Talk:Dick Schoof

Start date

The starting date is a prediction. A lot can happen between then. So its better to wait until 2 July Dajasj (talk) 10:52, 18 June 2024 (UTC)

This date has been added to many more pages. It has been announced verbally by Schoof to journalists, but I agree it should be excluded as it is more a targeted/planned date rather than a certainty. (formation processes are indeed often messy and have no legally mandated timelines (such as 20 January for US presidents)) - Tristan Surtel (talk) 15:31, 18 June 2024 (UTC)

Member of the House

Is he not a member of the house, if so how is he able to become Prime Minister, is that allowed in The Netherlands? Faronnorth (talk) 22:55, 3 July 2024 (UTC)

He is nominated by the formateur and the four coalition parties. There is no requirement that a PM must have been a member of parliament. Dajasj (talk) 05:29, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

How can he be PM if he's not a member of parliament, is he a member of their senate? Faronnorth (talk) 23:27, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

Nope, there is simply no requirement Dajasj (talk) 06:22, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

Dajasj is right. For the PM appointment process see:

• Dutch_cabinet_formation#Formation_phase
• Dick_Schoof#Political_career
• 2023–2024_Dutch_cabinet_formation#Formateur_Van_Zwol.

In the Netherlands politicians can not run for PM. Voters can not select a PM.

After general elections the leader of the biggest coalition party usually becomes PM, but Wilders was not an acceptable PM for other coalition parties. Wilders approached several candidates. None of them made it.

Schoof is not a member of the house or senate, is not even a member of a political party, has no experience as politician, did not aspire to be politician. Oddly, his neutrality made him acceptable for all 4 coalition parties. It is unclear who nominated Schoof. Uwappa (talk) 06:25, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

Important to note that only the last three PMs in the Netherlands were always the lead candidate of the largest coalition party. We used to have a rich tradition of people outside parliament or outside the largest party becoming PM. Dajasj (talk) 08:07, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

Can't say it's a good advert for their more rigid form of PR TBF, this is why I advocate for STV. Faronnorth (talk) 01:34, 11 July 2024 (UTC)

STV for parliament or PM? Neither would change the fact that a PM does not have to be MP, just like in France for example. There simply has to be a majority in parliament with confidence in the PM. Dajasj (talk) 06:59, 11 July 2024 (UTC)

If the PM turns out to be someone not even on the ballot then personally, I'd use STV over a more rigid form of PR. The Dutch system seems to assume that being as proportional as possible at a party level is the fairest result. The result is normally deeply fragmented and lacks local representation. I'd also make it so the PM has to be an MP so that they can answer questions in parliament etc. Faronnorth (talk) 17:01, 12 July 2024 (UTC)

Again, STV for parliament wouldn't change the fact that the PM doesn't have to be member of parliament. And there are al sorts of downsides to electoral districts. And despite not being MP, the PM (and all ministers) have to answer questions in parliament. Anyway, if we want to continue this discussion (I very much like discussing electoral systems), let's do that on one of our own talk pages. Dajasj (talk) 17:10, 12 July 2024 (UTC)

STV is a wonderful electoral system, but yeah, it's completely unrelated to the relationship between PM and parliament. You can have all sorts of arrangements irrespective of the electoral system. Luxorr (talk) 18:42, 12 July 2024 (UTC)

I should have been clearer, I'm not saying a change to STV would inherently mean the PM has to be an MP, I'm suggesting both things should change. Faronnorth (talk) 14:45, 13 July 2024 (UTC)