Government and politics of the Netherlands

The Netherlands has a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. Still today, the Estates General of the Netherlands refers to the two chambers of legislative representation, thus equivalent to the Cortes Generales in Spain.

The country's constitution was first promulgated in 1815 (however, the first Dutch constitution was promulgated in 1798, in the Batavian Republic). In 1848 the constitution was approved, introducing census suffrage and a parliamentary system. The Netherlands has had male suffrage since 1917 and universal suffrage since 1919. A hereditary monarch is the head of state.

Political parties

• 50PLUS (50+)
• Democrats 66 D66)
• DENK (DENK)
• Forum for Democracy (FVD)
• Fraction of the Independent Senate (OSF)
• Green Left (GroenLinks)
• Christian Democratic Call (CDA)
• Labour Party (PvdA)
• Party for Animals (PvdD)
• Popular Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD)
• Freedom Party (PVV)
• Reformed Political Party (GSP)
• Socialist Party (SP)
• Christian Union (CU)

Overseas Territories

According to the kingdom's 1954 statute, the kingdom consists of the Netherlands, Aruba, and the now extinct Netherlands Antilles (present-day Curaçao, Saint Martin, Bonaire, Saba, and Saint Eustatius)