Netherlands 1971 general election
What was the result of the 1971 general election in the Netherlands?
Labour Party won 39 of 150 seats with 24.6% of the vote. 79.1% of registered voters cast a ballot.
Netherlands- Held:
- Final result
- ParlGov, read 5 October 2026
Which party won the most seats?
Final results from ParlGov, read : Labour Party won 39 of 150 seats with 24.6% of the vote; 79.1% of registered voters cast a ballot, down 15.9 points on 1967.
- Labour Party 39 +2 seats 24.6% +1.1 points
- Catholic People's Party 35 −7 seats 21.8% −4.7 points
- People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 16 −1 seat 10.3% −0.4 points
- Anti-Revolutionary Party 13 −2 seats 8.6% −1.3 points
- Democrats 66 11 +4 seats 6.8% +2.3 points
- Christian Historical Union 10 −2 seats 6.3% −1.8 points
- Democratic Socialists '70 8 5.3%
- Communist Party of the Netherlands 6 +1 seat 3.9% +0.3 points
- Reformed Political Party 3 0 seats 2.4% +0.3 points
- Political Party of Radicals 2 1.8%
- Reformed Political League 2 +1 seat 1.6% +0.8 points
- Middle Party 2 1.5%
- Seats won
- Change on the previous election at the right
- Share of the vote
- Share at the previous election
- Change in points at the right
Changes are against the Netherlands 1967 general election, party by party.
- Labour Party39
- Catholic People's Party35
- People's Party for Freedom and Democracy16
- Anti-Revolutionary Party13
- Democrats 6611
- Christian Historical Union10
- Democratic Socialists '708
- Communist Party of the Netherlands6
- Reformed Political Party3
- Middle Party2
- Pacifist Socialist Party2
- Political Party of Radicals2
- Reformed Political League2
- Farmers' Party1
Key numbers
24.6%
Share of the vote won by Labour Party
Labour Party won 39 of 150 seats. A majority needs 76.
+4 seats
Seats gained by Democrats 66
The largest gain in seats compared with 1967. Catholic People's Party lost 7 seats.
79.1%
Voter turnout
Down 15.9 points on 1967.
Seats and votes by party
| Party | Seats | ± seats | % | ± points | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party | 39 | +2 | 24.6 | +1.1 | 1,554,280 |
| Catholic People's Party | 35 | −7 | 21.8 | −4.7 | 1,379,672 |
| People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | 16 | −1 | 10.3 | −0.4 | 653,370 |
| Anti-Revolutionary Party | 13 | −2 | 8.6 | −1.3 | 542,742 |
| Democrats 66 | 11 | +4 | 6.8 | +2.3 | 428,067 |
| Christian Historical Union | 10 | −2 | 6.3 | −1.8 | 399,106 |
| Democratic Socialists '70 | 8 | 5.3 | 336,719 | ||
| Communist Party of the Netherlands | 6 | +1 | 3.9 | +0.3 | 246,569 |
| Reformed Political Party | 3 | 0 | 2.4 | +0.3 | 148,192 |
| Political Party of Radicals | 2 | 1.8 | 116,049 | ||
| Reformed Political League | 2 | +1 | 1.6 | +0.8 | 101,790 |
| Middle Party | 2 | 1.5 | 95,706 |
The other parties and groups
| Party | Seats | ± seats | % | ± points | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacifist Socialist Party | 2 | −2 | 1.4 | −1.4 | 90,738 |
| Farmers' Party | 1 | −6 | 1.1 | −3.7 | 69,656 |
| Largest party without seats | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | −0.2 | 26,878 |
± is the change against the Netherlands 1967 general election, party by party.
Votes by party
- Labour Party 1,554,280
- Catholic People's Party 1,379,672
- People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 653,370
- Anti-Revolutionary Party 542,742
- Democrats 66 428,067
- Christian Historical Union 399,106
- Democratic Socialists '70 336,719
- Communist Party of the Netherlands 246,569
- Reformed Political Party 148,192
- Political Party of Radicals 116,049
- Reformed Political League 101,790
- Middle Party 95,706
- Pacifist Socialist Party 90,738
- Farmers' Party 69,656
- Largest party without seats 26,878
ParlGov lists parties with at least 1 percent of the vote or 2 seats, so the rows do not add up to the valid votes.
How many people voted?
79.1% of the 8,048,726 registered voters cast a ballot (6,364,719 ballots), down 15.9 points on 1967. 6,318,152 of them were valid votes. The lowest turnout of this kind in our data, which begins in 1946.
How do the votes compare with the seats?
- Labour Party24.6% of votes26.0% of seats
- Catholic People's Party21.8% of votes23.3% of seats
- People's Party for Freedom and Democracy10.3% of votes10.7% of seats
- Anti-Revolutionary Party8.6% of votes8.7% of seats
- Democrats 666.8% of votes7.3% of seats
- Christian Historical Union6.3% of votes6.7% of seats
- Democratic Socialists '705.3% of votes5.3% of seats
- Communist Party of the Netherlands3.9% of votes4.0% of seats
- Reformed Political Party2.4% of votes2.0% of seats
- Political Party of Radicals1.8% of votes1.3% of seats
- Reformed Political League1.6% of votes1.3% of seats
- Middle Party1.5% of votes1.3% of seats
The Gallagher index of disproportionality is 1.7 (0 when seats follow votes exactly); the effective number of parties is 7.1 by votes and 6.4 by seats; Labour Party led Catholic People's Party by 2.8 points of the vote.
Time and source Data as of