May 15, 2002 (Wednesday)
- Politics of the Netherlands: General elections for the lower house of parliament were held. The Lijst Pim Fortuyn (LPF) was the great winner, the party gained 26 of the 150 seats, a historic achievement for a new party. The CDA ( Christen Democratisch Appèl) led by Jan Peter Balkenende became the greatest party (43 seats). The great losers were the coalition parties of the ruling "purple coalition" ( PvdA, labour party; VVD, liberals; D'66, leftist liberals). These parties were diminished to half of their former size. Ad Melkert (PvdA) resigns as political leader of his party.