Politics, constitution and administrative structure of Netherlands

The Netherlands is a united kingdom. The greater part of the territory is in Europe; the country also includes the Antilles and the island of Aruba in the West Indies. Since the middle of the 20th century, the islands have switched to self-government, but they are subjects of the authority of the Dutch monarch and work together on defense issues and jointly develop a strategy for international relations. The official capital of the country is Amsterdam. Here, the monarch, coming to power, swears allegiance, holding his hand on the Constitution. However, the actual capital is still the Hague, because there is the parliament and the government itself, and virtually all foreign embassies. The national flag is three-color, consisting of red, white, and blue horizontal lines.

There is a constitutional monarchy in the Netherlands. The first constitution was adopted in 1814; it is regularly amended and supplemented. At the moment, the power in the country belongs the dynasty of the Orange-Nassau. Queen Beatrix rules the state. The heir is the son of Queen, Willem-Alexander. The executive power in the Netherlands is executed through the interaction of the queen and the parliament. Despite the fact that the power of the monarch under the constitution is rather limited, the decisive role in choosing the prime minister is played by the queen. All political and international documentation is compiled on her behalf. The monarch's duty is the annual throne speech on the day of the princes.

The government is formed of 14 ministers who represent their coalition parties. The highest advisory body of the Netherlands is the State Council. It deals with all bills. It includes a chairman, a deputy head, and 28 politicians, whose posts are given for life. The Accounting Chamber is called upon to monitor all public finances. The legislative branch is represented by the monarch and the two figures that form the General Staff. The first chamber is occupied by 75 politicians through provincial elections. The term is 6 years, but more than half of the members are re-elected. Candidates are elected to the second chamber for a four-year term by direct state ballot. It is the second chamber that has the right to work with the constitution, make amendments, and approve laws. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The Provincial Executive is the main branch of the regional administration. This Council carries out all legislative functions at the entrusted territory. Each member of the Executive is elected by the general Executive Committee headed by the Supreme Commissioner. The candidature is approved by the queen herself. The political system in the Netherlands is quite stable and functional. In total, sixteen large parties have been formed in the country. Of these, almost half were in the parliament during last 15 years. At the same time, the party majority is not formed. The coalition parties often differ in their political views. However, a mental consensus and the ability to honor other people's interests make it possible to create a functional government.

The legal system of the Netherlands is something between the Roman old law and Napoleon's code. Here, the great attention is paid to the rights and freedoms of the local population. The country has a Supreme Court, several appellate institutions, as well as district and cantonal institutions. The country does not practice trials with the jury. The foreign policy of the kingdom is focused on trade relations. There is a progressive desire to establish friendly and partnering relations with absolutely all countries. Such a disposable policy allows the country to actively develop global economic ties. The Netherlands is one of the countries of the ancestors of the European Union. The monarch and parliament are in favor of expanding and deepening integration, while the country also helps developing countries. In the economic sphere, the country has shown itself as one of the most active supporters of trade liberalization throughout the world. At the same time, the Netherlands is a member of NATO with the rather large military potential. Such a peaceful policy of the country and a greater concentration on the needs of its own population led to the rapid development of the kingdom and the improvement of the overall economic situation.