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| Speaker of the House of Representatives (Netherlands) | |
|---|---|
| Post | Speaker of the House of Representatives (Netherlands) |
| Native name | Voorzitter van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal |
| Incumbent | Vera Bergkamp |
| Incumbentsince | 7 April 2021 |
| Style | Voorzitter |
| Member of | Tweede Kamer |
| Reports to | Staten-Generaal |
| Appointed by | Members of the Tweede Kamer |
| Formation | 1815 |
| First holder | Cornelis Willem van den Bosch |
Speaker of the House of Representatives (Netherlands) is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives (Netherlands), the lower house of the States General of the Netherlands. The speaker chairs plenary sittings, directs debates, and represents the chamber externally to institutions such as the Council of State (Netherlands), the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The office combines procedural authority, administrative leadership, and ceremonial duties within institutions like the Royal Palace of Amsterdam and the Binnenhof.
The position traces origins to the post-Napoleonic reorganization after the Congress of Vienna and the 1815 Constitution under William I of the Netherlands, evolving through reforms in the eras of Thorbecke and the 1848 constitutional changes. Speakers presided during crises including the Belgian Revolution (1830) aftermath and both World War II occupations, navigating relationships with actors such as the Dutch government-in-exile and the Queen Wilhelmina. Parliamentary reform waves in the 20th century responding to events like the Great Depression and post-war reconstruction under the Marshall Plan shaped procedural rules; later constitutional revisions during debates around the Treaty of Maastricht and the Treaty of Lisbon affected interparliamentary functions. Prominent past holders include figures associated with parties such as the Anti-Revolutionary Party, Christian Democratic Appeal, Labour Party (Netherlands), and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy.
The speaker enforces the rules of procedure derived from the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives and coordinates with institutional bodies such as the Committee on Rules and Procedures, the Board of the House, and the Bureau of the House of Representatives. Responsibilities include managing speaking order during interactions with ministers like the Minister of Finance (Netherlands), overseeing question time with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, and ensuring compliance with rights of members from groups like GroenLinks, Democrats 66, and Party for Freedom (Netherlands). The speaker represents the chamber before external entities including the Senate (Netherlands), the Council of Europe, and supranational bodies like the European Parliament. The office also supervises administrative services shared with institutions such as the Parliamentary Documentation Centre and liaises with the National Ombudsman (Netherlands) on access matters.
The speaker is elected by members of the House of Representatives (Netherlands) at the start of a legislative period or when the chair becomes vacant, following procedures influenced by precedents from chambers such as the House of Commons of the United Kingdom and the Bundestag. Elections use secret ballots and multiple rounds similar to practices in the Sejm and the Knesset; conventions about majority thresholds echo models from the Dáil Éireann. The term lasts for the duration of the sitting Parliament of the Netherlands until resignation, removal, or dissolution linked to events like cabinet fallings involving the Cabinet of the Netherlands. Incumbents have included speakers who later engaged with bodies such as the International Criminal Court or advisory institutions like the Scientific Council for Government Policy.
The speaker is supported by deputy chairs selected from factions across the chamber, comparable to deputy roles in the Canadian House of Commons and the Australian House of Representatives. Deputies chair sessions in the speaker's absence and succeed temporarily during interregna; statutory succession arrangements reflect practices seen in the Norwegian Storting and the Swiss National Council. The Board of the House, composed of the speaker and deputies, administers internal affairs and interfaces with services like the Budget of the Netherlands office and the Clerk of the House function.
The speaker mediates between the House and the Cabinet of the Netherlands, coordinates plenary scheduling with party leaders from CDA, PvdA, and VVD, and sets frameworks for scrutinizing ministers such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands). During debates on legislation like acts stemming from Euthanasia Act deliberations or measures related to the Dutch Constitution, the speaker applies impartial rulings while interacting with coalitions and opposition groups including SP (Netherlands) and ChristianUnion. The speaker also represents the House in international parliamentary diplomacy with delegations from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and bilateral dialogues with chambers like the French National Assembly and the United States House of Representatives.
Notable speakers have included 19th- and 20th-century figures tied to parties such as Anti-Revolutionary Party, Liberal Union (Netherlands), and Labour Party (Netherlands), as well as recent holders affiliated with D66 and VVD. The official roll comprises incumbents from the inaugural 1815 chair through contemporary leaders who presided over events like the State Opening of Parliament and debates on treaties including Treaty of Maastricht. Contemporary speakers have engaged with institutions such as the Council for Public Administration and the European Commission.
The speaker's office is based in the Binnenhof complex in The Hague, with ceremonial functions in venues like the Ridderzaal during the Prinsjesdag event attended by the Monarch of the Netherlands. Protocol includes precedence rules analogous to practices in the Royal Household (Netherlands) and interaction with officials such as the King's Commissioner and ambassadors accredited to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The office manages archives in cooperation with the National Archives of the Netherlands and communications through the Parliamentary Press Service.
Category:Politics of the Netherlands Category:Parliamentary titles