Union 55+
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The Union 55+ (in Dutch: Unie 55+) was a Dutch pensioners' political party. The Union was somewhat successful in the 1994 elections but disappeared four years later.
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[edit] Party History
The Union 55+ was founded on December 1, 1992. During the 1994 election campaign one of the governing parties, CDA announced that it would cut government pensions. This made the Union 55+ a safe haven for elderly. The party won one seat. The General Elderly Alliance (Algemeen Ouderen Verbond, AOV), another elderly party won six seats. The two parties had formed an electoral alliance. The party's sole representative was Bertus Leerkes. While the six members of the AOV spend their time fighting with eachother, Leerkes became a well respected spokesperson for the elderly. The party continually sought to cooperate with the AOV. In 1995 they formed communal lists for the 1995 provincial elections. Before the 1998 general elections the Union 55+ formed a new party with the AOV, the Elderly Union (Ouderenunie). They were unable to win a seat.
[edit] Ideology & Issues
The party was a typical one issue party: it sought to better the position of elderly with higher government pensions, better healthcare and improved facilities for elderly and handicapped. Other issues it spoke out on were the increasing youth criminality, the directly elected mayor and a restrictive immigration policy.
Some of the party's founders had been active within other party's such as the social-democratic PvdA and the socialist SP, but they felt that the larger parties neglected the interests of the elderly. They thought that it was time for the formation of 'horizontal' parties, which were not based on certain ideologies, but certain age groups.
[edit] Representation
In this table the election results of the Union 55+ in Tweede Kamer and Eerste Kamer elections is represented, as well as the party's political leadership: the fractievoorzitter, is the chair of the parliamentary party and the lijsttrekker is the party's top candidate in the general election, these posts are normally taken by the party's leader.
| Year | TK | EK | Lijsttrekker | Fractievoorzitter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 1 | 0 | Bertus Leerkes | Bertus Leerkes |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 | no elections | Bertus Leerkes |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | no elections | Bertus Leerkes |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 | no elections | Bertus Leerkes |
[edit] Electorate
The party was supported by elderly, especially by former CDA-voters from the Southern provinces, North Brabant and Limburg.
[edit] International Comparison
The party can be compared to other small elderly parties, who often don't get a seat, but because of the extreme proportional representation in the Netherlands the party was able to win one seat.
