The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy. Legislative power is vested in parliament. The monarch has only nominal power.
Main Political Issues
The future of social welfare
Even after the cutbacks of the 1980s, the Dutch still have one of the most generous welfare systems in Europe. Most political parties now accept that current levels of provision cannot be maintained indefinitely. The debate is not whether to cut welfare benefits, but by how much and in which areas. The right-wing Liberal party is advocating a minimal level of provision, and the PVDA has suggested cutbacks totaling $4 billion.
Political refugees
In recent years, an increasing number of people have sought political asylum in the Netherlands. There are fears that unless immigration laws are tightened there may be a rise in support for extreme right-wing nationalist parties in the country. The mainstream parties have also begun to question whether the economy can afford the costs of housing refugees.
The fight against crime
The Dutch electorate has identified rising crime as a major concern. The prison system can no longer cope with the growing number of detainees, and many convicted criminals are being released for want of space. None of the parties has a program for reversing the trend.
Profile
Dutch politics are characterized by coalitions and a high degree of consensus. Most Dutch agree on the social function of government and readily accept relatively high taxes and a generous social security system. Political debate is more a question of the stress and focus of policy than of ideology. The CDA has traditionally led two-party coalition governments, either with the left-of-center PVDA or with the right-wing VVD. However, the PVDA won the 1994 elections, although both it and the CDA lost a significant number of seats.
