Christian Union (Netherlands)
Christian Union ChristenUnie | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | CU |
| Leader | Mirjam Bikker (list) |
| Chairman | Marco Vermin |
| Leader in the Senate | Tineke Huizinga |
| Leader in the House of Representatives | Mirjam Bikker |
| Founded | 22 January 2000 |
| Merger of | Reformed Political League Reformatory Political Federation |
| Headquarters | Partijbureau ChristenUnie Johan van Oldebarneveltlaan 46, Amersfoort |
| Youth wing | PerspectieF |
| Think tank | Mr. G. Groen van Prinsterer Stichting |
| Membership (2026) | 24,224 |
| Ideology | |
| Political position |
|
| Religion | Orthodox Protestant |
| European affiliation | European Christian Political Party |
| European Parliament group | ECR Group (2009–2019) EPP Group (2019–2024) |
| Benelux Parliament group | Christian Group |
| Colours | Sky blue Dark blue |
| Slogan | Opstaan voor het Goede ('Standing up for What's Right') |
| Senate | 3 / 75 |
| House of Representatives | 3 / 150 |
| European Parliament | 0 / 31 |
| Provincial councils | 21 / 570 |
| King's Commissioners | 1 / 12 |
| Benelux Parliament | 1 / 21 |
| Website | |
| christenunie.nl | |
The Christian Union (Dutch: ChristenUnie [ˌkrɪstənˈyni, -təˈʔy-], CU) is a Christian democratic political party in the Netherlands. The CU is a centrist party, maintaining more progressive stances on economic, immigration and environmental issues while holding more socially conservative positions on issues, such as opposing abortion and euthanasia. The party describes itself as "social Christian".
The CU was founded in 2000 as a merger of the Reformed Political League (GPV) and Reformatory Political Federation (RPF). After doubling its seat tally in the 2006 Dutch general election, it became the smallest member of the fourth Balkenende cabinet, and since that time has been likewise part of the third Rutte cabinet and the fourth Rutte cabinet. In some elections it forms an alliance with the Calvinist Reformed Political Party (SGP), which, unlike the CU, is a testimonial party.
Primarily a Protestant party, the CU bases its policies on the Bible, and takes the theological principles of charity and stewardship as bases for its support for public expenditure and environmentalism. It seeks for government to uphold Christian morality, but supports freedom of religion under the doctrine of sphere sovereignty. The party is moderately Eurosceptic; it was formerly in the European Parliament with the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR Group) and European People's Party Group (EPP Group). It is a member of the European Christian Political Party.