netherlands

Country information

• EU Constitution
  The EU Constituion was rejected by 61.6% in a referendum on 1 June 2005, with a turnout of 62.8% (more).
  
  
• The Lisbon Treaty: to be ratified by the First Chamber in autumn 2008 while the Second Chamber has yet to decide on a date.
  
  
• EU Presidency: January-June 2016
  
  
• Government Type: constitutional monarchy
  
  
• Executive Branch
  
  � HEAD OF STATE
  Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980)
  
  � HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
  Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22 July 2002)
  
  � MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
  Maxime Jacques Marcel (Maxime) VERHAGEN
• Legislative branch
  
  � ELECTIONS (FIRST CHAMBER)
  Last elections: 25 May 2003
  Next elections: 22 November 2006
  
  � RESULTS (FIRST CHAMBER)
  CDA 23 seats
  PvdA 19 seats
  VVD 15 seats
  Green Party 5 seats
  Socialist Party 4 seats
  D66 3 seats
  Other 6 seats
  
  � ELECTIONS (SECOND CHAMBER)
  Last elections: 22 November 2006
  Next elections: ...
  
  � RESULTS (SECOND CHAMBER)
  CDA 26.5% (41 seats)
  PvdA 21.2% (33 seats)
  Socialist Party 16.6% (25 seats)
  VVD 14.6% (22 seats)
  PVV 5.9% (9 seats)
  Green Party 4.6% (7 seats)
  CU 4.0% (6 seats)
  D66 2.0% (3 seats)
  Other (4 seats)