5 43 GL, PvdA, CU, VVD, CDA, D66 Friesland 4 8 2 3 2 6 3 3 1 1 6 43 CDA, PvdA, VVD, FNP Drenthe 6 5 2 3 3 6 4 3 1 1 6 41 PvdA, VVD, CDA, GL, CU Overijssel 6 9 3 3 3 4 5 4 2 1 1 6 47 CDA, VVD, PvdA, CU, SGP Flevoland 6 3 2 4 2 3 4 3 1 2 2 1 41 VVD, GL, CDA, PvdA, CU, D66 Gelderland 8 7 4 3 3 5 6 4 3 2 2 8 55 VVD, CDA, GL, PvdA, CU Utrecht 8 5 5 2 2 4 8 4 1 2 1 1 6 49 GL, CDA, D66, PvdA, CU North Holland 9 4 6 3 3 6 9 1 3 1 1 55 GL, VVD, PvdA, D66 South Holland 10 4 5 4 2 4 5 3 2 2 2 1 55 VVD, CU-SGP, GL, PvdA, CDA Zeeland 4 7 1 2 2 4 2 2 5 1 2 5 39 CDA, SGP, VVD, PvdA North Brabant 10 8 5 4 5 3 5 1 2 2 9 55 VVD, FvD, CDA, LB Limburg5 9 37 4 34 2 17 47 CDA, FvD, PVV, VVD, GL, LL Total 80 72 41 40 35 53 61 31 14 20 17 4 86 15 570 1 Executives(out of 12) 10 10 4 0 0 10 7 7 3 0 0 0 1 2
Detailed results National
By province Drenthe
Flevoland
Friesland
Gelderland
Groningen Party Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− GreenLeft 31,886 12.49 6 +3 Labour Party 30,605 11.99 5 –1 Forum for Democracy 26,104 10.22 New 5 +5 Christian Union 24,125 9.45 4 ±0 Socialist Party 22,166 8.68 4 –4 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 21,595 8.49 4 ±0 Christian Democratic Appeal 20,642 8.08 3 –2 Groningers' Interests 18,556 7.27 3 ±0 Democrats 66 16,727 6.55 3 –1 Party for Freedom 15,271 5.98 2 –1 Party for the North 10,527 4.12 2 +1 Party for the Animals 10,406 4.08 1 –1 50PLUS 5,638 2.21 1 +1 Denk 1,081 0.42 New 0 ±0 Total Valid votes 255,329 43 ±0 Blank votes 744 0.29 Invalid votes 583 0.23 Votes cast / turnout 256,656 56.07 Registered voters 457,753 Sources
Limburg Party Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Christian Democratic Appeal 84,947 18.65 9 –2 Forum for Democracy 66,343 14.57 New 7 +7 Party for Freedom 61,705 13.55 7 –2 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 46,254 10.16 5 ±0 Socialist Party 39,527 8.68 4 –4 GreenLeft 38,291 8.41 4 +2 Labour Party 29,724 6.53 3 –1 Democrats 66 26,420 5.80 3 –1 Local Limburg 18,474 4.06 2 +1 Party for the Animals 17,512 3.84 2 +1 50PLUS 17,104 3.76 1 ±0 Christian Union 4,855 1.07 New 0 ±0 Denk 4,322 0.95 New 0 ±0 Total Valid votes 455,478 47 ±0 Blank votes 1,732 0.38 Invalid votes 1,289 0.28 Votes cast / turnout 458,499 52.57 Registered voters 872,100 Sources
North Brabant Party Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 163,906 16.18 10 ±0 Forum for Democracy 146,443 14.45 New 9 +9 Christian Democratic Appeal 134,834 13.31 8 –1 Socialist Party 93,138 9.19 5 –4 Democrats 66 89,014 8.78 5 –2 GreenLeft 87,687 8.65 5 +2 Party for Freedom 77,453 7.64 4 –3 Labour Party 64,837 6.40 3 –1 50PLUS 41,612 4.11 2 ±0 Party for the Animals 37,775 3.73 2 ±0 Local Brabant 25,485 2.52 1 ±0 Christian Union – Reformed Political Party 19,466 1.92 1 ±0 Denk 12,415 1.23 New 0 ±0 Seniors Brabant 9,687 0.96 New 0 ±0 Elderly Appeal - Heart for Brabant 6,719 0.66 New 0 ±0 Code Orange 2,784 0.27 New 0 ±0 Total of Valid votes 1,013,255 55 ±0 Blank votes 3,593 0.35 Invalid votes 2,738 0.27 Total votes cast / turnout 1,019,586 Registered voters 1,945,875 Sources
North Holland Party Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Forum for Democracy 178,717 15.33 New 9 +9 GroenLinks 178,001 15.26 9 +5 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 169,288 14.52 9 –2 Democrats 66 115,928 9.94 6 –4 Labour Party 114,026 9.78 6 –1 Christian Democratic Appeal 79,361 6.81 4 –1 Party for the Animals 70,809 6.07 3 ±0 Party for Freedom 65,346 5.60 3 –3 Socialist Party 58,396 5.01 3 –3 Christian Union 36,491 3.13 1 +1 50PLUS / Party of the Elderly 32,190 2.76 1 +1 Denk 28,035 2.40 New 1 +1 Elderly Party North Holland 18,307 1.57 0 –1 Code Oranje 16,665 1.43 New 0 ±0 NIDA 4,615 0.40 New 0 ±0 Total Valid votes 1,166,175 55 ±0 Blank votes 3,199 0.27 Invalid votes 3,953 0.34 Votes cast / turnout 1,173,327 56.34 Registered voters 2,082,562 Sources
Overijssel Party Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Christian Democratic Appeal 89,523 17.10 9 –2 Forum for Democracy 69,443 13.27 New 6 +6 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 67,731 12.94 6 ±0 GreenLeft 49,643 9.48 5 +3 Labour Party 44,494 8.50 4 –1 Christian Union 43,248 8.26 4 ±0 Party for Freedom 37,582 7.18 3 –2 Socialist Party 30,792 5.88 3 –2 Democrats 66 30,221 5.77 3 –2 Reformed Political Party 20,473 3.91 2 ±0 50PLUS 17,970 3.43 1 ±0 Party for the Animals 15,850 3.03 1 ±0 Denk 6,495 1.24 New 0 ±0 Total Valid votes 523,465 47 ±0 Blank votes 1,408 0.27 Invalid votes 1,335 0.25 Votes cast / turnout 526,208 59.27 Registered voters 887,844 Sources
South Holland Party Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Forum for Democracy 253,743 17.43 New 11 +11 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 227,987 15.66 10 ±0 GreenLeft 131,878 9.06 5 +2 Democrats 66 124,154 8.53 5 –2 Labour Party 113,859 7.82 4 –1 Christian Democratic Appeal 112,681 7.74 4 –3 Party for Freedom 101,858 7.00 4 –4 Christian Union 81,160 5.57 3 ±0 50PLUS 64,727 4.45 2 ±0 Party for the Animals 63,690 4.37 2 ±0 Socialist Party 59,956 4.12 2 –3 Reformed Political Party 56,742 3.90 2 –1 Denk 39,800 2.73 New 1 +1 Local Parties South Holland 11,648 0.80 New 0 ±0 NIDA 6,732 0.46 New 0 ±0 Code Oranje 4,598 0.32 New 0 ±0 Jesus Lives 756 0.05 0 ±0 Total Valid votes 1,455,969 55 ±0 Blank votes 4,102 0.28 Invalid votes 5,225 0.36 Votes cast / turnout 1,465,296 54.49 Registered voters 2,689,094 Sources
Utrecht Party Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− GreenLeft 98,900 16.07 8 +4 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 94,189 15.31 8 –1 Forum for Democracy 71,374 11.60 New 6 +6 Christian Democratic Appeal 60,774 9.88 5 –1 Democrats 66 58,133 9.45 5 –4 Labour Party 44,894 7.30 4 –1 Christian Union 44,855 7.29 4 +1 Party for Freedom 30,267 4.92 2 –2 Party for the Animals 28,985 4.71 2 ±0 Socialist Party 23,894 3.88 2 –2 Reformed Political Party 21,760 3.54 1 –1 50PLUS 17,705 2.88 1 ±0 Denk 13,095 2.13 New 1 +1 U26 Municipalities 6,530 1.06 New 0 ±0 Total Valid votes 615,355 49 ±0 Blank votes 1,815 0.29 Invalid votes 1,494 0.24 Votes cast / turnout 618,664 61.57 Registered voters 1,004,853 Sources
Zeeland Party Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Total +/− Christian Democratic Appeal 27,810 16.27 7 +1 Reformed Political Party 20,624 12.06 5 –1 Forum for Democracy 20,168 11.80 New 5 +5 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 17,580 10.28 4 –2 Labour Party 14,365 8.40 4 ±0 Party for Freedom 10,668 6.24 2 –2 Party for Zeeland 10,619 6.21 2 +1 GreenLeft 9,992 5.84 2 +1 Christian Union 8,927 5.22 2 ±0 50PLUS 8,764 5.13 2 +1 Socialist Party 8,240 4.82 2 –2 Democrats 66 6,409 3.75 1 –2 Party for the Animals 5,992 3.50 New 1 +1 Denk 814 0.48 New 0 ±0 Total Valid votes 170,972 39 ±0 Blank votes 424 0.25 Invalid votes 416 0.24 Votes cast / turnout 171,812 59.15 Registered voters 290,453 Sources
Coalition talks Coalition talks in the Netherlands are customarily organized by informateurs appointed by the party that came first in the elections, and then, in the event of a failure, by other parties. Informateurs usually submit a public report on possible coalitions in the weeks following the election.
Province Informateur Occupation / Reputation Groningen Mario Post Former GL leader in the Estates Friesland Harry van der Molen MP for CDA, Former City councillor of Leeuwarden Drenthe Roelie Goettsch Former PvdA leader in the EstatesOverijssel Geert Jansen, then Province's former Queen's Commissioner, CDA member Bart Krol Former CDA member of the Utrecht Estates Flevoland Annemarie van Gaal Entrepreneur Gelderland Mark Boumans Mayor of Doetinchem (VVD), former Executive in Groningen Utrecht Bram van Ojik Former leader of GLNorth Holland Hans Smits, then Former Director of the Schiphol airport Laura Bromet and Cornelis Mooij MPs for GL and VVD South Holland Hans Wiegel Former leader of VVD, Friesland's former Queen's Commissioner Zeeland René Verhulst Mayor of Ede (CDA) North Brabant Helmi Huijbregts Senator for VVD Limburg Ger Koopmans Leader of the CDA fraction in the Estates, former MP
See also 2019 Bonaire general election 2019 Saban general election 2019 Sint Eustatius general election
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