50PLUS

50PLUS (abbreviated 50+) is a political party in the Netherlands that advocates pensioners' interests with a centrist political line. The party was founded in 2009 by Maurice Koopman, Alexander Münninghoff and Jan Nagel. Since 2021, Martin van Rooijen has served as party leader.
The party first participated in the 2011 provincial elections, in which it won 9 provincial council seats, allowing it to be represented in the Senate by Nagel. Under lijsttrekker Henk Krol, the party entered the House of Representatives for the first time at the 2012 general election. On 6 May 2021, party leader Liane den Haan, its sole member in the House of Representatives, left to sit as an Independent following an internal dispute.
At the European level, 50PLUS was first affiliated with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), as its sole Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Toine Manders sat with the liberal ALDE group from 2013 to 2014. Following the 2019 European Parliament election, which saw Manders regain his seat, he sat with the conservative European People's Party group. Manders left the party in 2020 to join the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). In 2023, 50PLUS joined the European Democratic Party (EDP).
History
2009-2011
The party was founded under the name Onafhankelijke Ouderen en Kinderen Unie (Independent Elderly and Children Union) in 2009, succeeding the Partij voor Rechtvaardigheid, Daadkracht en Vooruitgang (Party for Justice, Vigour and Progress). It was an initiative of Maurice Koopman, Alexander Münninghoff and Jan Nagel. The party decided not to enter elections for the House of Representatives in 2010. During autumn that same year the name was changed to 50PLUS.
Leading up to the 2011 Dutch Senate election, 50PLUS made an agreement with the Onafhankelijke Senaatsfractie (Independent Senate Faction). The regional parties had too little seats in the Provincial council to collectively get a seat in the Senate, and the members of 50PLUS promised to vote for the OSF (Onafhankelijke Staatsfractie) to help them gain one. In return for this, 50PLUS member Kees de Lange would be the OSF's first candidate on the electoral list. On the 23rd of May 2011, he was chosen as a senator on behalf of the OSF. 50PLUS member Jan Nagel also won one seat. From then on, it was possible for individuals to become member of the party.
Electoral results
House of Representatives
Senate
European Parliament
Provincial councils
Organization
Leadership
Leaders
Jan Nagel (10 January 2011 – 12 January 2012)
Henk Krol (12 January 2012 – 4 October 2013)
Jan Nagel (4 October 2013 – 8 October 2016)
Henk Krol (8 October 2016 – 3 May 2020)
Liane den Haan (3 October 2020 – 6 May 2021)
Martin van Rooijen (17 June 2021 – )
Chairmen
Jan Nagel (10 January 2011 – 10 November 2012)
(10 November 2012 – 2 November 2013)
Jan Nagel (2 November 2013 – 29 March 2014)
John Struijlaard (29 March 2014 – 4 June 2016)
Jan Nagel (4 June 2016 – 17 June 2017)
(17 June 2017 – 21 May 2018)
(26 May 2018 – 1 August 2020)
Jan Nagel (1 August 2020 – 8 May 2021)
Peter Schut (8 May 2021 – 8 December 2022)
Gerard van Hooft (8 December 2022 – 24 June 2023, acting)
Jorien van den Herik (24 June 2023 – )
Vice Chairmen
Henk Krol (10 January 2011 – 10 November 2012)
Maurice Koopman (10 November 2012 – 21 May 2018)
Paul Le Coultre (26 May 2018 – 1 August 2020)
Parliamentary leaders in the Senate
Jan Nagel (7 June 2011 – 11 June 2019)
Martin van Rooijen (11 June 2019 – )
Parliamentary leaders in the House of Representatives
Henk Krol (20 September 2012 – 4 October 2013)
Norbert Klein (4 October 2013 – 3 June 2014)
Martine Baay-Timmerman (3 June 2014 – 10 September 2014)
Henk Krol (10 September 2014 – 3 May 2020)
Corrie van Brenk (3 May 2020 – 18 March 2021)
Liane den Haan (18 March 2021 – 6 May 2021)
No representation (6 May 2020 – )
Representation
House of Representatives
Senate
See also
Union 55+, Defunct Dutch pensioners' interests party active from 1992 until 1998.
General Elderly Alliance, Defunct Dutch pensioners' interests party active from 1993 until 1998.
References
Pensioners' parties
Identity politics
Populism in the Netherlands
Eurosceptic parties in the Netherlands
2009 establishments in the Netherlands
Political parties established in 2009
Organisations based in The Hague