Source: http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2231.htm
Timestamp: 2020-04-08 21:30:04
Document Index: 37645373

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 67', 'Art. 60', 'Art. 58', 'Art. 2', 'Art. 64', 'Art. 3', 'Art. 63', 'Art. 13', 'Art. 71', 'Art. 58', 'Art. 48', 'Art. 47', 'Art. 57', 'Art. 58', 'Art. 58', 'Art. 59', 'Art. 60', 'Art. 61', 'Art. 47', 'Art. 58', 'Art. 58', 'Art. 59', 'Art. 60', 'Art. 61']

﻿ IPU PARLINE database: NETHERLANDS (Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal), Full text
President Khadija Arib (F)
Notes Elected on 13 Jan. 2016, re-elected on 29 March 2017.
Secretary General R.G.K. (Renata) Voss (F)
Notes Sworn in on 1 Sep. 2015.
Women (current number) 54 (36.00%)
Last renewal dates 15 March 2017
Address Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal
Phone (3170) 318 20 32
Electoral law 28 September 1989
Last updated: 25 Sep. 2008
Constituencies 18 multi-member constituencies.
Voting system Proportional: Party-list system with proportional representation. Seats are distributed at the national level among different lists or groups of lists which have obtained at least 0.67% of the nationwide vote, each being awarded as many seats as the number of times the votes for its candidates is the multiple of an established national quota (the total of valid votes in the country divided by the number of seats (150) to be filled). Within each list, seats are then allocated among candidates according to the order in which they appear on the list. The seats remaining unfilled after this first distribution are then allotted according to the d'Hondt method of highest average.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by the candidate who is "next-in-line" on the list of the same party which previously held the seat.
- disqualifications: insanity, imprisonment, disfranchisement as result of certain criminal convictions, deprivation of parental authority or guardianship over children
Incompatibilities - Minister, Vice-President or member of the Council of State
- member of the General Board of Auditors
- Queen's Commissioner in a province
- Clerk or any other official of either Chamber
Candidacy requirements - lists of candidates must be supported by at least 25 electors in each district. The 25 nominating persons can appoint a representative who is empowered to link their list with other lists, at the national level, into what is then called a group of lists.
- deposit of 11,250 euros for lists of parties not already represented in the Second Chamber . This deposit is not reimbursed if the number of votes obtained by the political group remains below 75% of the applicable electoral quota
Timing and scope of renewal The 2017 elections returned an even more fragmented House of Representatives than in the previous legislature: 13 parties, up from 11 previously, entered the House of Representatives, the highest number of parties since 1972 (14 parties). Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) remained the largest party, but reduced its share from 41 seats to 33. VVD's coalition partner, the Labour Party (PvdA), lost nearly 30 seats, taking nine. The Party for Freedom (PVV), led by Mr. Geert Wilders, became the second largest party in the House, winning five more seats than in the previous elections. Green Left led by Mr. Jesse Klaver nearly quadrupled its share, taking 14 seats.
Names of parties in government: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Democrats 66 (D66), Christian Union
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, responsability called into question, dissolution of the Chamber, death
Appointment - elected by the House (150 Members) at the first sitting of a newly elected Parliament or when the speakership falls vacant during a term of office as soon as possible
Eligibility any Member may be a candidate
- if necessary, up to 4 rounds may be held
- new candidates may be admitted in the first and the second rounds
- if nobody obtains an absolute majority in the second ballot, a 3nd ballot shall be held between the 2 persons who obtained the largest number of votes
- if there is a tied vote in the 4th ballot, the matter shall be decided by lot
Procedures / results - the former Speaker presides over the Chamber during the voting
- the former Speaker appoints 4 Members as tellers who supervise the voting
- the 1st appointed teller announces the results without any delay
Status - there is no question of ranking the Speaker in the hierarchy of State (principle of division of powers)
- ranks after the Speaker of the First Chamber
- in the absence of the Speaker, the first Deputy-Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
Board - the Presidium is regulated by the Rules of Procedure of the Lower House
- consists of 8 Members whose term is 4 years
- meets twice a month at the initiative of the Speaker
- is in fact a collegiate presidency although the Speaker possesses powers of his/her own
Material facilities - basic allowance (8,500 euros per month) + professional allowance (1,250 euros per month)
- Speaker's allowance (2,684 euros per month)
- secretariat (also the Presidium's Secretariat)
- can propose, as any Member, the agenda - exercises his/her powers in accordance to the majority of the House
- examines the admissibility of amendments
- can make announcements concerning the Chamber
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Chamber with the agreement of the Chamber, according to precedents
Special powers The Presidium:
- appoints the Clerk, according to the proposal made by the Speaker
- organizes the services of the Chamber
Speaking and voting rights, other functions - can take the floor in legislative debates, but in leaving his/her chair
- can propose bills or amendments, but in leaving his/her chair
- is used to be consulted by the Head of State on the occasion of the formation of a new cabinet after a cabinet-crisis or after general elections
Nature of the mandate · Free representation (Art. 67 (3) of the Constitution of 17.02.1983, as amended to 10.07.1995)
Start of the mandate · When the MPs take the oath (Art. 60 of the Constitution)
Validation of mandates · Validation by the Second Chamber of the States-General (Art. 58 of the Constitution)
· Procedure (Art. 2 of the Rules of Procedure)
End of the mandate · On the day before the newly elected Parliament meets (for early dissolution, see Art. 64 of the Constitution)
· Procedure: letter to the Speaker
Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter for loss of eligibility or for incompatibilities (Art. 3 (1) of the Rules of Procedure)
Indemnities, facilities and services · Diplomatic or official passport for the Speaker, the President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and some other MPs
· Basic salary (Art. 63 of the Constitution): 8,500 euros per month
+ Professional expense allowance: 1,250 euros per month
· Exemption from tax· Pension scheme
(a)	Secretariat for parliamentary groups
(b)	One assistant per MP, administrative staff of the House (Art. 13 and 14 of the Rules of Procedure)
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (Art. 71 of the Constitution).
· Derogations: offence or insult (Art. 58 (2) to 61 of the Rules of Procedure, see Discipline)
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does not exist.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned can be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament.
Training · There is a training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs. It consists of a general introduction course of two days provided by Parliament and a more specific introduction provided by parliamentary groups and some committees, given by former Members and officials of Parliament.
- Practical Guidelines for MPs
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is not compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings or committee meetings (but see Art. 48 of the Rules of Procedure).
Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in Art. 47 (1), 57 (1), 58 to 62 of the Rules of Procedure.
- Interruption (Art. 57 (1) of the Rules of Procedure)
- Warning for irrelevance (Art. 58 (1) and 62 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Reprimand (Art. 58 (2) and 62 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Order to discontinue the speech (Art. 59 and 62 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Exclusion from a meeting (Art. 60 and 62 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Deletion from the records (Art. 61 and 62 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Suspension or closure of the meeting (Art. 47 (1) of the Rules of Procedure)
- Offence or insult (Art. 58 (2) to 61 of the Rules of Procedure): reprimand, order to discontinue the speech, exclusion from a meeting, deletion from the records
· Competent body to judge such cases/to apply penalties: the Speaker
- Reprimand, offence or insult (Art. 58 (2) and 62 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Order to discontinue the speech, offence or insult (Art. 59 and 62 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Exclusion from a meeting, offence or insult (Art. 60 and 62 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Deletion from the records, offence or insult (Art. 61 and 62 of the Rules of Procedure)
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system. For the definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter for loss of eligibility or for incompatibilities, see Loss of mandate.