Governments / Countries / Netherlands
How is the Netherlands governed?
The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy. Its head of state is the king and its head of government is the prime minister. Real power sits with the prime minister.
Questions people ask
- Is the Netherlands a monarchy or a republic?
- The Netherlands is a monarchy: a constitutional monarchy. King: Willem-Alexander.
- Who really rules the Netherlands?
- The prime minister holds the real executive power. Head of state: King. Head of government: Prime Minister.
- How is the head of state of the Netherlands chosen?
- Hereditary.
- Does the Netherlands have a king?
- It has a monarch: King Willem-Alexander, on the throne since 2013. Succession: hereditary.
- Is the Netherlands a federation?
- No. It is a unitary state, but some regions govern themselves.
- How many chambers does the parliament of the Netherlands have?
- Two chambers: House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) (150 seats) and Senate (Eerste Kamer) (75 seats).
- Has the Netherlands ever been a republic?
- Yes: 1581 to 1795, 1795 to 1806.
Parliament: House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) + Senate (Eerste Kamer)
The Netherlands's legislature has two chambers, 225 seats in all. Each dot is one seat; party seat counts are on IPU Parline.
Regime history
One label per period, on Netherlands's present-day identity.
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| Years | Regime | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1581–1795 | Republic | Dutch Republic source |
| 1795–1806 | Republic | Batavian Republic source |
| 1806–1810 | Absolute monarchy or empire | Kingdom of Holland (Louis Bonaparte) source |
| 1810–1813 | Part of another state | Annexed by France source |
| 1813–1848 | Absolute monarchy or empire | Principality, then United Kingdom of the Netherlands source |
| 1848–1940 | Constitutional monarchy | Kingdom of the Netherlands (constitution of 1848) source |
| 1940–1945 | Foreign occupation | German occupation source |
| 1945–today | Constitutional monarchy | Kingdom of the Netherlands source |