Elections for the provincial councils of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands are held every four years in March using the D'Hondt method . Voters also have the option to cast a preferential vote. The seats won by a list are first allocated to the candidates who, in preferential votes, have received at least 25% of the number of votes needed for one seat, regardless of their placement on the electoral list. If multiple candidates from a list pass this threshold, their ordering is determined based on the number of votes received. Any remaining seats are allocated to candidates according to their placement on the electoral list.[ 10] The size of the provincial councils ranges from 39 members for a province with fewer than 400,000 inhabitants to 55 members for a province with more than 2,000,000 inhabitants. As of 2023 there are a total of 572 seats in the provincial councils.
Participating parties
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As of 21 December 2022, 49 parties have been registered with the Electoral Council for participation in general elections, a registration that carries over to provincial elections.[ 11] A party can also participate in a province by registering its party name in that province instead of nationally.[ 12] Which parties participate differs per province, with most large parties represented in the House of Representatives participating in all provinces, and some local and smaller national parties also participating.
A “-” in the table means that the party in question has not submitted a list of candidates for the 2023 election in that province.
Party or alliance Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 1,488,372 19.19 New 137 New People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 866,208 11.17 –2.82 63 –17 GL–PvdA GroenLinks 694,678 8.96 –1.66 51 –9 Labour Party 629,912 8.12 –0.20 46 –3 GL–PvdA joint list in Zeeland24,537 0.32 –0.03 6 0 Total 1,349,127 17.40 –1.88 103 –12 Christian Democratic Appeal 515,081 6.64 –4.43 43 –29 Democrats 66 491,881 6.34 –1.46 32 –9 Party for Freedom 446,301 5.76 –1.17 34 –6 Party for the Animals 374,459 4.83 +0.47 25 +5 JA21 340,942 4.40 New 22 New Socialist Party 329,129 4.24 –1.67 23 –12 CU–SGP Christian Union 283,986 3.66 –1.20 22 –9 Reformed Political Party 195,598 2.52 +0.05 16 +2 CU–SGP joint list in North Brabant17,372 0.22 –0.05 1 0 Total 496,956 6.41 –1.19 39 –7 Forum for Democracy 237,899 3.07 –11.46 15 –71 Volt 232,984 3.00 New 11 New 50PLUS 178,014 2.30 –1.34 8 –9 BVNL 76,360 0.98 New 0 New DENK 47,135 0.61 –1.06 0 –4 OPNL Local Brabant 45,723 0.59 +0.24 2 +1 Frisian National Party 27,298 0.35 +0.02 4 0 Local Limburg 20,128 0.26 +0.01 2 0 Groningers' Interests [nl ] 17,385 0.22 –0.02 3 0 Local Parties Gelderland 16,512 0.21 +0.06 0 0 Independent Politics-NH 11,916 0.15 New 0 New Party for Zeeland 8,458 0.11 –0.04 2 0 U26 Municipalities 7,646 0.10 +0.01 0 0 Strong Local Drenthe 7,485 0.10 –0.03 1 0 Provincial Interests Frisia 6,891 0.09 +0.02 1 +1 Strong Local Flevoland 4,518 0.06 New 1 New Total 170,358 2.20 +0.01 16 +3 General Water Board Party 34,022 0.44 New 0 New Alliance 12,253 0.16 New 0 New Together Local Twente 9,035 0.12 New 0 New Party for the North 8,331 0.11 –0.03 1 –1 Pirate Party 6,406 0.08 New 0 New GOLD 6,105 0.08 New 0 New Jesus Lives 4,984 0.06 +0.03 0 0 Code Orange 4,915 0.06 –0.27 0 0 OUR Gelderland 4,680 0.06 New 0 New Elderly Appeal - Heart for Brabant 4,245 0.05 –0.04 0 0 Limburg Seniors Party 4,136 0.05 New 0 New Netherlands with a PLAN 3,518 0.05 New 0 New Powerful Flevoland 2,879 0.04 New 0 New On behalf of North-Hollanders 2,337 0.03 New 0 New Look Back! 1,320 0.02 New 0 New BLACK PETE IS BLACK 742 0.01 New 0 New Heart for Freedom 228 0.00 New 0 New Total 7,754,944 100.00 – 572 +2 Valid votes 7,754,944 99.41 Invalid votes 19,956 0.26 Blank votes 25,921 0.33 Total votes 7,800,821 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 13,265,777 58.80 +2.64 Source: Kiesraad[ 14]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 88,176 33.41 New 17 New Labour Party 24,861 9.42 –4.64 4 –2 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 20,434 7.74 –5.31 4 –2 Christian Democratic Appeal 15,563 5.90 –4.65 3 –2 GroenLinks 14,756 5.59 –2.71 2 –2 Party for Freedom 13,681 5.18 –1.87 2 –1 Christian Union 12,803 4.85 –1.95 2 –1 Socialist Party 12,534 4.75 –1.72 2 –1 Party for the Animals 11,167 4.23 +0.80 2 +1 Democrats 66 9,981 3.78 –1.91 1 –1 Forum for Democracy 7,888 2.99 –10.46 1 –5 Volt 7,734 2.93 New 1 New Strong Local Drenthe 7,485 2.84 –1.25 1 0 JA21 6,368 2.41 New 1 New 50PLUS 3,446 1.31 –2.39 0 –1 BVNL 3,257 1.23 New 0 New Reformed Political Party 2,611 0.99 +0.19 0 0 Alliance 839 0.32 New 0 New Jesus Lives 298 0.11 New 0 New Total 263,882 100.00 – 43 +2 Valid votes 263,882 99.56 Invalid votes 554 0.21 Blank votes 601 0.23 Total votes 265,037 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 399,405 66.36 +7.55 Source: Kiesraad[ 15]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 33,987 20.83 New 10 New People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 16,321 10.00 –3.17 4 –2 Party for Freedom 12,474 7.64 –1.63 3 –1 Labour Party 12,391 7.59 –0.62 3 0 GroenLinks 11,239 6.89 –1.64 3 –1 Christian Union 9,620 5.89 –1.14 2 –1 Democrats 66 9,255 5.67 +0.78 2 0 Christian Democratic Appeal 8,277 5.07 –3.24 2 –1 JA21 7,571 4.64 New 2 New Party for the Animals 7,423 4.55 +0.17 2 0 Forum for Democracy 7,343 4.50 –13.29 2 –6 Socialist Party 6,915 4.24 –1.59 2 0 Reformed Political Party 6,835 4.19 +0.35 2 +1 Strong Local Flevoland 4,518 2.77 New 1 New 50PLUS 4,048 2.48 –2.45 1 –1 Powerful Flevoland 2,879 1.76 New 0 New BVNL 2,104 1.29 New 0 New Total 163,200 100.00 – 41 – Valid votes 163,200 99.36 Invalid votes 457 0.28 Blank votes 588 0.36 Total votes 164,245 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 313,632 52.37 –1.22 Source: Kiesraad[ 16]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 94,458 27.86 New 14 New Labour Party 36,023 10.62 –2.78 5 –1 Christian Democratic Appeal 29,669 8.75 –7.92 4 –4 Frisian National Party 27,298 8.05 +0.12 4 0 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 22,843 6.74 –2.67 3 –1 GroenLinks 22,181 6.54 –1.15 3 0 Christian Union 17,883 5.27 –1.33 2 –1 Party for Freedom 15,102 4.45 –1.35 2 –1 Forum for Democracy 12,366 3.65 –9.78 1 –5 Socialist Party 11,724 3.46 –1.71 1 –1 Party for the Animals 11,402 3.36 +0.14 1 0 Democrats 66 11,237 3.31 –0.81 1 –1 JA21 9,096 2.68 New 1 New Provincial Interests Frisia 6,891 2.03 +0.24 1 +1 BVNL 6,033 1.78 New 0 New 50PLUS 2,903 0.86 –1.69 0 –1 General Water Board Party 1,971 0.58 New 0 New Total 339,080 100.00 – 43 – Valid votes 339,080 99.54 Invalid votes 730 0.21 Blank votes 844 0.25 Total votes 340,654 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 519,118 65.62 +6.50 Source: Kiesraad[ 17]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 244,553 23.59 New 14 New People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 103,454 9.98 –3.98 6 –2 Labour Party 92,417 8.92 +0.59 5 0 GroenLinks 84,323 8.13 –2.70 5 –1 Christian Democratic Appeal 72,703 7.01 –4.57 4 –3 Christian Union 57,355 5.53 –1.25 3 –1 Democrats 66 54,943 5.30 –1.90 3 –1 Reformed Political Party 52,420 5.06 –0.19 3 0 Party for the Animals 46,502 4.49 +0.03 2 0 Party for Freedom 42,578 4.11 –1.95 2 –1 Volt 38,371 3.70 New 2 New JA21 36,402 3.51 New 2 New Socialist Party 36,090 3.48 –2.35 2 –1 Forum for Democracy 26,447 2.55 –10.88 1 –7 50PLUS 20,078 1.94 –1.87 1 –1 Local Parties Gelderland 16,512 1.59 +0.41 0 0 BVNL 6,812 0.66 New 0 New OUR Gelderland 4,680 0.45 New 0 New Total 1,036,640 100.00 – 55 – Valid votes 1,036,640 99.49 Invalid votes 2,120 0.20 Blank votes 3,192 0.31 Total votes 1,041,952 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 1,618,965 64.36 +5.81 Source: Kiesraad[ 18]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 67,744 23.54 New 12 New Labour Party 28,705 9.98 –2.01 5 0 GroenLinks 27,767 9.65 –2.84 5 –1 Christian Union 18,170 6.31 –3.14 3 –1 Groningers' Interests [nl ] 17,385 6.04 –1.23 3 0 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 16,289 5.66 –2.83 2 –2 Socialist Party 15,952 5.54 –3.14 2 –2 Democrats 66 15,464 5.37 –1.18 2 –1 Party for the Animals 14,421 5.01 +0.93 2 +1 Party for Freedom 13,478 4.68 –1.30 2 0 Christian Democratic Appeal 11,712 4.07 –4.01 2 –2 Volt 10,927 3.80 New 1 New Party for the North 8,331 2.90 –1.22 1 –1 Forum for Democracy 7,018 2.44 –7.78 1 –4 JA21 4,961 1.72 New 0 New 50PLUS 4,140 1.44 –0.77 0 –1 Reformed Political Party 3,181 1.11 New 0 New BVNL 1,856 0.64 New 0 New Jesus Lives 259 0.09 New 0 New Total 287,760 100.00 – 43 – Valid votes 287,760 99.52 Invalid votes 597 0.21 Blank votes 792 0.27 Total votes 289,149 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 462,817 62.48 +6.41 Source: Kiesraad[ 19]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 86,392 18.47 New 10 New Party for Freedom 59,290 12.68 –0.87 6 –1 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 44,736 9.56 –0.60 5 0 Christian Democratic Appeal 43,319 9.26 –9.39 5 –4 GroenLinks 40,819 8.73 +0.32 4 0 Labour Party 32,646 6.98 +0.45 3 0 Socialist Party 31,213 6.67 –2.01 3 –1 Democrats 66 28,401 6.07 +0.27 3 0 Local Limburg 20,128 4.30 +0.24 2 0 JA21 19,170 4.10 New 2 New Party for the Animals 17,574 3.76 –0.08 2 0 Forum for Democracy 15,876 3.39 –11.18 1 –6 50PLUS 11,773 2.52 –1.24 1 0 Limburg Seniors Party 4,136 0.88 New 0 New BVNL 4,013 0.86 New 0 New Christian Union 3,464 0.74 –0.33 0 0 General Water Board Party 2,598 0.56 New 0 New Look Back! 1,320 0.28 New 0 New Jesus Lives 631 0.13 New 0 New Heart for Freedom 228 0.05 New 0 New Total 467,727 100.00 – 47 – Valid votes 467,727 99.28 Invalid votes 1,293 0.27 Blank votes 2,078 0.44 Total votes 471,098 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 873,557 53.93 +1.36 Source: Kiesraad[ 20]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 199,858 18.24 New 11 New People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 154,370 14.09 –2.09 9 –1 GroenLinks 84,755 7.73 –0.92 5 0 Labour Party 83,513 7.62 +1.22 4 +1 Socialist Party 83,435 7.61 –1.58 4 –1 Party for Freedom 74,508 6.80 –0.84 4 0 Democrats 66 73,317 6.69 –2.09 4 –1 Christian Democratic Appeal 72,275 6.60 –6.71 4 –4 JA21 46,142 4.21 New 2 New Local Brabant 45,723 4.17 +1.65 2 +1 Party for the Animals 42,269 3.86 +0.13 2 0 Volt 32,203 2.94 New 1 New Forum for Democracy 31,160 2.84 –11.61 1 –7 50PLUS 28,595 2.61 –1.50 1 –1 Christian Union – Reformed Political Party 17,372 1.59 –0.33 1 0 BVNL 9,626 0.88 New 0 New Alliance 6,620 0.60 New 0 New General Water Board Party 5,104 0.47 New 0 New Elderly Appeal - Heart for Brabant 4,245 0.39 –0.27 0 0 Jesus Lives 814 0.07 New 0 New Total 1,095,904 100.00 – 55 – Valid votes 1,095,904 99.40 Invalid votes 2,595 0.24 Blank votes 3,977 0.36 Total votes 1,102,476 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 1,987,470 55.47 +2.90 Source: Kiesraad[ 21]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 161,876 13.64 New 8 New People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 151,454 12.76 –1.76 8 –1 GroenLinks 135,205 11.40 –3.86 7 –2 Labour Party 131,566 11.09 +1.31 7 +1 Democrats 66 87,910 7.41 –2.53 4 –2 Party for the Animals 86,857 7.32 +1.25 4 +1 JA21 64,606 5.45 New 3 New Party for Freedom 55,890 4.71 –0.89 3 0 Volt 53,448 4.50 New 2 New Christian Democratic Appeal 47,429 4.00 –2.81 2 –2 Forum for Democracy 41,685 3.51 –11.82 2 –7 Socialist Party 40,104 3.38 –1.73 2 –1 50PLUS 36,234 3.05 +0.29 2 +1 Christian Union 24,753 2.09 –1.04 1 0 DENK 14,711 1.24 –1.16 0 –1 BVNL 13,603 1.15 New 0 New Independent Politics-NH 11,916 1.00 New 0 New General Water Board Party 8,931 0.75 New 0 New Pirate Party 6,406 0.54 New 0 New Code Orange 4,915 0.41 –1.02 0 0 Netherlands with a PLAN 3,518 0.30 New 0 New On behalf of North-Hollanders 2,337 0.20 New 0 New Jesus Lives 1,158 0.10 New 0 New Total 1,186,512 100.00 – 55 – Valid votes 1,186,512 99.32 Invalid votes 3,684 0.31 Blank votes 4,448 0.37 Total votes 1,194,644 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 2,102,298 56.83 +0.49 Source: Kiesraad[ 22]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 185,921 31.45 New 17 New Christian Democratic Appeal 48,488 8.20 –8.90 4 –5 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 47,074 7.96 –4.98 4 –2 GroenLinks 43,825 7.41 –2.07 4 –1 Labour Party 39,599 6.70 –1.80 3 –1 Christian Union 34,807 5.89 –2.37 3 –1 Party for Freedom 28,864 4.88 –2.30 2 –1 Reformed Political Party 21,621 3.66 –0.25 2 0 Democrats 66 21,270 3.60 –2.17 2 –1 JA21 21,046 3.56 New 2 New Party for the Animals 21,010 3.55 +0.52 1 0 Socialist Party 17,632 2.98 –2.90 1 –2 Volt 17,617 2.98 New 1 New Forum for Democracy 16,091 2.72 –10.55 1 –5 Together Local Twente 9,035 1.53 New 0 New 50PLUS 7,114 1.20 –2.23 0 –1 Alliance 4,794 0.81 New 0 New BVNL 4,615 0.78 New 0 New Jesus Lives 701 0.12 New 0 New Total 591,124 100.00 – 47 – Valid votes 591,124 99.48 Invalid votes 1,419 0.24 Blank votes 1,675 0.28 Total votes 594,218 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 913,363 65.06 +5.79 Source: Kiesraad[ 23]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 203,417 13.67 New 8 New People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 195,478 13.14 –2.52 8 –2 GroenLinks 145,904 9.81 +0.75 6 +1 Democrats 66 112,097 7.53 –1.00 4 –1 Labour Party 103,896 6.98 –0.84 4 0 Party for Freedom 95,062 6.39 –0.61 4 0 Christian Democratic Appeal 92,531 6.22 –1.52 4 0 JA21 91,113 6.12 New 4 New Party for the Animals 72,664 4.88 +0.51 3 +1 Reformed Political Party 61,514 4.13 +0.23 2 0 Christian Union 61,283 4.12 –1.45 2 –1 Forum for Democracy 53,067 3.57 –13.86 2 –9 Socialist Party 50,616 3.40 –0.72 2 0 50PLUS 45,186 3.04 –1.41 1 –1 Volt 42,652 2.87 New 1 New DENK 22,068 1.48 –1.25 0 –1 BVNL 18,341 1.23 New 0 New General Water Board Party 13,797 0.93 New 0 New GOLD 6,105 0.41 New 0 New Jesus Lives 1,123 0.08 +0.03 0 0 Total 1,487,914 100.00 – 55 – Valid votes 1,487,914 99.33 Invalid votes 4,682 0.31 Blank votes 5,398 0.36 Total votes 1,497,994 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 2,747,402 54.52 +0.03 Source: Kiesraad[ 24]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 85,890 13.16 New 7 New GroenLinks 83,904 12.86 –3.21 7 –1 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 77,461 11.87 –4.44 6 –2 Democrats 66 60,835 9.32 –0.13 5 0 Christian Democratic Appeal 52,223 8.00 –1.88 4 –1 Labour Party 44,295 6.79 –0.51 3 –1 Party for the Animals 36,883 5.65 +0.94 3 +1 Christian Union 35,987 5.52 –1.77 3 –1 Volt 30,032 4.60 New 2 New JA21 28,180 4.32 New 2 New Party for Freedom 26,667 4.09 –0.83 2 0 Reformed Political Party 24,724 3.79 +0.25 2 +1 Socialist Party 16,880 2.59 –1.29 1 –1 Forum for Democracy 13,498 2.07 –9.53 1 –5 50PLUS 11,625 1.78 –1.10 1 0 DENK 10,356 1.59 –0.54 0 –1 U26 Municipalities 7,646 1.17 +0.11 0 0 BVNL 4,666 0.72 New 0 New BLACK PETE IS BLACK 742 0.11 New 0 New Total 652,494 100.00 – 49 – Valid votes 652,494 99.49 Invalid votes 1,425 0.22 Blank votes 1,894 0.29 Total votes 655,813 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 1,033,686 63.44 +1.87 Source: Kiesraad[ 25]
Party Votes % +/– Seats +/– Farmer–Citizen Movement 36,100 19.76 New 9 New Labour Party – GroenLinks 24,537 13.43 –0.82 6 0 Reformed Political Party 22,692 12.42 +0.36 5 –1 Christian Democratic Appeal 20,892 11.43 –4.84 5 –2 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 16,294 8.92 –1.36 4 0 Party for Freedom 8,707 4.77 –1.47 2 0 Party for Zeeland 8,458 4.63 –1.58 2 0 Christian Union 7,861 4.30 –0.92 1 –1 Democrats 66 7,171 3.92 +0.17 1 0 JA21 6,287 3.44 New 1 New Party for the Animals 6,287 3.44 –0.06 1 0 Socialist Party 6,034 3.30 –1.52 1 –1 Forum for Democracy 5,460 2.99 –8.81 1 –4 50PLUS 2,872 1.57 –3.56 0 –2 General Water Board Party 1,621 0.89 New 0 New BVNL 1,434 0.78 New 0 New Total 182,707 100.00 – 39 – Valid votes 182,707 99.55 Invalid votes 400 0.22 Blank votes 434 0.24 Total votes 183,541 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 294,064 62.42 +3.27 Source: Kiesraad[ 26]