House of Representatives (Netherlands): Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Lower house of the Netherlands parliament}} |
{{More citations needed|date=July 2024}}{{short description|Lower house of the Netherlands parliament}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} |
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{{Infobox legislature |
{{Infobox legislature |
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| leader3 = [[Roelien Kamminga]] |
| leader3 = [[Roelien Kamminga]] |
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| party3 = [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]] |
| party3 = [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]] |
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| election3 = 19 |
| election3 = 19 December 2023 |
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| seats = 150 |
| seats = 150 |
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| house1 = |
| house1 = |
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| house2 = |
| house2 = |
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| structure1 = |
| structure1 = File:Dutch House of Representatives, December 2023, English Wiki colours.svg |
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| structure1_res = 250px |
| structure1_res = 250px |
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| structure1_alt = |
| structure1_alt = |
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| structure2_res = |
| structure2_res = |
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| structure2_alt = |
| structure2_alt = |
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| political_groups1 = '''[[Schoof cabinet|Government]] (88)''' |
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| political_groups1 = '''[[Fourth Rutte cabinet|Government]] (41)'''<br/>'''([[Demissionary cabinet|demissionary]])'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Netherlands: Government inaugurated after longest formation to date|url=https://www.nu.nl/politiek/6177403/rutte-iv-beedigd-nederland-heeft-weer-een-kabinet-na-langste-formatie-ooit.html|website=NU.nl|publisher=DPG Media|access-date=10 January 2022|date=10 January 2022}}</ref> |
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* {{Color box|{{party color|Party for Freedom}}|border=darkgray}} [[Party for Freedom|PVV]] (37) |
* {{Color box|{{party color|Party for Freedom}}|border=darkgray}} [[Party for Freedom|PVV]] (37) |
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⚫ | * {{Color box|{{party color|GroenLinks–PvdA}}|border=darkgray}} [[GroenLinks–PvdA|GL–PvdA]] (25)<ref>{{cite web|title=GroenLinks-PvdA (GL-PvdA)|url=https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerleden_en_commissies/fracties/gl-pvda|website=Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal|access-date=27 October 2023|date=27 October 2023}}</ref>{{efn| |
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* {{Color box|{{party color|New Social Contract}}|border=darkgrey}} [[New Social Contract|NSC]] (20) |
* {{Color box|{{party color|New Social Contract}}|border=darkgrey}} [[New Social Contract|NSC]] (20) |
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* {{Color box|{{party color|Farmer-Citizen Movement}}|border=darkgray}} [[Farmer–Citizen Movement|BBB]] (7) |
* {{Color box|{{party color|Farmer-Citizen Movement}}|border=darkgray}} [[Farmer–Citizen Movement|BBB]] (7) |
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⚫ | * {{Color box|{{party color|GroenLinks–PvdA}}|border=darkgray}} [[GroenLinks–PvdA|GL–PvdA]] (25)<ref>{{cite web|title=GroenLinks-PvdA (GL-PvdA)|url=https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerleden_en_commissies/fracties/gl-pvda|website=Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal|access-date=27 October 2023|date=27 October 2023}}</ref>{{efn| |
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* {{Color box|{{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|SP]] (5) |
* {{Color box|{{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|SP]] (5) |
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* {{Color box|{{party color|Forum for Democracy}}|border=darkgray}} [[Forum for Democracy|FvD]] (3) |
* {{Color box|{{party color|Forum for Democracy}}|border=darkgray}} [[Forum for Democracy|FvD]] (3) |
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* {{Color box|{{party color|Party for the Animals}}|border=darkgray}} [[Party for the Animals|PvdD]] (3) |
* {{Color box|{{party color|Party for the Animals}}|border=darkgray}} [[Party for the Animals|PvdD]] (3) |
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* {{Color box|{{party color|Reformed Political Party}}|border=darkgray}} [[Reformed Political Party|SGP]] (3) |
* {{Color box|{{party color|Reformed Political Party}}|border=darkgray}} [[Reformed Political Party|SGP]] (3) |
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* {{Color box|{{party color|DENK (political party)}}|border=darkgray}} [[DENK (political party)|DENK]] (3) |
* {{Color box|{{party color|DENK (political party)}}|border=darkgray}} [[DENK (political party)|DENK]] (3) |
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* {{Color box|{{party color|Volt Netherlands}}|border=darkgray}} [[Volt Netherlands|Volt]] (2) |
* {{Color box|{{party color|Volt Netherlands}}|border=darkgray}} [[Volt Netherlands|Volt]] (2) |
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| session_room = Plenaire zaal Tweede Kamer - panorama.jpg |
| session_room = Plenaire zaal Tweede Kamer - panorama.jpg |
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| session_res = 250px |
| session_res = 250px |
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| session_room2 = Tweede Kamer tijdelijke locatie plenaire zaal ( |
| session_room2 = Tweede Kamer tijdelijke locatie plenaire zaal (3).jpg |
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| session_alt = |
| session_alt = |
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| meeting_place = [[Binnenhof]], [[The Hague]]<br>( |
| meeting_place = [[Binnenhof]], [[The Hague]]<br>(closed due to ongoing renovations) |
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| meeting_place2 = Bezuidenhoutseweg 67, The Hague<br>(temporary) |
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| website = {{URL|http://www.houseofrepresentatives.nl}} |
| website = {{URL|http://www.houseofrepresentatives.nl}} |
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| footnotes = |
| footnotes = |
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==Functions== |
==Functions== |
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⚫ | The House of Representatives is the primary legislative body of the States General, where proposed [[legislation]] is discussed and the actions of the [[Cabinet of the Netherlands|cabinet]] are reviewed. Both the Cabinet and the House of Representatives itself have the right to propose legislation; the House of Representatives discusses it and, if adopted by a majority, sends it on to the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Democracy in the Netherlands |url=https://www.houseofrepresentatives.nl/how-parliament-works/democracy-netherlands |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=www.houseofrepresentatives.nl |language=nl}}</ref> Both individual [[cabinet ministers]] and the cabinet as a whole must have parliament’s confidence. Therefore, a minister, or the whole cabinet, must resign if a majority of parliament expresses it no longer has confidence in them.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The cabinet |url=https://www.houseofrepresentatives.nl/how-parliament-works/democracy-netherlands/cabinet |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=www.houseofrepresentatives.nl |language=nl}}</ref> Review of the actions of the cabinet takes the form of formal interrogations in plenary and committee meetings, which may result in [[motion (parliamentary procedure)|motions]] urging the cabinet to take, or refrain from, certain actions. No individual may be a member of both parliament and cabinet, except in a [[cabinet of the Netherlands#Formation|caretaker]] cabinet that has not yet been succeeded when a new House is sworn in. |
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[[File:The Hague car-free city-centre 31.JPG|thumb|left|200x200px|Exterior of the House of Representatives at Binnenhof]] |
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[[File:Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken in Den Haag (11851636225).jpg|thumb|165x165px|Exterior of the temporary House of Representatives at Bezuidenhoutseweg 67]] |
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Through functions like the scrutiny and political discussions before meetings of the [[Council of the European Union]], the appointment of EU-rapporteurs and participation in [[Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs]] the House of Representatives also plays a role in [[European Union|EU]] policy making.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Europe at The House of Representatives and the Senate |url=https://www.houseofrepresentatives.nl/how-parliament-works/europe-house-representatives-and-senate |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=www.houseofrepresentatives.nl |language=nl}}</ref> |
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⚫ | The House of Representatives is the |
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The House of Representatives is also responsible for the first round of selection for [[judge]]s to the [[Supreme Court of the Netherlands]]. It submits a list of three names for every vacant position to the Government. Furthermore, it elects the Dutch [[Ombudsman#Netherlands|Ombudsman]] and their subsidiaries. |
The House of Representatives is also responsible for the first round of selection for [[judge]]s to the [[Supreme Court of the Netherlands]]. It submits a list of three names for every vacant position to the Government. Furthermore, it elects the Dutch [[Ombudsman#Netherlands|Ombudsman]] and their subsidiaries. |
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==Elections== |
==Elections== |
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The normal term of the House of Representatives is four years. Elections are called when the government loses the parliament's confidence, the governing coalition breaks down, the term of the House of Representatives expires or when no governing coalition can be formed. |
The normal term of the House of Representatives is four years. Elections are called when the government loses the parliament's confidence, the governing coalition breaks down, the term of the House of Representatives expires, or when no governing coalition can be formed. |
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===Parties=== |
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⚫ | Anyone eligible to vote in the Netherlands also has the right to establish a [[political party]] and contest elections for the House of Representatives. Parties wanting to take part must register 43 days before the elections, supplying a nationwide list of no more than 50 candidates, or no more than 80 if the party won at least 15 seats in the previous election. Parties that did not contest or did not win any seats in the previous election must also pay a deposit (€11,250 for the March 2021 election, for all districts together) and provide thirty signatures of support from residents of each of the twenty electoral districts in which they want to collect votes. |
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===Registration and eligibility=== |
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⚫ | All citizens over the age of 18 are eligible to vote. Eligible citizens residing in the Netherlands are [[Automatic voter registration|automatically registered]] through the [[Resident registration|municipal population register]], while expatriates can permanently register at the municipality of [[The Hague]] provided they have a current Dutch passport or [[national ID]]. Residents of [[Aruba]], [[Curaçao]], and [[Sint Maarten]] can only vote if they have spent at least ten years residing in the Netherlands or work for the Dutch civil service.<ref>{{citation |title=Kiesgerechtigdheid |date=22 April 2016 |url=https://www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen/tweede-kamer/stemmen/kiesgerechtigdheid |access-date=2 December 2018 |publisher=Government of the Netherlands}}</ref>{{Clarify|reason=Aren't these territories part of the Netherlands? Can people living in these territories vote?|date=July 2024}} |
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Candidate lists are given to voters at least 14 days before the election. Each candidate list is numbered, with the candidate in the first position being known as the [[lead candidate]]. The lead candidate is usually appointed by the party to lead its election campaign, and is almost always the party leader and candidate for [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Prime Minister]]. Parties may choose to compete with different candidate lists in each of the twenty electoral districts, but as seats are allocated on a national rather than district level, most parties have (almost) identical lists in all districts with candidates running. Only large parties sometimes have a number of regional candidates at the bottom of their lists. From 1973 until its abolition in June 2017, it was possible for two or more parties to combine their separate lists to increase the chance of winning a remainder seat. This was known as a [[list combination]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/fenomeen-politieke-lijstverbinding-sneuvelt-in-eerste-kamer~a4501654/ | title=Fenomeen politieke lijstverbinding sneuvelt in Eerste Kamer | author=Gijs Herderscheê | date=20 June 2017 | publisher=Volkskrant}}</ref> |
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⚫ | Prisoners serving a term of more than one year are not eligible to vote. From 2009 onwards, mentally incapacitated citizens have regained the right to vote.<ref>{{citation |title=Uitsluiting kiesrecht |date=22 April 2016 |url=https://www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen/tweede-kamer/stemmen/uitsluiting-kiesrecht |access-date=3 September 2023 |publisher=Government of the Netherlands}}</ref> |
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===Registration and voting=== |
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=== Electoral system === |
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⚫ | Prisoners serving a term of more than one year |
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The Netherlands uses a system of [[party-list proportional representation]]. Seats are allocated among the parties using the [[D'Hondt method]]<ref name="wetten.nl 20193">{{cite web |date=22 February 2019 |title=Kieswet, Hoofdstuk P |url=https://wetten.overheid.nl/jci1.3:c:BWBR0004627&afdeling=II&hoofdstuk=P&z=2019-02-22&g=2019-02-22 |access-date=7 July 2019 |website=wetten.nl |language=nl}}</ref> with an [[election threshold]] of 0.67% (a [[Hare quota]]).<ref name="Kiesraad.nl 20163">{{cite web |date=22 April 2016 |title=Kiesdrempel, kiesdeler en voorkeurdrempel |url=https://www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen/tweede-kamer/uitslagen/kiesdrempel-kiesdeler-en-voorkeurdrempel |access-date=7 July 2019 |website=Kiesraad.nl |language=nl}}</ref> Parties may choose to compete with different candidate lists in each of the country's twenty electoral circles. If a party competes with different candidate lists, the seats allocated to the party are subsequently allocated among its different candidate lists using the [[largest remainders method]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen/tweede-kamer/kandidaatstelling/kieskringen |title=Kieskringen |website=Kiesraad.nl |language=nl |accessdate=3 July 2024}}</ref> The seats won by a list are first allocated to the candidates who, in preferential votes, have received at least 25% of the Hare quota (effectively ¼ of a seat or 0.17% of the total votes), regardless of their placement on the electoral list. If multiple candidates from a list pass this threshold, their ordering is determined based on the number of votes received. Any remaining seats are allocated to candidates according to their position on the electoral list.<ref>{{cite report|title=Nederland, Parlementsverkiezingen, 15 maart 2017: Eindrapport|url=http://www.osce.org/nl/odihr/elections/netherlands/322761?download=true|publisher=OSCE/ODIHR|date=7 June 2017|access-date=28 October 2017|archive-date=24 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024093005/http://www.osce.org/nl/odihr/elections/netherlands/322761?download=true|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen/tweede-kamer/uitslagen/zetelverdeling-over-kandidaten |title=Zetelverdeling over kandidaten |website=Kiesraad |date=22 April 2016 |language=nl |accessdate=9 July 2023 |archive-date=9 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709100008/https://www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen/tweede-kamer/uitslagen/zetelverdeling-over-kandidaten |url-status=live}}</ref> |
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⚫ | <!--Anyone eligible to vote in the Netherlands also has the right to establish a [[political party]] and contest elections for the House of Representatives. Parties wanting to take part must register 43 days before the elections, supplying a nationwide list of no more than 50 candidates, or no more than 80 if the party won at least 15 seats in the previous election. Parties that did not contest or did not win any seats in the previous election must also pay a deposit (€11,250 for the March 2021 election, for all districts together) and provide thirty signatures of support from residents of each of the twenty electoral districts in which they want to collect votes.{{Cn|date={{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}}}-->From 1973 until 2017, parties were able to form [[Apparentment|electoral alliances]] to increase their share of seats in parliament, allowing parties to overcome some of the bias of the [[D'Hondt method]]; however, this practice has since been discontinued.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/fenomeen-politieke-lijstverbinding-sneuvelt-in-eerste-kamer~a4501654/ | title=Fenomeen politieke lijstverbinding sneuvelt in Eerste Kamer | author=Gijs Herderscheê | date=20 June 2017 | publisher=Volkskrant}}</ref> |
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A single vote can be cast for any one candidate. Most voters vote for one of the lead candidates. Voters can give a preference vote for a candidate lower down the list. |
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When a vacancy arises, the seat is offered to the next candidate on the candidate list to which the seat was originally allocated.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen/tweede-kamer/benoemingen/tussentijdse-benoemingen |title=Tussentijdse benoemingen |website=Kiesraad.nl |language=nl |accessdate=3 July 2024}}</ref> |
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===Allocation of seats=== |
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Once the votes have been counted, the seats are allocated to the parties. The number of valid national votes cast is divided by 150, the number of seats available, to give a threshold for each seat (the [[Hare quota]]); 1/150th is approximately 0.67% of the valid votes. Each party's number of votes is divided by this threshold, and rounded down to the nearest whole number, to give an initial number of seats equal to the number of times the threshold was reached.<ref name="wetten.nl 2019">{{cite web | title=Kieswet, Hoofdstuk P | website=wetten.nl | date=22 February 2019 | url=https://wetten.overheid.nl/jci1.3:c:BWBR0004627&afdeling=II&hoofdstuk=P&z=2019-02-22&g=2019-02-22 | language=nl | access-date=7 July 2019}}</ref> After the initial seats are allocated, the remainder seats are allocated among the parties that received at least one seat, using the [[D'Hondt method]] of largest averages. This system slightly favours the larger parties. Since parties that received fewer votes than required to obtain one whole seat are not eligible for remainder seats, there is a ''de facto'' [[election threshold]] of 0.67%.<ref name="Kiesraad.nl 2016">{{cite web | title=Kiesdrempel, kiesdeler en voorkeurdrempel | website=Kiesraad.nl | date=22 April 2016 | url=https://www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen/tweede-kamer/uitslagen/kiesdrempel-kiesdeler-en-voorkeurdrempel | language=nl | access-date=7 July 2019}}</ref> This threshold is one of the lowest for national parliaments in the world, and there are usually multiple parties winning seats with 2% or less of the vote. Any party that did not have seats in the House at the time of the election will have its deposit refunded if it receives more than 75% of the threshold (1/200th of the vote). |
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Once the number of seats allocated to each party is known, they are usually allocated to candidates in the order in which they appear on the party's list. Hence, before an election, candidates near the top may be described as being in an electable position, depending on the number of seats that the party is likely to obtain. At this stage, however, the preference votes are also taken into account. Any candidate receiving more than one quarter of the threshold on personal preference votes (the preference threshold, 0.1675% of the total number of valid votes), is considered elected in their own right, leapfrogging candidates higher on the list. After the November 2006 elections, only one candidate received a seat exclusively through preference votes, while the 26 other candidates who reached the preference threshold were already elected based on their position on the list. If a candidate cannot take up the position in parliament (e.g., if they become a [[Political minister|minister]], decide not to enter parliament, or later resign) then the next candidate on the list takes their place. |
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===Formation of governing coalition=== |
===Formation of governing coalition=== |
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{{Main|Dutch cabinet formation}} |
{{Main|Dutch cabinet formation}} |
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After all seats are allocated, a series of negotiations take place in order to form a government that, usually, commands a majority in the chamber. Since 2012, the House of Representatives appoints a "scout" to ask the major party leaders about prospective coalitions. On basis of the scout's interviews, the House of Representatives then appoints an ''[[Formateur|informateur]]'', who checks out possible coalitions, and a ''[[formateur]]'', who leads negotiations. Before 2012, the informateur and formateur were appointed by the [[Monarchy of the Netherlands|monarch]]. It typically takes a few months before the ''formateur'' is ready to accept a royal invitation to form a government and become prime minister. All cabinet members must resign from parliament, as the constitution does not allow a cabinet member to simultaneously hold a seat in the House of Representatives. |
After all seats are allocated, a series of negotiations take place in order to form a government that, usually, commands a majority in the chamber. Since 2012, the House of Representatives appoints a "scout" to ask the major party leaders about prospective coalitions. On basis of the scout's interviews, the House of Representatives then appoints an ''[[Formateur|informateur]]'', who checks out possible coalitions, and a ''[[formateur]]'', who leads negotiations. Before 2012, the informateur and formateur were appointed by the [[Monarchy of the Netherlands|monarch]]. It typically takes a few months before the ''formateur'' is ready to accept a royal invitation to form a government and become prime minister. All cabinet members must resign from parliament, as the constitution does not allow a cabinet member to simultaneously hold a seat in the House of Representatives. |
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Due to the nationwide party-list system and the low election threshold, a typical House of Representatives has ten or more parties represented. Such fragmentation makes it nearly impossible for one party to win the 76 seats needed for a majority in the House of Representatives. Since the current party-list proportional representation system was introduced in 1917, no party has approached the number of seats needed for an outright majority. This fragmentation also makes it almost prohibitively difficult to win enough seats to govern alone. The highest number of seats won by a single party since then has been 54 out of 150, by the CDA in 1986 and 1989. Between 1891 and 1897, the [[Liberal Union (Netherlands)|Liberal Union]] was the last party to have an absolute majority of seats in the House of Representatives.{{citation needed|I believe this is not true.|date=December 2023}} All Dutch cabinets since then have been coalitions of two or more parties. |
Due to the nationwide party-list system and the low election threshold, a typical House of Representatives has ten or more parties represented. Such fragmentation makes it nearly impossible for one party to win the 76 seats needed for a majority in the House of Representatives. Since the current party-list proportional representation system was introduced in 1917, no party has approached the number of seats needed for an outright majority. This fragmentation also makes it almost prohibitively difficult to win enough seats to govern alone. The highest number of seats won by a single party since then has been 54 out of 150, by the CDA in 1986 and 1989. Between 1891 and 1897, the [[Liberal Union (Netherlands)|Liberal Union]] was the last party to have an absolute majority of seats in the House of Representatives.{{citation needed|reason=I believe this is not true.|date=December 2023}} All Dutch cabinets since then have been coalitions of two or more parties. |
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==Composition== |
==Composition== |
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Historically, there have been 100 seats in the House of Representatives. In 1956, this number was increased to 150, at which it remains today. |
Historically, there have been 100 seats in the House of Representatives. In 1956, this number was increased to 150, at which it remains today. |
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To give an overview of the history of the House of Representatives, the figure on the right shows the seat distribution in the House from the first general elections after World War II (1946) to the most recent election. The left-wing parties are located towards the bottom, while the Christian parties are located in the |
To give an overview of the history of the House of Representatives, the figure on the right shows the seat distribution in the House from the first general elections after World War II (1946) to the most recent election. The left-wing parties are located towards the bottom, while the Christian parties are located in the center, and the right-wing parties towards the top. Occasionally, single-issue (or narrow-focus) parties have arisen, and these are shown at the extreme top. Vertical lines indicate general elections. Although these are generally held every four years, the resulting coalition governments do not always finish their term without a government crisis, which is often followed by new elections. |
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===Current composition=== |
===Current composition=== |
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===Wasted vote=== |
===Wasted vote=== |
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The small fraction of voters, which were not represented by any party in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands despite valid vote, is increasing. The [[wasted vote]] fraction is shown below:<ref>{{cite web |title=Bekendmaking uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2021 |url=https://www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen/tweede-kamer/uitslagen/bekendmaking-uitslag |website=Kiesraad |date=22 April 2016 |access-date=26 March 2021 |language=nl-NL}}</ref> |
The small fraction of voters, which were not represented by any party in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands despite valid vote, is increasing. The [[wasted vote]] fraction is shown below:<ref>{{cite web |title=Bekendmaking uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2021 |url=https://www.kiesraad.nl/verkiezingen/tweede-kamer/uitslagen/bekendmaking-uitslag |website=Kiesraad |date=22 April 2016 |access-date=26 March 2021 |language=nl-NL}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=May 2024}} |
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{{Graph:Chart|width=400|height=150|type=rect|xAxisTitle=Year of election |yAxisTitle=Wasted vote in %|yAxisMin=0|yAxisMax=3 |
<!-- {{Graph:Chart|width=400|height=150|type=rect|xAxisTitle=Year of election |yAxisTitle=Wasted vote in %|yAxisMin=0|yAxisMax=3 |
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|x=2002, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2021 |
|x=2002, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2021 |
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|y1Title=Wasted vote|y1=0.71, 1.31, 1.21, 1.09, 0.93, 1.55, 1.99 |
|y1Title=Wasted vote|y1=0.71, 1.31, 1.21, 1.09, 0.93, 1.55, 1.99 |
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|colors=#99ccff}} |
|colors=#99ccff}} --> |
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[[File:Wasted vote in the Netherlands, 2002 to 2021.png|500px|center|Graph of the wasted vote in the Netherlands from 2002 to 2021]] |
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==Members of the Presidium== |
==Members of the Presidium== |
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
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! Position |
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! |
! Portrait |
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! Name |
! Name |
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! |
! colspan=2 | Group |
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! Party |
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! Service in the Presidium |
! Service in the Presidium |
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! Service |
! Service in the House of Representatives |
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|- |
|- |
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| [[Speaker of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Speaker]] |
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| [[File:Martin-Bosma (cropped).jpg|120px|Martin Bosma]] |
| [[File:Martin-Bosma (cropped).jpg|120px|Martin Bosma]] |
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| [[Martin Bosma]] <br /> <small>(born 1964)</small> |
| [[Martin Bosma]] <br /> <small>(born 1964)</small> |
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| {{Party name with color|Party for Freedom}} |
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| [[Party for Freedom|PVV]] |
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| 30 November 2006 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2006|11|30}})</small> |
| 30 November 2006 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2006|11|30}})</small> |
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|- |
|- |
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| [[File:Netherlands politic personality icon.svg|120px]] |
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| First Deputy Speaker |
| First Deputy Speaker |
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| [[File:Tom van der Lee 2020 (2).jpg|120px]] |
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| [[GroenLinks–PvdA|GL–PvdA]] |
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| 14 June 2018 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2018|06|14}})</small> |
| 14 June 2018 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2018|06|14}})</small> |
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| 23 March 2017 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2017|03|23}})</small> |
| 23 March 2017 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2017|03|23}})</small> |
||
|- |
|- |
||
⚫ | |||
| style="background:{{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};" | |
|||
| [[File:Roelien Kamminga.jpg|120px|Roelien Kamminga]] |
| [[File:Roelien Kamminga.jpg|120px|Roelien Kamminga]] |
||
| [[Roelien Kamminga]] <br /> <small>(born 1978)</small> |
| [[Roelien Kamminga]] <br /> <small>(born 1978)</small> |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
| [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]] |
| [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]] |
||
| 7 July 2021 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2021|07|07}})</small> |
| 7 July 2021 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2021|07|07}})</small> |
||
| 31 March 2021 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2021|03|31}})</small> |
| 31 March 2021 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2021|03|31}})</small> |
||
|- |
|- |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
| [[File:Nicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok.jpg|120px|Nicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok]] |
| [[File:Nicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok.jpg|120px|Nicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok]] |
||
| [[Nicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok]] <br /> <small>(born 1971)</small> |
| [[Nicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok]] <br /> <small>(born 1971)</small> |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
| [[New Social Contract|NSC]] |
|||
| 19 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2023|12|19}})</small> |
| 19 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2023|12|19}})</small> |
||
| 23 May 2002 - 12 May 2008, <br /> 18 August 2008 - 17 June 2010, <br /> 6 December 2023 |
| 23 May 2002 - 12 May 2008, <br /> 18 August 2008 - 17 June 2010, <br /> 6 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2016|02|15}})</small> |
||
|- |
|- |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
| [[File:Wieke Paulusma - D66 TK2021 candidate Nr.15.jpg|120px|Wieke Paulusma]] |
| [[File:Wieke Paulusma - D66 TK2021 candidate Nr.15.jpg|120px|Wieke Paulusma]] |
||
| [[Wieke Paulusma]] <br /> <small>(born 1978)</small> |
| [[Wieke Paulusma]] <br /> <small>(born 1978)</small> |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
| [[Democrats 66|D66]] |
|||
| 19 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2023|12|19}})</small> |
| 19 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2023|12|19}})</small> |
||
| 15 April 2021 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2021|04|15}})</small> |
| 15 April 2021 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2021|04|15}})</small> |
||
|- |
|- |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
| [[File:Netherlands politic personality icon.svg|120px]] |
| [[File:Netherlands politic personality icon.svg|120px]] |
||
| [[Henk Vermeer]] <br /> <small>(born 1966)</small> |
| [[Henk Vermeer]] <br /> <small>(born 1966)</small> |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
| [[Farmer–Citizen Movement|BBB]] |
|||
| 19 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2023|12|19}})</small> |
| 19 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2023|12|19}})</small> |
||
| 6 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2023|12|06}})</small> |
| 6 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2023|12|06}})</small> |
||
|- |
|- |
||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
| [[File:Gidi Markuszower.jpg|120px|Gidi Markuszower]] |
| [[File:Gidi Markuszower.jpg|120px|Gidi Markuszower]] |
||
| [[Gidi Markuszower]] <br /> <small>(born 1977)</small> |
| [[Gidi Markuszower]] <br /> <small>(born 1977)</small> |
||
| {{Party name with color|Party for Freedom}} |
|||
| Sixth Deputy Speaker |
|||
| [[Party for Freedom|PVV]] |
|||
| 19 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2023|12|19}})</small> |
| 19 December 2023 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2023|12|19}})</small> |
||
| 21 March 2017 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2017|03|21}})</small> |
| 21 March 2017 <br /> <small>({{Age in years and days|2017|03|21}})</small> |
||
|} |
|} |
||
==Parliamentary |
==Parliamentary committees== |
||
{{Main|Parliamentary committee of the Dutch parliament}} |
{{Main|Parliamentary committee of the Dutch parliament}} |
||
{| class="sortable wikitable" |
{| class="sortable wikitable" |
||
|- |
|- |
||
! Parliamentary |
! Parliamentary committee |
||
! Ministry |
! Ministry |
||
! Current |
! Current chair |
||
|- |
|- |
||
| {{ill|Dutch parliamentary committee for the Interior|lt=Parliamentary committee for the Interior|nl|Vaste commissie voor Binnenlandse Zaken}} |
| {{ill|Dutch parliamentary committee for the Interior|lt=Parliamentary committee for the Interior|nl|Vaste commissie voor Binnenlandse Zaken}} |
||
Line 323: | Line 314: | ||
|- |
|- |
||
| [[:nl:Vaste commissie voor Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit|Parliamentary committee for <br/> Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality]] |
| [[:nl:Vaste commissie voor Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit|Parliamentary committee for <br/> Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality]] |
||
| [[Ministry of Agriculture, |
| [[Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature|Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, <br/> Food Security and Nature]] |
||
| [[Jaco Geurts]] ([[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]]) |
| [[Jaco Geurts]] ([[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]]) |
||
|- |
|- |
Revision as of 21:04, 15 July 2024
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2024) |
House of Representatives Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal | |
---|---|
States General of the Netherlands | |
Type | |
Type | |
Leadership | |
First Deputy Speaker | |
Second Deputy Speaker | |
Structure | |
Seats | 150 |
Political groups | Government (88)
Opposition (62) |
Elections | |
Open party-list proportional representation (D'Hondt method) | |
Last election | 22 November 2023 |
Next election | On or before 15 March 2028 |
Meeting place | |
Binnenhof, The Hague (closed due to ongoing renovations) | |
Bezuidenhoutseweg 67, The Hague (temporary) | |
Website | |
www |
The House of Representatives (Dutch: Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal [ˈtʋeːdə ˈkaːmər dər ˈstaːtə(ŋ) ˌɣeːnəˈraːl] , literally "Second Chamber of the States General", or simply Tweede Kamer) is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of the Netherlands, the States General, the other one being the Senate. It has 150 seats, which are filled through elections using party-list proportional representation. Generally, the house is located in the Binnenhof in The Hague, however, it has temporarily moved to the former building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Bezuidenhoutseweg 67 in The Hague while the Binnenhof is being renovated.[3]
Name
Although the body is officially called the "House of Representatives" in English, it is not a direct translation of its official Dutch name, the "Second Chamber of the States General", "Second Chamber" or more colloquially just the "Chamber". Rather than "representative" (afgevaardigde), a member of the House is referred to as (Tweede) Kamerlid, or "member of the (Second) Chamber".
Functions
The House of Representatives is the primary legislative body of the States General, where proposed legislation is discussed and the actions of the cabinet are reviewed. Both the Cabinet and the House of Representatives itself have the right to propose legislation; the House of Representatives discusses it and, if adopted by a majority, sends it on to the Senate.[4] Both individual cabinet ministers and the cabinet as a whole must have parliament’s confidence. Therefore, a minister, or the whole cabinet, must resign if a majority of parliament expresses it no longer has confidence in them.[5] Review of the actions of the cabinet takes the form of formal interrogations in plenary and committee meetings, which may result in motions urging the cabinet to take, or refrain from, certain actions. No individual may be a member of both parliament and cabinet, except in a caretaker cabinet that has not yet been succeeded when a new House is sworn in.
Through functions like the scrutiny and political discussions before meetings of the Council of the European Union, the appointment of EU-rapporteurs and participation in Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs the House of Representatives also plays a role in EU policy making.[6]
The House of Representatives is also responsible for the first round of selection for judges to the Supreme Court of the Netherlands. It submits a list of three names for every vacant position to the Government. Furthermore, it elects the Dutch Ombudsman and their subsidiaries.
Elections
The normal term of the House of Representatives is four years. Elections are called when the government loses the parliament's confidence, the governing coalition breaks down, the term of the House of Representatives expires, or when no governing coalition can be formed.
Registration and eligibility
All citizens over the age of 18 are eligible to vote. Eligible citizens residing in the Netherlands are automatically registered through the municipal population register, while expatriates can permanently register at the municipality of The Hague provided they have a current Dutch passport or national ID. Residents of Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten can only vote if they have spent at least ten years residing in the Netherlands or work for the Dutch civil service.[7][clarification needed]
Prisoners serving a term of more than one year are not eligible to vote. From 2009 onwards, mentally incapacitated citizens have regained the right to vote.[8]
Electoral system
The Netherlands uses a system of party-list proportional representation. Seats are allocated among the parties using the D'Hondt method[9] with an election threshold of 0.67% (a Hare quota).[10] Parties may choose to compete with different candidate lists in each of the country's twenty electoral circles. If a party competes with different candidate lists, the seats allocated to the party are subsequently allocated among its different candidate lists using the largest remainders method.[11] The seats won by a list are first allocated to the candidates who, in preferential votes, have received at least 25% of the Hare quota (effectively ¼ of a seat or 0.17% of the total votes), regardless of their placement on the electoral list. If multiple candidates from a list pass this threshold, their ordering is determined based on the number of votes received. Any remaining seats are allocated to candidates according to their position on the electoral list.[12][13]
From 1973 until 2017, parties were able to form electoral alliances to increase their share of seats in parliament, allowing parties to overcome some of the bias of the D'Hondt method; however, this practice has since been discontinued.[14]
When a vacancy arises, the seat is offered to the next candidate on the candidate list to which the seat was originally allocated.[15]
Formation of governing coalition
After all seats are allocated, a series of negotiations take place in order to form a government that, usually, commands a majority in the chamber. Since 2012, the House of Representatives appoints a "scout" to ask the major party leaders about prospective coalitions. On basis of the scout's interviews, the House of Representatives then appoints an informateur, who checks out possible coalitions, and a formateur, who leads negotiations. Before 2012, the informateur and formateur were appointed by the monarch. It typically takes a few months before the formateur is ready to accept a royal invitation to form a government and become prime minister. All cabinet members must resign from parliament, as the constitution does not allow a cabinet member to simultaneously hold a seat in the House of Representatives.
Due to the nationwide party-list system and the low election threshold, a typical House of Representatives has ten or more parties represented. Such fragmentation makes it nearly impossible for one party to win the 76 seats needed for a majority in the House of Representatives. Since the current party-list proportional representation system was introduced in 1917, no party has approached the number of seats needed for an outright majority. This fragmentation also makes it almost prohibitively difficult to win enough seats to govern alone. The highest number of seats won by a single party since then has been 54 out of 150, by the CDA in 1986 and 1989. Between 1891 and 1897, the Liberal Union was the last party to have an absolute majority of seats in the House of Representatives.[citation needed] All Dutch cabinets since then have been coalitions of two or more parties.
Composition
Historical compositions
Historically, there have been 100 seats in the House of Representatives. In 1956, this number was increased to 150, at which it remains today.
To give an overview of the history of the House of Representatives, the figure on the right shows the seat distribution in the House from the first general elections after World War II (1946) to the most recent election. The left-wing parties are located towards the bottom, while the Christian parties are located in the center, and the right-wing parties towards the top. Occasionally, single-issue (or narrow-focus) parties have arisen, and these are shown at the extreme top. Vertical lines indicate general elections. Although these are generally held every four years, the resulting coalition governments do not always finish their term without a government crisis, which is often followed by new elections.
Current composition
The composition of the House of Representatives as of the 2023 general election is shown in the table below.
Part of the Politics series |
|
Group | Leader | Seats | |
---|---|---|---|
Party for Freedom | Geert Wilders | 37 / 150 | |
GroenLinks–PvdA | Frans Timmermans | 25 / 150 | |
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | Dilan Yeşilgöz | 24 / 150 | |
New Social Contract | Pieter Omtzigt | 20 / 150 | |
Democrats 66 | Rob Jetten | 9 / 150 | |
Farmer–Citizen Movement | Caroline van der Plas | 7 / 150 | |
Christian Democratic Appeal | Henri Bontenbal | 5 / 150 | |
Socialist Party | Jimmy Dijk | 5 / 150 | |
DENK | Stephan van Baarle | 3 / 150 | |
Party for the Animals | Esther Ouwehand | 3 / 150 | |
Forum for Democracy | Thierry Baudet | 3 / 150 | |
Reformed Political Party | Chris Stoffer | 3 / 150 | |
Christian Union | Mirjam Bikker | 3 / 150 | |
Volt Netherlands | Laurens Dassen | 2 / 150 | |
JA21 | Joost Eerdmans | 1 / 150 |
Wasted vote
The small fraction of voters, which were not represented by any party in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands despite valid vote, is increasing. The wasted vote fraction is shown below:[16][failed verification]
Members of the Presidium
Position | Portrait | Name | Group | Service in the Presidium | Service in the House of Representatives | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Speaker | Martin Bosma (born 1964) |
PVV | 30 June 2010 (14 years, 54 days) |
30 November 2006 (17 years, 267 days) | ||
First Deputy Speaker | Tom van der Lee (born 1964) |
GL/PvdA | 14 June 2018 (6 years, 70 days) |
23 March 2017 (7 years, 153 days) | ||
Second Deputy Speaker | Roelien Kamminga (born 1978) |
VVD | 7 July 2021 (3 years, 47 days) |
31 March 2021 (3 years, 145 days) | ||
Third Deputy Speaker | Nicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok (born 1971) |
NSC | 19 December 2023 (248 days) |
23 May 2002 - 12 May 2008, 18 August 2008 - 17 June 2010, 6 December 2023 (8 years, 190 days) | ||
Fourth Deputy Speaker | Wieke Paulusma (born 1978) |
D66 | 19 December 2023 (248 days) |
15 April 2021 (3 years, 130 days) | ||
Fifth Deputy Speaker | Henk Vermeer (born 1966) |
BBB | 19 December 2023 (248 days) |
6 December 2023 (261 days) | ||
Sixth Deputy Speaker | Gidi Markuszower (born 1977) |
PVV | 19 December 2023 (248 days) |
21 March 2017 (7 years, 155 days) |
Parliamentary committees
Notes
References
- ^ "GroenLinks-PvdA (GL-PvdA)". Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Netherlands". Europe Elects.
- ^ "Renovatie van het Binnenhof en de tijdelijke verhuizing van de Tweede Kamer". www.tweedekamer.nl (in Dutch). 27 February 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ "Democracy in the Netherlands". www.houseofrepresentatives.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 July 2024.
- ^ "The cabinet". www.houseofrepresentatives.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 July 2024.
- ^ "Europe at The House of Representatives and the Senate". www.houseofrepresentatives.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 July 2024.
- ^ Kiesgerechtigdheid, Government of the Netherlands, 22 April 2016, retrieved 2 December 2018
- ^ Uitsluiting kiesrecht, Government of the Netherlands, 22 April 2016, retrieved 3 September 2023
- ^ "Kieswet, Hoofdstuk P". wetten.nl (in Dutch). 22 February 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
- ^ "Kiesdrempel, kiesdeler en voorkeurdrempel". Kiesraad.nl (in Dutch). 22 April 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
- ^ "Kieskringen". Kiesraad.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ Nederland, Parlementsverkiezingen, 15 maart 2017: Eindrapport (Report). OSCE/ODIHR. 7 June 2017. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ "Zetelverdeling over kandidaten". Kiesraad (in Dutch). 22 April 2016. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ Gijs Herderscheê (20 June 2017). "Fenomeen politieke lijstverbinding sneuvelt in Eerste Kamer". Volkskrant.
- ^ "Tussentijdse benoemingen". Kiesraad.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ "Bekendmaking uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2021". Kiesraad (in Dutch). 22 April 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
External links
- Official website
- (in Dutch) Official site