The Christian Democratic Appeal is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in the Netherlands.
ARP leader Willem Aantjes held a speech during the first CDA convention in 1975 in which he argued for the importance of the evangelical guidelines in the party. The speech became known as his sermon on the mount.
The CDA's founder and inaugural chairman Piet Steenkamp (left) and inaugural party leader and Prime Minister Dries van Agt (right) in 1977
Outgoing CDA party chair Piet Steenkamp signing the merger during the merger convention on 11 October 1980 with to the right vice-chair Jim Janssen van Raaij and to the left Madeleen Leyten. Behind them are from right to left the party chairs: Piet Bukman (incoming CDA), Luck van Leeuwen (CHU), Hans de Boer (ARP) and Piet van Zeil (KVP).
Ruud Lubbers, party leader and Prime Minister from 1982 until 1994.
Early general elections were held in the Netherlands on 29 October 2025 to elect the members of the House of Representatives. The elections had been expected to be held in 2028, but a snap election wa
Christian Democratic Appeal
…the party saw further electoral decline under varied leadership, participating in three of four cabinets as a junior coalition partner. Following the 2025 general election, the party holds 18 seats, now led by Henri Bontenbal. Since 1880, Catholics and the Protestant Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) collaborated in the…
Voting ballot for the elections in Delft
Wilders attending a protest against an asylum seeker center in Helmond in July 2025
Delft City Hall as a polling station on election day 2025