1979 European Parliament election in the Netherlands

An election for Members of the European Parliament representing Netherlands constituency for the 1979–1984 term of the European Parliament was held on 7 June 1979. It was part of the wider 1979 European election.

1979 European Parliament election in the Netherlands

7 June 1979
25 seats to the European Parliament
Turnout	58.12%
First party Second party   Leader Bouke Beumer Anne Vondeling Party CDA PvdA Alliance EPP SOC Seats won 10 / 25 9 / 25 Popular vote 2,017,743 1,722,240 Percentage 35.60% 30.39%   Third party Fourth party   Leader Cees Berkhouwer Aar de Goede Party VVD D66 Alliance LD Seats won 4 / 25 2 / 25 Popular vote 914,787 511,967 Percentage 16.14%

Elections, candidates and members of the European Parliament for the Netherlands
1952–1958	ECSC delegation
1958–1979	EP delegation
1979–1984	1st election, candidates and members
1984–1989	2nd election, candidates and members
1989–1994	3rd election, candidates and members
1994–1999	4th election, candidates and members
1999–2004	5th election, candidates and members
2004–2009	6th election, candidates and members
2009–2014	7th election, candidates and members
2014–2019	8th election, candidates and members
2019–2024	9th election, candidates and members
2024–2029	10th election, candidates and members

Electorate system

The ten seats were elected using proportional representation, with seats allocated using the D'Hondt method.

Voting rights were given to all citizens who were allowed to vote in Dutch parliament elections, Dutch citizens resident in other member states and did not already have voting rights for the Dutch Parliament elections and citizens of other member states who lived in the Netherlands, provided their home country granted similar rights.

Campaign

Main article: Party lists in the 1979 European Parliament election in the Netherlands

The Labour Party and Political Party of Radicals formed an electoral alliance.

Results

Further information: Netherlands (European Parliament constituency)

Dutch political parties

Four parties were able to win seats: the conservative liberal VVD, the progressive liberal D66, the Christian-democratic CDA and the social-democratic Labour Party. Five other nationally represented parties compete but are unable to win seats. 58.12% of the Dutch population turned out on election day.

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Christian Democratic Appeal	2,017,743	35.60	10
	Labour Party	1,722,240	30.39	9
	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	914,787	16.14	4
	Democrats 66	511,967	9.03	2
	Reformed Political Party	126,412	2.23	0
	Communist Party of the Netherlands	97,343	1.72	0
	Pacifist Socialist Party	97,243	1.72	0
	Political Party of Radicals	92,055	1.62	0
	Reformed Political League	62,610	1.10	0
	Leschot List	24,903	0.44	0
Total		5,667,303	100.00	25
Valid votes		5,667,303	99.42
Invalid/blank votes		33,300	0.58
Total votes		5,700,603	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		9,808,176	58.12
Source: Kiesraad

European groups

Summary of the 7 June 1979 European Parliament elections in the Netherlands

1979
European group			Seats 1979
	European People's Party	EPP	10
	Confederation of Socialist Parties	SOC	9
	European Liberal Democrats	LD	4
	Non-Inscrits	NI	2
			25