GroenLinks (GL, GreenLeft) is a political party in the Netherlands. The party represents a number of social ideas, found in the various groups among the ranks of the party: socialism and pacifism (hence, Left); the party emphasises the conservation of nature and the environment (hence, Green). The pacifist principles of GroenLinks were placed under heavy pressure after the September 11 Terrorist Attack, during the decision-making by the cabinet and the Lower House regarding the active participation of Dutch forces in the war against terrorism. Ultimately the faction approved the plans after a promise from the cabinet that the Netherlands would not take direct part in any fighting.
The party was founded on March 1, 1989 as an amalgamation of the Politieke Partij Radicalen (PPR, 1968), the Pacifistisch Socialistische Patij (PSP, 1958), the Communistische Partij Nederland (CPN, 1909) and the Evangelische Volks Partij (EVP, 1981).
GroenLinks had about 12,000 members in December 2001, but this number rose dramatically during the period surrounding the two elections in 2002 and 2003 and the murder of Pim Fortuyn. It reached 21,000 in February 2003.
Development of the number of seats in the Lower House, of the 150 available:
- 1972 - 16 (7 PPR, 7 CPN, 2 PSP)
- 1977 - 6 (3 PPR, 2 CPN, 1 PSP)
- 1981 - 9 (3 PPR, 3 CPN, 3 PSP)
- 1982 - 9 (2 PPR, 3 CPN, 3 PSP, 1 EVP)
- 1986 - 3 (2 PPR, 1 PSP)
- 1991 - 6 (GL)
- 1994 - 5
- 1998 - 11
- 2002 - 10
- 2003 - 8
Leader of the Lower House faction
- 2003 - now Femke Halsema
- 1994 - 2003 Paul Rosenmöller
- 1993 - 1994 Peter Lankhorst
- 1989 - 1993 Ria Beckers-de Bruijn
- 2003: Femke Halsema
- 1998, 2002: Paul Rosenmöller
- 1994: Ina Brouwer and Mohammed Rabbae
- 1991: Ria Beckers