Ruud Koole appointed to state commission parliamentary system
Political scientist Ruud Koole (Institute Political Science, Leiden University) has been appointed to a state commission that will investigate whether the Dutch parliamentary system and parliamentary democracy need to be reformed.
The state commission has been installed on 27 January 2017 by the council of ministers, at the inititiative of minister Plasterk (Interior and Kingdom Relations) and the chairs of both houses of parliament. The commission will be chaired by Johan Remkes (King's Commissioner in the Noord-Holland province).
Eminent scientists and experienced ex-MP’s
Besides Koole, six eminent scientists and experienced former MP’s have been recruited: Tom van der Meer (former Political Science student at Leiden, now a professor at the University of Amsterdam), Carla van Baalen (professor parlementary history, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen), Eric Janse de Jonge (chairman Nederlands Openbaar Vervoerberaad (NOVB)), Jacob Kohnstamm (charman Regionale Toetsingscommissie Euthanasie), Flora Lagerwerf-Vergunst (senior council at the Court of The Hague) en Nanneke Quik-Schuijt (former member of the Eerste Kamer).
Recommendations expected next year
Both houses of the Dutch parliament signal several trends impacting society and politics to such an extent that they might prompt for reforms. They sense that Dutch citizens want to become more involved in the political process and policymaking. European legislation is increasingly important to Dutch parliament; many (semi-)government tasks have been transferred from central to local governments. Their is increasing electoral volatility; the use of internet and social media have a growing impact on parliament and democracy. The state commission is expected to submit its recommendations next year.