From Nijkerk we drove the roughly 100 kilometres to the capital city of Den Haag, or The Hague. My host for this leg of the journey was Hildebrand Bijleveld, who read my Political Visions and Illusions during his studies at the Free University of Amsterdam (VU). Prior to my visit, I had hoped I would be able to visit the Binnenhof, the complex of buildings where the Dutch Parliament meets. Dating to the 13th century, it has been the seat of the Dutch government since the outbreak of the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648), by which the Seven United Provinces of the Netherlands gained their independence from Spain. Unfortunately, the Binnenhof has been undergoing renovations for the past five years. These are not expected to be completed until 2031.
During this lengthy period, the Tweede Kamer, or Second Chamber, is meeting at Bezuidenhoutseweg 67, the former home of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A very modern-looking building, it could be plopped down in the middle of a North American city and would fit right in. To enter the building we had to undergo airport-level security clearance. Bags had to be checked and stored in a locker, and even my hat (an inexpensive Walmart trilby I use for travelling) could not accompany me inside the premises. But I did have my phone with me so I could make a photographic record of the visit.
Our visit coincided with Prinsjesdag, the annual opening of the Dutch Parliament in which the government of the day presents its agenda, which King Willem-Alexander reads from the throne. As such the building was busier than usual, with several groups of school children visiting for the day. How better for them to learn the workings of their own political system than by seeing it in action on so significant an occasion? Although Bezuidenhoutseweg 67 is only a temporary seat of government, the facility is equipped with reminders of and monuments to the country's history.
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| The Netherlands' tricolour flag |
Because the galleries were filled for the Prinsjesdag speech and subsequent debate, some visitors watched the proceedings remotely from the lobby.
This pie chart shows the current partisan affiliations of members of the Tweede Kamer. As you can see, the Netherlands is a multiparty system, facilitated by a party list form of proportional representation, necessitating the formation of coalition governments incorporating members of different parties. Quite different from our experience here in Canada, with its single-party majority or minority governments.
In the lobby are reminders of important people from Dutch history, including Johan Rudolf Thorbecke (1798-1872), Abraham Kuyper, Groen van Prinsterer, and Alexander de Savornin Lohman (1837-1924).
Although we were unable at such short notice to sit in the visitors' seats, I did manage to sneak in the back of the chamber for a few moments and capture the action in a couple of photographs:
The man at the lectern is Prime Minister Rob Jetten, the youngest man ever to serve in this office and leader of Democrats 66, one of the major parties in the current coalition government with 26 seats in the Tweede Kamer.
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