Christian Union–SGP

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Christian Union–SGP (CU–SGP) is a collaboration between two Dutch parties, Christian Union (CU) and Reformed Political Party (SGP). They sometimes run a single joint list in municipal and provincial elections.

Before 2000, the GPV, RPF and SGP worked together in various ways, and from 1984 to 2019 they sometimes participated in European Parliament elections with a joint list. The groups differed in how openly they supported electoral cooperation: the RPF favored cooperation with like-minded groups, the SGP wanted to stay independent, and the GPV gradually became more open to alliances.

In 1984 the GPV agreed to a joint European Parliament list with the RPF and SGP, marking a shift toward more cooperation. The early years also saw debates about female candidates on joint lists. In 1994 the RPF proposed a female candidate, which the SGP opposed in principle. The negotiations tried to balance cooperation with the position on women, with rules on how lists could be formed but leaving room for disagreement.

In 1979 the SGP and GPV ran separately for the European Parliament and did not win seats. From 1984 onward, the three parties formed joint lists at times and won seats. Over the years, various MEPs moved between factions as the groups reorganized.

In 2004 the GPV and RPF merged to form the Christian Union. The allied European Parliament factions also changed: in 2009 some deputies joined the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), but the SGP could not join the ECR initially because of its stance on women. Bas Belder joined the EFD (the ECR’s successor). In 2014 the SGP softened its position on female candidacy and was admitted to the ECR.

In 2019 the Christian Union left the ECR for the European People’s Party Group because some radical-right parties had joined the ECR. In 2022 the CU decided not to form a joint European Parliament list for the 2024 elections, so the SGP won a seat on its own while the CU fell short.

Electoral alliances among GPV, RPF, and SGP began in the 1970s and 1977, when alliances were formed to boost election results. The GPV often resisted teaming up, but the three parties maintained alliances until electoral alliances were abolished after the 2017 general election.