Netherlands · Government
Government and administration in Netherlands
How the executive, legislature and administrative state are organised, and which body is responsible for what.
The three branches
- Head of State — The King
- Part of the government in a formal sense, but politically unaccountable; ministers bear responsibility.
- Executive — Council of Ministers
- Led by the Prime Minister; invariably a coalition, formed through a lengthy negotiation process.
- Legislative — States General: Tweede Kamer and Eerste Kamer
- 150 directly elected members; 75 senators chosen by the provincial councils.
- Judicial — Judiciary and the Council for the Judiciary
- Judges are appointed for life by royal decree on the judiciary’s nomination.
- Advisory — Council of State (Advisory Division)
- Must be consulted on all draft legislation and general administrative regulations.
How legislation is made
A bill is submitted to the Advisory Division of the Council of State for an opinion, then to the Tweede Kamer, which may amend it, and then to the Eerste Kamer, which may only accept or reject. After adoption it is signed by the King and the responsible minister and published in the Staatsblad.
Enforcement institutions
- Openbaar Ministerie
- The public prosecution service; directs criminal investigations and may impose penalty orders without trial.
- Politie
- A single national force organised in regional units since the 2013 reorganisation.
- Rechter-commissaris
- The examining magistrate authorises coercive measures and tests the lawfulness of detention.
Government bodies and regulators
- judicialNetherlands Judiciary (de Rechtspraak)The national portal and administration of the Dutch courts.
- executiveImmigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)Decides on residence, asylum and naturalisation applications.
- executiveTax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst)Administers and collects national taxes.
- independentDutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens)Supervises compliance with the GDPR and the UAVG.
- independentChamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel, KVK)Maintains the Commercial Register of all Dutch businesses.
- independentAuthority for Consumers and Markets (ACM)Enforces competition, consumer and sector regulation.
- executiveEmployee Insurance Agency (UWV)Administers employee insurance and dismissal permits.
- independentNetherlands Bar (Nederlandse orde van advocaten)Regulates the profession of advocaat.
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