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), Prince
of Orange, 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: Cabinet 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: there is a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
apparent, and councillors 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 9 June 1995 (next to be held 25
May 1999); 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—VVD 23, CDA 19, PvdA 14, D'66 7, other 12; 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
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoge Raad, justices are
nominated for life by the monarch
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA