House of Representatives

The main duties of the House of Representatives are co-legislation and checking that the government carries out its work properly. The House of Representatives also plays an important role in policy-making.

The members of the House of Representatives (MPs) are elected directly by the Dutch voters. In national general elections, those people entitled to vote decide which 150 MPs will represent them during the next cabinet term.

MPs rights

MPs have certain rights, laid down in the Constitution, that supprt them in their duties as well as they can. For instance, they have the right to propose bills themselves, or to amend bills proposed by the government. Ministers and state secretaries must inform the House of Representatives adequately. MPs have the right to ask questions of the members of the cabinet and to call them to account. They can propose motions to give their opinion on the policies of the government, to ask the government to take action on a certain issue or not, or to express themselves more generally about certain matters or current developments.