Netherlands/Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
conventional short form: Netherlands
local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
local short form: Nederland

Data code: NL

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe?, Overijssel?, Flevoland?, Gelderland?, Utrecht, Noord-Holland?, Zuid-Holland, Zeeland?, Noord-Brabant? and Limburg

Dependent areas: Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence: 1579 (from Spain)

National holiday: [Queen's Day]?, 30 April

Constitution: adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983

Legal system: civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980); [Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER]? (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Wim KOK (since 22 August 1994) and Vice Prime Ministers [Annemarie JORRITSMA]? (since 3 August 1998) and [Els BORST-EILERS]? (since 3 August 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch
note: government coalition - PvdA?, VVD?, and D'66?; there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors consulted by the executive on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch: bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2003); Second Chamber - last held 6 May 1998 (next to be held May 2002)
election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDA? 20, VVD 19, PvdA? 15, D'66 4, other 17; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - PvdA? 30.0%, VVD 25.3%, CDA 19.3%, D'66 9.3%, other 16.1%; seats by party - PvdA? 45, VVD 38, CDA 29, D'66 14, other 24 (see Politics for further information)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoge Raad, justices are nominated for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA ([Jaap de Hoop SCHEFFER]?); Democrats '66 or D'66 ([Tom KOK]?); Labor Party or PvdA? (Wim KOK); People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD ([Hans F. DIJKSTAL]?); a host of minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

International organization participation: AfDB?, AsDB, [Australia Group]?, Benelux, BIS?, CCC?, CE, CERN?, EAPC?, EBRD?, ECE?, ECLAC?, EIB?, EMU?, ESA?, ESCAP?, EU, FAO, G-10?, IADB?, IAEA, IBRD?, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU?, ICRM?, IDA?, IEA?, IFAD?, IFC?, IFRCS?, IHO?, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat?, Intelsat?, Interpol?, IOC, IOM?, ISO, ITU, NAM? (guest), NATO, NEA?, NSG?, OAS? (observer), OECD, OPCW?, OSCE?, PCA?, UN, UN [Security Council]? (temporary), UNCTAD?, UNESCO, UNFICYP?, UNHCR, UNIDO?, UNITAR?, UNMIBH?, UNMIK?, UNTSO?, UNU?, UPU, WCL?, WEU?, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO?, WTrO, ZC?

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joris M. VOS
chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300
FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia P. SCHNEIDER
embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209
FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer

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See also Politics