So far various parties have excluded each other or stated not to be interested in taking part in a coalition without another party. In the basis the Dutch electorate voted for a centre right Second Chamber but the only real effort was to create a centre left government. Now they are looking into a minority government as there are some inquiries ahead that make it likely that the next government won't last 4 years.
Back in the day this period was an important one for the monarch as the three reigning queens handled to formation process and decided who would investigate what coalition. A few years ago parliament decided that the Second Chamber would take over that role and while it was easy if the elections gave a clear result it turns out to be more of a mine field now the results are not that easy to translate into a coalition.
The King is the only constant member of government and will install the new cabinet once the new government is formed and has been approved by the Estates-General but we might actually see another election before that happens. Currently most parties don't want another election because the polls are not in their favour so there is no majority for going back to voting.
Potential changes to the constitution might include removing the monarch from the government but that role has a purpose because the government has to speak in one voice the sovereign as a member of the government has to follow the line of the sitting government. If he was out he could voice his own opinion and that is not something people want to happen.
Currently the Dutch sovereign is part of the government but is not politically responsible. He is the chair of the State Council but not commander in chief of the armed forces.Some of those roles might change once the constitution is changed but that is a lengthy process and the Dutch are notorious for not altering it much. So it's basically the same one since 1848.
I know this is veering far off topic, but is there ever any talk of revising the Constitution in the Netherlands, and/or Belgium for that matter, to be more like either the Norwegian or Swedish models of Constitutional monarchy so government formation could be done more quickly?
We had elections six months ago and still din't have a new government. We have lost several members of the government already because of illness, new jobs or because political games and im not sure will have a new government before the end of the year.
If negotiations on a new government drags on, the state visit may be postponed again.
Do you anticipate that Jonas Gahr Stoere will have difficulty forming a coalition?
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