Friesland's main pro-autonomy party, the Frisian National Party (FNP), made on Wednesday some gains in the provincial elections that were held throughout the Netherlands. In the States of Friesland (43 seats), the FNP continues to be the fifth largest force, with 4 seats -no change- and a slightly larger share of votes: 9.2% in 2011, 9.4% now.

The Frisian election has been won bt the Christian Democrat Appeal (CDA), with 20.7% of the votes and 9 seats. The Labour Party (PvdA) has come second, with 15.4% and 7 seats. Labour has lost 8 percentage points if compared to 2011. The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) has also lost some ground with 10.9% of votes -three points less than in 2011- and 5 seats. The Socialist Party (SP) has come in fourth place, also with 10.9% of the votes and 5 seats.

Other six parties with less votes than the FNP have secured 13 seats in the States, which will thus be quite fragmented. This will require an agreement of at least four different parties in order to form a government. The FNP, which until now was part of the coalition government, has expressed its will to stay in the next executive.

The FNP had campaigned under the slogan "Less The Hague, more Friesland." Its 2015-2019 manifesto calls for enlarged autonomy for Frisland and a referendum -to be held in 2017- on the devolution of housing and health care powers to Frisian institutions. It also demands exclusive powers over education, culture and Frisian language.

FNP places second in four municipalities

The FNP has achieved more progress at the local level. Unlike the 2011 local elections, the party has placed itself second in four municipalities, all of them in Friesland's north and centre: Dongeradiel (Dongeradeel in Dutch), Kollumerlân (Kollumerland), Ferwerderadiel (Ferwerderadeel) and Littenseradiel (Littenseradeel), with shares of votes standing from 11% to 19%. It is indeed in Littenseradiel where the FNP stood closer to victory: less than 7 percentage points behind the winners -the CDA.

In the Frisian capital Ljouwert, the FNP has obtained a slight progress: 5.7% of the votes in 2011, 5.9% now. The PvdA has emerged as the largest party there.