IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Netherlands

Kingdom of the Netherlands

17,879,490
Population (as of Jan. 1, 2022)

13,473,750
Registered Voters (as of None)

70.72%
Average Turnout

13
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.822
Regimes of the World Classification: Liberal Democracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: July 17, 1980
Ratified Date: July 23, 1991

SIGI* Score: 9.5
Level of Discrimination: Very Low
*Social Institutions and Gender Index (2023)

CRPD Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: March 30, 2007
Ratified Date: June 14, 2016

HDI* Score: 0.955
Category: Very High
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Dutch First Chamber	Eerste Kamer	Upper House
Dutch Second Chamber	Tweede Kamer	Lower House

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER
Head of Government: Prime Minister Dick SCHOOF (since 2 July 2024)
Assembly: Netherlands has a bicameral States General (Staten Generaal) consisting of the First Chamber (Eerste Kamer) with 75 seats and the Second Chamber (Tweede Kamer) with 150 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The King is a hereditary monarch.
The monarch typically appoints the Second Chamber majority leader to be Prime Minister.
In the First Chamber, all 75 members are indirectly elected by the Provincial Council via proportional representation votes. Members serve 4-year terms.
In the Second Chamber, all 150 members are directly elected by open-list proportional representation vote from 20 multi-seat constituencies. Members serve 4-year terms.

Elections

2025-10-29 | Status: Confirmed
Dutch Second Chamber
Votes -
Registered -
Turnout -

2023-11-22 | Status: Held
Dutch Second Chamber
Votes 10,517,616
Registered 13,473,750
Turnout 78.06

2021-03-17 | Status: Held
Dutch Second Chamber
Votes 10,462,677
Registered 13,293,186
Turnout 78.71

2018-03-21 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 6,734,225
Registered 13,064,932
Turnout 51.54

2017-03-15 | Status: Held
Dutch Second Chamber
Votes 10,563,456
Registered 12,893,466
Turnout 81.93

2016-04-06 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 4,151,613
Registered 12,862,658
Turnout 32.28

2012-09-12 | Status: Held
Dutch Second Chamber
Votes 9,462,223
Registered 12,689,810
Turnout 74.57

2010-06-09 | Status: Held
Dutch Second Chamber
Votes 9,442,977
Registered 12,524,152
Turnout 75.4

2006-11-22 | Status: Held
Dutch Second Chamber
Votes 9,854,998
Registered 12,264,503
Turnout 80.35

2005-06-01 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 7,705,196
Registered 12,172,740
Turnout 63.3

2003-01-22 | Status: Held
Dutch Second Chamber
Votes 9,666,602
Registered 12,076,711
Turnout 80.04

2002-05-15 | Status: Held
Dutch Second Chamber
Votes 9,515,226
Registered 12,035,935
Turnout 79.06

1998-05-06 | Status: Held
Dutch Second Chamber
Votes 8,622,222
Registered 11,755,132
Turnout 73.35

Election For	Date	Status	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Dutch Second Chamber	2025-10-29	Confirmed	-	-	-
Dutch Second Chamber	2023-11-22	Held	10,517,616	13,473,750	78.06
Dutch Second Chamber	2021-03-17	Held	10,462,677	13,293,186	78.71
Referendum	2018-03-21	Held	6,734,225	13,064,932	51.54
Dutch Second Chamber	2017-03-15	Held	10,563,456	12,893,466	81.93
Referendum	2016-04-06	Held	4,151,613	12,862,658	32.28
Dutch Second Chamber	2012-09-12	Held	9,462,223	12,689,810	74.57
Dutch Second Chamber	2010-06-09	Held	9,442,977	12,524,152	75.4
Dutch Second Chamber	2006-11-22	Held	9,854,998	12,264,503	80.35
Referendum	2005-06-01	Held	7,705,196	12,172,740	63.3
Dutch Second Chamber	2003-01-22	Held	9,666,602	12,076,711	80.04
Dutch Second Chamber	2002-05-15	Held	9,515,226	12,035,935	79.06
Dutch Second Chamber	1998-05-06	Held	8,622,222	11,755,132	73.35

Voter Turnout

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