POLITICS
A first introduction
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima and their children
1. The Netherlands is a democracy. That means that the inhabitants determine who runs the country.
2. There are different political parties. Voting determines who the largest parties are.
3. After the election, the largest parties consult with each other to form a government.
4. The government runs the country and is accountable in the so-called “Tweede Kamer”.
The members of the “Tweede Kamer” are the representatives of the political parties.
5. The head of government is the Prime Minister.
6. Here we see King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima and their 3 daughters. The king does not meddle in politics.
7. The board that governs a municipality, is established by election.
8. The chairman of the board is the mayor.
9. The board presents its plans to the city council. The other members are the aldermen.
Basics (1)
The Dutch government consists of the king, prime minister and ministers. The prime Minister is the leader of the ministers, each of whom has its own secretary of state. Together they form the cabinet.
A kingdom
The Netherlands is a kingdom with Willem-Alexander as king, and consists of four countries: Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands. The Netherlands is a democracy in which the majority of the people decide what happens.
The king lives in The Hague with his wife Maxima and their three daughters. The king has little power, because the government and ministers make plans and decisions for the Netherlands. Once a year, the king tells the people about the plans of the ministers during Prince’s Day in September.
Palace in The Hague
“Tweede Kamer”
The Dutch parliament
The parliament consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Every four years, the Dutch are allowed to vote for 150 people who make decisions in the House of Representatives and 75 people who sit in the Senate and monitor the work of the ministers.
New laws are made based on a proposal from a minister, after which the House of Representatives and the Senate vote on them. If both chambers approve it, it will become law. The king must sign the law.
The Netherlands has 12 provinces in which people can vote every four years for the representatives.