International

In 2004 the SP became, in membership terms, the third biggest party in the Netherlands. With 44.299 members, the Socialist Party outgrew the VVD, the more right wing of the two liberal parties, which has fewer than 42,000 card-carriers. Only the centre-right Christian Democrats the CDA, with 73.000, and the centre-left Labour Party (PvdA), with 61.000, have more members. This makes 2004 the fifteenth year in succession in which the SP has enlarged its ranks.