The Free-thinking Democratic League (Dutch: Vrijzinnig Democratische Bond, VDB) was a progressive liberal[1][2] political party in the Netherlands.

Established in 1901, it played a relatively large role in Dutch politics, supplying one Prime Minister, Wim Schermerhorn.

The term "Democratic" is included in the parties name because of its clear commitment to further democratisation of the Dutch political system.

The second group was the Free-thinking Democratic political club (Dutch: Vrijzinnig Democratische Kamerclub or VD-kamerclub).

In 1901, the board of the Liberal Union, supported by the VD-kamerclub, proposed that all its candidates would stand on a platform of universal suffrage.

The socialists refused to cooperate, because one of their major issues (unilateral disarmament of the Netherlands) could not be realised.

A liberal extra-parliamentary cabinet was formed, led by Pieter Cort van der Linden.

During this cabinet, a conflict between the VDB parliamentary party and minister Willem Treub led to his resignation.

In the 1918 elections, with universal suffrage and proportional representation in place, the liberal alliance lost nearly half its seats.

The VDB remains relatively stable with five seats, but they were nonetheless forced to a position in opposition to a Christian democratic cabinet.

This proposal was always supported by the Protestant Christian Historical Union (CHU), which was part of the Catholic-Protestant cabinet, but nonetheless had an anti-Catholic history.

In 1925 the VDB had convinced the other opposition parties that this was their chance to let the government fall and create a progressive cabinet.

In 1933 the party's leader, Marchant, who also served as minister of Education, stepped down because he had turned Catholic.

After the German occupation, there was a widespread feeling that a new political party was necessary, one that was not part of the pillarised system.

In 1948, a group dissatisfied with the failed "Breakthrough" and the increasingly socialist tint of the PvdA left the party.

The VDB started out as a left, social or progressive liberal party, committed to universal suffrage and the construction of a welfare state.

It also believed that government should play an important part in ensuring the welfare of the population; hence, it favoured the implementation of state pensions for the elderly.

Regionally, the VDB received most of its support form the large cities Amsterdam and Rotterdam, but also from provincial centres in Groningen, Drenthe, North and South Holland.

[5] Deputy leader Corry Tendeloo, who later became instrumental in the legal advancement of women's rights, was a member of the municipal council in Amsterdam.

The VDB served as bridge between the liberals and the Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP).