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$Unique_ID{COW02569}
$Pretitle{433}
$Title{Netherlands
History and Political System}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Antoinette de Cock Buning and Leo Verheijen}
$Affiliation{Foreign Information Service}
$Subject{netherlands
state
council
government
court
general
members
ministers
provincial
appointed}
$Date{1987}
$Log{Map of the Netherlands*0256901.scf
Table 1.*0256901.tab
}
Country: Netherlands
Book: The Netherlands in Brief
Author: Antoinette de Cock Buning and Leo Verheijen
Affiliation: Foreign Information Service
Date: 1987
History and Political System
[See Map of the Netherlands: Courtesy Embassy of Netherlands, Washington DC]
The Netherlands is a small, densely populated and highly developed
country situated on the North Sea at the estuaries of three major rivers, the
Rhine, the Maas and the Scheldt.
Consequently, many people earn their living from shipping, tourism,
commerce and the transit trade - the transport of goods to countries inland
which are also densely populated, highly developed and highly industrialised.
The Netherlands covers 41,548 square kilometres and has more than 14
million inhabitants. The labour force is made up of 5.5 million people, 67% of
whom work in the services sector, 28% in industry and 5% in agriculture and
fisheries. Industrialisation, which is now substantial, only really got under
way after the Second World War.
More than half the country lies below sea level, with the result that
dikes and pumping stations are necessary to keep the land dry. It has a
temperate maritime climate because of its situation between latitudes 51
degrees and 54 degrees North, near the Gulf Stream, with average temperatures
of 1.7 degrees in January and 17 degrees in July. Total annual rainfall of
over 700 mm is spread evenly throughout the year.
The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system
of government. The head of state is Queen Beatrix. The Hague is the seat of
government, but Amsterdam is the capital. Parliamentary elections are held
every four years. The Kingdom of the Netherlands comprises the Netherlands in
Europe and the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba in the Caribbean. Dutch, one of
the Germanic languages, is spoken throughout the country. Frisian, another
member of the Germanic group of languages, is spoken in the province of
Friesland.
History
During the Middle Ages, the area now known as the Netherlands comprised
a group of autonomous duchies (Gelre and Brabant) and counties (Holland and
Zeeland) together with the bishopric of Utrecht. Under Charles V (1500-1558)
these territories, together with present-day Belgium and Luxembourg, formed
the Low Countries which were part of the great Burgundian-Hapsburg Empire. The
first step towards establishing an independent state was taken in 1568 when a
number of the provinces rebelled against Philip II of Spain, sovereign ruler
of the Burgundian-Hapsburg domains. The revolt, led by Prince William of
Orange, who has gone down in Dutch history as 'the father of the Netherlands',
marked the beginning of the 80 Years' War of Independence. The Peace of
Westphalia (1648) recognised the Republic of the Seven United Provinces as an
independent state.
In the seventeenth century, Dutch merchants established trading posts all
over the world. The period was characterised by an expansion of trade and
shipping, earning it the name 'the Golden Age'. The leading companies were the
Dutch East India Company (VOC), which traded with the Far East, and the West
India Company (WIC) responsible for administration of New Amsterdam or New
York as it later became. The need to protect trading interests led to several
wars, notably against England.
Increasing prosperity brought a great flourishing of culture,
particularly painting. 17th century Dutch artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer
and Frans Hals are famous all over the world.
The Netherlands remained independent until the French Revolution. In
1795 it became a vassal state of the French Empire and in 1810 it was annexed
to France by Napoleon. When the French occupation came to an end in 1814, the
Kingdom of the Netherlands came into existence, comprising the Netherlands and
present-day Belgium and Luxembourg. The first king, William I, prince of
Orange Nassau, was the son of the last stadholder, William V. He was also
Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The personal union of the crowns came to an end in
1890 under the Salic Law which excluded women from the Luxembourg succession.
The constitution of 1814 decreed that the king should govern and that the
ministers should be accountable to him. It was revised in 1848 making
ministers accountable to an elected parliament rather than the king. The new
constitution created the basis of a constitutional monarchy with a
parliamentary system.
The Netherlands assumed its present form when Belgium became independent
in 1839. The male succession ended in 1890 with the death of King William III.
Queen Wilhelmina (1880-1962) became head of state, with her mother Queen Emma
acting as regent until 1898.
During the First World War, the Netherlands remained neutral, though not
without difficulty. It continued to pursue a policy of strict neutrality right
up until the Second World War, but was nevertheless attacked and invaded by
Germany in 1940 and occupied for 5 years. Queen Wilhelmina left the
Netherlands in May 1940 and spent the war years in England. She abdicated in
1948, after a reign of 50 years, in favour of her daughter, Juliana. Queen
Juliana abdicated on 30 April 1980 and was succeeded by her eldest daughter,
Beatrix.
The Netherlands was a major colonial power until the Second World War,
but after 1945 the colonies quickly became independent.
Indonesia severed all its constitution links with the Netherlands.
Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles became equal partners with the
Netherlands under the Charter for the Kingdom of 1954 which laid down that the
Netherlands would deal with foreign affairs and defence on behalf of its two
former colonies.
Suriname became an independent republic on 25 November 1975.
Aruba has had separate status within the Kingdom since 1 January 1986,
since when it has been the equal partner of the Netherlands Antilles
(Curacao, Bonaire, St. Eustatius, Saba and St. Maarten) and the Netherlands.
Political structure
Form of Government
The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system.
Queen Beatrix is the head of state.
The Crown
The King or Queen and ministers constitute the Crown.
The Sovereign
Under the Constitution of the Netherlands, the ministers rather than the
monarch are responsible to Parliament. All bills are submitted to the Council
of State, approved by Parliament and become law after being signed by the
sovereign and the minister responsible.
The Royal Family
The Royal House is the House of Orange Nassau which has historical links
with the Netherlands dating back to the sixteenth century. The founder of the
House was Prince Willem of Orange (1533-1584). The present head of state,
Queen Beatrix, is married to Prince Claus of the Netherlands, Jonkheer van
Amsberg. They have three sons: Prince William Alexander (born 1967) who became
Crown Prince with the title of Prince of Orange on 30 April 1980, Prince Johan
Friso (born 1968) and Prince Constantijn (born 1969). Succession to the throne
is hereditary in the male and female lines.
Ministers
The Sovereign appoints on the recommendation of a 'formateur' who is
usually the person who becomes Prime Minister in a new government. The parties
forming the government (which is almost always a coalition because of
proportional representation) divide up the total number of ministerial
portfolios on the basis of the number of seats they have in parliament.
In addition to ministers with their own ministries, ministers without
portfolio are appointed either to maintain the p