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== Government and Politics ==
The Netherlands has beenis a constitutional monarchy sincewhile 1815,also andbeing due to the effortsthat of '''Johana Rudolph Thorbecke''' became aunitary parliamentary democracystate inwith 1848.a Thestrong Netherlandsexecutive is described as a consociational statebranch. DutchIn politicscombination andwith governanceit arebeing characterizedwhat bysome anmight effortcall toa achieve“'''Bureaucratic broaddemocracy.'''” consensusIt on important issues, withinfuses both theDutch politicalrepublican communityideals andas societywell as apragmatism whole.in Onhow topa ofsmall that,but thedensely Netherlandspopulated itselfnation is partto ofbe therun. Kingdom of the Netherlands which is often described as a unique state.
The office of the prime minister has grown significantly in power since 1960 this is principally due to the depression (1974 - 2000). Due to a myriad of social issues, the refugee crisis the housing crisis, the eastern troubles, the Kandyan troubles, and the Burgher uprising. Combined with a harsh period for the Netherlands economically, culturally and socially showed that the former polder model of decision-making was too slow. Over time due to the various office holder the prime minister has grown in power, partly through actual expansion of power, or powers being taken from the king and given to the office of the prime minister. Yet also due to the precedent set making the office her powers range from its official ability to use the military within the kingdom or outside without parliament her approval for 190 days, which is a law, to be the only person to stand as the king stands during the annual budget review.
The monarch is the head of state, Constitutionally, the position is equipped with limited powers. By law, the monarch has the right to be periodically briefed and consulted on government affairs. Depending on the personalities and relationships of the monarch and the ministers, the monarch might have influence beyond the power granted by the Constitution of the Netherlands. The majority of said influence comes from the overall popular status the monarchy holds within Dutch society.
The executive power is formed by the prime minister and the council of ministers, the ministers are chosen by the coalition government, through consent. The cabinet usually consists of 12 ministers and secretaries and three representatives from the constituent states. This makes the Netherlands cabinet an interesting mishmash of various interests as since 1983 there has not been a single dominating party in governance and coalitions have become the norm.
The executive power is formed by the Council of Ministers, the deliberative organ of the Dutch cabinet. The cabinet usually consists of 13 to 16 ministers and a varying number of state secretaries including 3 ministers each from the other constituent countries. The head of government is the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,, who often is the leader of the largest party of the coalition. The Prime Minister is a primus inter pares, with no explicit powers beyond those of the other ministers with some exceptions. The Prime Minister had been the leader of the largest party of the governing coalition continuously since 1973. Due to a constitutional amendment, the prime minister is the person with executive authority over the use of military force for a period of 190 days. In relation to the kingdom of the Netherlands and her other two countries, each of the two other constituent countries sends its ministers to the Netherlands her council of ministers which in turn together forms the executive body of the Netherlands.
The cabinet is responsible forto the bicameral parliament, the States General, which also has legislative powers. The 150 members of the House of Representatives, the lower house, are elected in direct elections on the basis of party-list proportional representation. These are held every four years, or sooner in case, the cabinet falls (for example: when one of the chambers carries a motion of no confidence, the cabinet offers its resignation to the monarch). The States-Provincial are directly elected every four years as well. The members of the provincial assemblies elect the 75 members of the Senate, the upper house, which has the power to reject laws, but not proposes or amend them. Both houses send members to the OVLBenelux Parliament, a consultative council.
=== Political culture ===
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