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Netherlands

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Last updated: January 2009

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POLITICS

The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy with a Parliament (the States-General) consisting of two chambers. The upper or First Chamber consists of 75 members elected by members of the Provincial States. The lower or Second Chamber consists of 150 members directly elected by proportional representation, for a four year term. Dutch Government ministers give up their seat in Parliament on taking ministerial office. The Government can also appoint as ministers individuals who have not stood for election.

Composition of Parliament

  • First Chamber: CDA (21), PvdA (14), VVD (14), Socialist Party (12), Christian Union (4), Green Left (4), D66 (2), Animal Rights Party (1), Others (3).
  • Second Chamber: CDA (41), PvdA (33), Socialist Party (25), VVD (22), PVV (9), Green Left (7), Christian Union (6), D66 (3), SGP (2), Animal Rights (2).
Dutch Parliament

Recent political developments

The elections in May 2002 saw the CDA revitalised as the largest party after eight years in opposition, while the Labour Party performed badly. The party of assassinated populist politician Pim Fortuyn (LPF) also did well in its first election, winning the second largest number of seats. A CDA/Liberal/LPF coalition led by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende took office in July 2002, but collapsed just three months later.

In subsequent elections in January 2003, the CDA again won the most number of seats, and Labour won back most of the seats it had lost a year earlier to the LPF. After several months of negotiations the CDA and two liberal parties (VVD and D66) reached a coalition agreement. In May 2003 Balkenende’s second centre-right Government was sworn in, whilst Labour remained in opposition.

In June 2006 the Government tendered its resignation after the smallest of the three coalition parties, D66, (6/150 seats) withdrew parliamentary support in protest against the Government’s handling of the affair concerning the citizenship of Somali born Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The Queen subsequently took advice from party leaders and asked former Prime Minister Lubbers to broker a new minority coalition of Christian Democrats (CDA) and Liberals (VVD) in advance of fresh elections in the November 2006.

Following the general election and over two months of negotiations the Christian Democrats (CDA), the Labour Party (PvdA) and the smaller Christian Union (CU) reached agreement on their coalition agreement on 7 February 2007. Queen Beatrix formally appointed the Government on Thursday 22 February 2007. The CDA/PvdA/CU coalition is the fourth Government to be led by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. The CDA won 41 seats in the 150-seat Parliament beating the PvdA, which won 33. The CDA's outgoing coalition partner the Liberals (VVD), was pushed into fourth place with 22 seats and overtaken by the left wing Socialist Party (SP) with 25 seats. Voters moved away from the traditional parties, boosting not only the vote of the SP but also that of a new anti-immigration Party for Freedom (PVV) led by Geert Wilders.

Elections

The last elections in the Netherlands were held on 22 November 2006. For further details of last election results Election Guide.

Next Parliamentary elections:

Lower House: May 2011
Upper House: May 2011

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