1516 Renaissance and Reformations
Erasmus edits the Greek New Testament
The return to biblical sources opens the way to the Reformation and to modern textual criticism.
Netherlands
Kingdom of the Netherlands
A merchant republic ahead of its time, homeland of Erasmus and Spinoza, the Netherlands invented civil tolerance and modern finance.
Heritage
The Rhine limes ran through Nijmegen and Utrecht. Erasmus founded Christian humanism there by editing the Greek New Testament; Leiden welcomed Europe's persecuted scholars; Amsterdam gave the Sephardic Jews expelled from Iberia a synagogue and a printing press.
History
A northern march of the Roman Empire, the Netherlands became in the Middle Ages one of Europe's most urbanised regions. The revolt against Philip II from 1568 produced a federal republic of Protestant provinces.
The Golden Age made Amsterdam the world's financial centre: the first permanent exchange, the first joint-stock company, an exchange bank. Relative tolerance drew Descartes, Spinoza and printers banned elsewhere; many founding texts of the Enlightenment appeared here.
A kingdom from 1815, the country endured the occupation of 1940-1945 and the deportation of most of its Jewish community. A founding member of Benelux and then of the Communities, it hosts in The Hague the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Milestones
1581 Renaissance and Reformations
Act of Abjuration
The United Provinces depose their sovereign: one of the first texts asserting that power serves the people.
1602 Early modern period
First joint-stock company
The East India Company and the Amsterdam Exchange invent financial capitalism.
1648 Early modern period
Independence of the Netherlands recognised
The Peace of Münster confirms the United Provinces as a fully fledged European power.
1670 Early modern period
Spinoza and tolerance
The Theological-Political Treatise founds historical criticism of the Bible and argues for freedom of thought.
1815 Early modern period lead actor
Creation of the Grand Duchy
The Congress of Vienna makes Luxembourg a sovereign state in personal union with the Netherlands.
1944 Contemporary period
Benelux customs union
Signed in London by the governments in exile, it prefigures the common market.
1949 European construction took part
Council of Europe
Ten states found in London the first European political organisation, matrix of the Convention on Human Rights.
1951 European construction took part
Treaty of Paris — ECSC
Six states create the European Coal and Steel Community, the continent’s first supranational institution.
1957 European construction took part
Treaties of Rome
The EEC and Euratom are established; the common market and the four freedoms are laid down.
1968 European construction took part
Customs union
Internal tariffs disappear eighteen months ahead of schedule.
1985 European construction took part
Schengen Agreement
Five states sign on the Moselle an agreement progressively abolishing internal border controls.
1992 European construction lead actor
Maastricht Treaty
The European Union is created, with European citizenship and the timetable for the single currency.
1999 European construction took part
Birth of the euro
Eleven currencies are irrevocably fixed; the European Central Bank takes up its functions.
Political landscape
Results of the June 2024 European election and their translation into European Parliament groups.
GL-PvdA
— GroenLinks — Partij van de Arbeid
21.6 %
8
Autres
— SGP, CU, FvD, PvdD, Volt
20.0 %
5
PVV
— Partij voor de Vrijheid
17.7 %
6
VVD
— Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie
11.6 %
4
CDA
— Christen-Democratisch Appèl
10.4 %
3
D66
— Democraten 66
8.1 %
3
BBB
— BoerBurgerBeweging
5.3 %
2
Distribution of European seats
Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
21.6 %
8
Renew Europe Group
19.7 %
7
Patriots for Europe Group
17.7 %
6
Non-attached Members
20.0 %
5
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats)
15.7 %
5
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