Understanding Dutch Politics – Government, Laws and Elections

Understanding Dutch Politics – Government, Laws and Elections

If you want to understand the Netherlands and its people, it is essential that you also understand something about their politics. After all, politics and culture go hand in hand. So which are the main elements of the Dutch political system? How do their elections work? What role do the different Dutch government bodies have? All these questions and more will be answered in this article.

Government and Executive Bodies

The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the country has a king as formal head of state. While the king has no political power, he is part of state occasions such as meetings of parliament and ceremonies. The real power lies within the parliament, the cabinet and the local governments.

Parliament

The core of the Dutch political system is Parliament, or the Staten-Generaal. This is the main legislative body, consisting of the Second Chamber or House of Representatives and the Senate. With their combined members, these two chambers discuss and pass laws.
Oleg Ivanov @ Unsplash

The Cabinet

The cabinet is the executive body of the Dutch government. It consists of the Prime Minister and a certain number of Ministers appointed by the Prime Minister. This cabinet is formed by the majority party or parties. Usually, the governing parties also have their own fraction in the Second Chamber.

Local Governments

In the Netherlands there are several levels of government. The federal government is responsible for national matters and general policies. Below the national level are the local governments (the municipalities and provinces). These are responsible for matters such as the environment, public transport, education and health care.

Laws

The laws in the Netherlands are based on those of Roman, German and French law, with the most recent developments derived from EU laws and regulations. There is no written constitution in the Netherlands, although some basic laws such as the Civil Code and the Civil Procedure Code provide the necessary framework.

At the same time, the Netherlands is also a member of the European Union and therefore obliged to comply with EU regulations and directives. In addition, new laws and amendments to existing laws must be approved by Parliament.

Elections

Like any democracy, the Netherlands is a country ruled by its people. This means that the Dutch people choose who will govern the country through elections.

General elections take place every four years. Every Dutch citizen of 18 years or older is eligible to vote, and the elected parties from the Second Chamber form the new government. The election result allows the people to decide which ideologies will dictate the course of the country for the next four years.

In addition to general elections, the Netherlands also holds provincial and local elections. These are held every four years as well, and determine the political representation on the local level.

Conclusion

Politics and the political system are important elements of understanding a country, and the Netherlands is no exception. In the Netherlands, a constitutional monarchy has resulted in parliamentary democracy, with the parliament as the main legislative body, the cabinet as the executive body and local governments responsible for local matters. Mong Kok city sidewalk
Rikki Chan @ Unsplash

The Dutch laws have developed over time, with elements of Roman, German, French and EU law. Lastly, the English are democratically represented by their elected parties in both the general and local elections.

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