The Netherlands: Health System Review 2010

Health systems in transition The Netherlands 5
The 150 members of the Second Chamber, or House of Representatives, are
elected every four years by Dutch nationals over 18 years and represent various
political parties (Den Exter et al. 2004). After the elections, a new House
of Representatives is seated and a new Cabinet is constituted. The Cabinet
comprises ministers and state secretaries.
The various political parties that won the elections negotiate on the formation
of a new Cabinet for the next four years (Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal
2009a). Generally, the formation of a Cabinet is an extremely complex process
that takes many weeks. To find out more on the situation concerning the
formation of a Cabinet, the queen usually appoints a senior political consultant
(informateur). When it becomes clear which parties will participate in the new
Cabinet, a political consultant, also appointed by the king or queen and usually
the future prime minister, is put in charge of negotiating the formation of the
new Cabinet (formateur). Traditionally, one of these two political consultants
is provided by the political party that has won the elections (E-overheid 2009a).
Currently (in 2009 until the elections of 2011), the Cabinet is formed by three
parties: the Christian Democrats (CDA), Social Democrats (PvdA) and Social
Christians (ChristenUnie). The prime minister, since 2002, has been Jan Peter
Balkenende (CDA).
The First and Second Chamber together have the power to legislate. The
Second Chamber is the most powerful in the legislation process. Its tasks are
to amend and approve bills put forward by the government. The First Chamber
can only approve or reject laws that have already been passed by the Second
Chamber (Den Exter et al. 2004).
As well as the members of the Second Chamber, the Dutch population also
has the possibility to elect the members of the provincial council in their own
province (12 in total) and the members of the municipal council in their own
municipalities. The provinces have responsibilities in the areas of land-use
planning, water and environmental management, and youth care. Further tasks
are related to promoting economic development, protecting wildlife and the
countryside, and social work and culture (E-overheid 2009e). As described
above the provincial councils also elect the members of the First Chamber of
the parliament. Municipalities are responsible for controlling the developments
in housing stock, the local roads and road safety. In addition, they have tasks
in the areas of education, but also health care, social work, culture, sport
and recreation (E-overheid 2009d). In recent years, several tasks have been
delegated from the central government to municipalities. For more detail see
Section 2.4 Concentration and (de)centralization.