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Netherlands

Kingdom of the Netherlands

Civil lawUnitary parliamentary constitutional monarchyReviewed· 2026-08-02
Capital
Amsterdam
Population
17,900,000
Languages
Dutch, Frisian
Currency
EUR

Netherlands · Constitution

Grondwet (Constitution of the Netherlands)

Dating from 1815 and thoroughly revised in 1848, when ministerial responsibility and parliamentary government were introduced, and again in 1983. Revision requires passage by both chambers, dissolution of parliament, and then a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the newly elected States General.

The constitutional text

Dating from 1815 and thoroughly revised in 1848, when ministerial responsibility and parliamentary government were introduced, and again in 1983. Revision requires passage by both chambers, dissolution of parliament, and then a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the newly elected States General.

Separation of powers

A decentralised unitary state rather than a federation: twelve provinces and the municipalities hold delegated autonomy, not sovereign competence. The Kingdom also includes Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten as autonomous countries, with Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius as special municipalities.

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