Home affairs minister Ronald Plasterk on Thursday announced a shake-up of the voting rules for Dutch nationals who live abroad, in an effort to simplify the system.

The plan involves setting up an electoral register which will apply to every election. At the moment Dutch nationals wishing to vote from abroad have to register separately to take part in every election.

The new system requires a change in the voting laws and so will not come into effect in time for the European elections next year.