Eerste Kamer

The Eerste Kamer ("First Chamber") is the "Upper House" or "Senate" of the Netherlands parliament, the States-General. It was established in 1815, when the Netherlands and Belgium emerged as a single state at the end of the Napoleonic wars, and continued after Belgian independence in 1830.

It currently has 75 members, elected by the members of the twelve provincial councils every four years. Unlike the politically more significant Tweede Kamer, it meets only one day a week. Its members tend to be veteran politicians or part-time politicians at the national level, often having other roles. It has the right to accept or reject legislative proposals, but not to amend them or to initiate legislation.Members of the Eerste Kamer are elected indirectly through the Provinciale Staten (Provincial Council). Every four years the people of the Netherlands can vote for the Provinciale Staten. The Provinciale Staten works the same way as the Tweede Kamer. After elections for the Provinciale Staten, the new members of Provinciale Staten elect people to take a seat in the Senate (Eerste Kamer).

The current President of the Senate is Yvonne Timmerman-Buck.

Past composition

External links

* [http://www.eerstekamer.nl/9324000/1f/j9vvgh5ihkk7kof/vgipcmqcxiu2 Eerste Kamer (in English)]
* [http://www.eerstekamer.nl/ Eerste Kamer (in Dutch)]