DutchNews.nl - Cabinet collapse: what happens next?

Christian Democrat and ChristenUnie ministers will stay on in a caretaker role until a new coalition government has been formed but are not allowed to take controversial decisions.

Temporary replacements will be found for the six Labour ministers.

Once queen Beatrix has signed the official declaration that the coalition government has been dissolved, the new election campaign can begin.

Unless the monarch agrees otherwise, elections must be held within 83 days. Political parties have 40 days to finalise their list of candidates - the Netherlands does not have a constituency based system and MPs are chosen on the basis of party lists.

Once the lists have been drawn up, there is a maximum 43 period for the formal campaign and vote itself. Eight days after the election, the new parliament will meet for the first time.

How to form a new government

Once the votes have been counted, the actual process of forming a new government can begin.

With a majority government requiring at least 76 of the 150 seats in parliament, forming a coalition can be a tricky business. It is a process which takes months: the longest cabinet formation took 208 days, the shortest just 10.

Queen Beatrix will first consults the party leaders, her own advisors and other senior politicians and appoint an informateur - the person charged with putting together a tentative coalition. The informateur sounds out the party leaders about potential coalitions and reports back to the queen.

Once a potential coalition has been identified, the queen will name a formateur. The formateur (usually the next prime minister) does the nitty gritty job of putting together a coalition agreement, or regeerakkord, in which the broad lines of new government policy are set down.

When all that has been finalised, ministers are appointed and the new government is finally sworn in.

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Readers' comments

Here comes an interesting vote for new elections in interesting times, this could be the best thing that has happened for the NL in the last 20 years

By bet | February 20, 2010 4:39 PM

I'm a little scared of what this snap election will result in. Too many far-right/centre-right parties too high in the polls for my liking.

It could get very very messy.

By john | February 20, 2010 5:10 PM

hi john,

what's wong? i thought liberals were supposed to be tolerant? or does that only apply to those who share your views.

Wilders For PM!

By John Doe | February 20, 2010 8:50 PM

An open letter to Mr. Bos.
You now have the opportunity to show the Dutch people who you really are and what your beliefs are.
Speak with a firm voice You are for All the People of Holland, talk what you will do, for the old and the young, a Populist platform.
Good Luck

By Michael Kadin | February 21, 2010 11:13 AM

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