VVD & Democracy

Party organisation
FAQ Questions & Answers
Amsterdam City Council


Party organisation

The VVD consists of more than 600 branches (some of which are abroad) with a combined membership of approximately 49,000. When you join the VVD, you register with your local branch. The highest authority at local level in a branch is the members’ meeting, which is held at least twice a year. Here the members are entitled to speak, make proposals and take decisions. The responsibilities of a branch include drawing up a list of candidates for the local council, nominating candidates for the provincial council, the Upper and Lower Houses of the Dutch Parliament and the European Parliament, election campaigning, membership recruitment and the organisation of courses.

The highest authority in the party is the General Assembly. This General Assembly is open to all members, who are also entitled to speak there. Every branch appoints at the branch members’ meeting delegates who have the right to vote at the General Assembly. In this way the involvement of every member is guaranteed.

The same procedure is followed at the Annual General Assembly, which discusses a number of issues including policy making by the parliamentary parties in Parliament, the VVD members of the European Parliament and the national executive committee. This is because the VVD advocates shared responsibility.

The VVD groups in both the Lower and the Upper House of Parliament are responsible in particular for implementing and embodying liberal ideas in day-to-day policy.

The national executive committee leads the VVD as an organisation. That organisation is responsible for planning long-term political ideas as set out in the Statement of Principles and the manifesto.

In view of the responsibilities inherent in the two posts, the decision was taken in 1963 no longer to combine leadership of the VVD group in the Lower House with chairmanship of the party.

Each member receives the party newsletter, ‘Politiek!' (Politics!), an important means of communication for those who want to be informed of what is happening within the VVD.

Being a member of the VVD enables you to influence liberal politics in the Netherlands and support the party in its work. The VVD tries to do as good a job as possible in consultation with its members. The support of as many as possible is therefore essential.

Apart from what VVD membership has to offer, you may also be interested in activities conducted by organisations through the VVD which may give even more meaning to membership. Members can make use of the information on training supplied by the Haya van Someren Foundation. Setting up courses for new and existing members and party officials is just one of the Foundation’s activities. The courses vary from theoretical knowledge about liberalism to media training. The Haya van Someren Foundation is playing an ever more important role in the selection and coaching of promising young political talents. As a woman member of the VVD you might wish to join the Women in the VVD Organisation. This organisation has its own national executive and its own local organisations.

Those members of the VVD who are interested in international liberalism can join the Dutch Group of Liberal International (LIGN). The LIGN organises conferences and discussions of broad political relevance. Liberal parties from a large number of countries have been united in Liberal International since 1947. Liberal International organises congresses, while the political leaders of the liberal parties in the affiliated countries meet several times a year. From June 1996 to August 1999 Frits Bolkestein was president of Liberal International.

The VVD has been a founding member of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR), which unites the European liberal parties. As the third biggest party within the European Parliament, the ELDR plays a crucial role in European politics.

The next few years will be very important for liberalism in Europe. With the accession of Eastern European countries, the European Union will continue to grow. It is very important that liberalism remains a significant political power in the European Union and each of the future EU member states.

If you have a special interest in the research side of liberal studies, then the publications of the VVD’s independent policy research institute, the Teldersstichting (Telders Foundation), are definitely worth reading. The Foundation publishes many papers and carries out in-depth research on problems of public importance in the political, social, economic, judicial, philosophical and historical fields. Furthermore, the Foundation publishes a quarterly entitled ‘Liberaal Reveil' in which articles on political science are written by leading liberals.

Lastly, there is a youth organisation, the Jongeren Organisatie voor Vrijheid en Democratie (Youth Organisation of Freedom and Democracy, JOVD), which is independent of the VVD. Non-VVD members may also become members. The JOVD offers young liberals the opportunity to play an active role in Dutch liberalism.

back

FAQ Questions & Answers

How do you vote?

There are a number of important things in regard to casting your vote.

Polling card

No later than two weeks before the elections all those who are allowed to vote will receive a polling card. This card, among other things, gives the address of the polling station where you can cast your vote, and is your personal 'invitation' for the elections. If you have not yet received the polling card two weeks before the elections, something may have gone wrong in the mailing or you are not allowed to vote. In any event contact your district council to check what exactly is the matter.

The polling station

The polling stations have long opening hours; they will be open from 7.30 to 21.00 hours. Depending on the district where you are voting, you can either cast your vote by ballot paper or by computerised voting machine. The vote is anonymous. That is why the voting booths are shielded and the voting machine is positioned in a way that guarantees your privacy.

The voter's pass

When you are not able to vote at your own polling station within your district, you can apply for a voter's pass. This pass will enable you to vote at a different polling station within your district. You can apply for the voter's pass either in writing or orally. You will have to submit a written request to your district council no later than two weeks before the elections, a term of five days applies for oral requests.

Voting by proxy

If you cannot come and vote yourself, you can authorise another voter from your constituency to cast your vote for you. For this purpose you have to fill in the back of the polling card and hand it to the person you are authorising. You can do this until the day of the elections. If the person you are authorising does not live within your constituency, you can file a written request with the district council to authorise this person until no later than two weeks before the elections.

Time to vote

When due to your work situation you are not able to vote within the opening hours of the polling stations, your employer is obliged to give you one hour off to vote.

Who is allowed to vote?

In principle every Dutch citizen that on the day of the elections has reached the age of 18, is allowed to vote.

Second Chamber

All Dutch citizens - including those living abroad - are allowed to take part in the elections to the Second Chamber. For Dutch citizens living in the Dutch Antilles or Aruba however the restriction applies that they must have been Dutch citizens for at least ten years or that they are either employed in Dutch civil service or a family member of a person employed in Dutch civil service.

Provincial and local councils

To be allowed to vote in the provincial council or the local elections you must be a resident of the province or the town/district for which the elections are taking place on the day of candidacy.
For the local elections non-Dutch citizens that live in the Netherlands and that have the nationality of one of the member states of the European Union are allowed to vote. The same applies for non-Dutch citizens that have been living in the Netherlands legally for at least five years.

Excluded from the right to vote

People that as an additional penalty have been deprived of the right to vote by the court or that due to a mental illness have been placed under legal restraint, are not allowed to vote. The same applies for non-Dutch citizens that work as members of staff at diplomatic and consular representations in the Netherlands. Non-Dutch members of their household are not allowed to vote either.

How does democracy work in the Netherlands?

The Netherlands is a democratic country. The word comes from the Greek 'demos', which means people, and 'kratos' which means power. So democracy means that the people are the ones in charge. We elect representatives from our midst in the general elections. They subsequently elect the administrators that are responsible for the daily government of the country, the province or the local district.

There are three layers of government in the Netherlands: a national, a provincial and a local layer of government. In the general elections we elect our members of parliament. At a national level these are the members of the Second Chamber (Lower House), at a provincial level the members of the provincial councils and at a local level the members of the local councils. Besides the Second Chamber, the First Chamber (Upper House) also forms part of the Dutch parliament. Members of the First Chamber however are elected indirectly. Indirectly, because they are elected by members of the provincial councils that are elected directly by the people.

The local council occupies an important place within the town or district, it is the highest governing body. This has been laid down in the Dutch Constitution. The members of the local council are elected once every four years and all belong to political parties. The Mayor and Aldermen (municipal executive) are responsible for the daily government of the town or district. Together with the local council, they take decisions about all kinds of things. In addition, the local council supervises the Mayor and Aldermen with regard to the execution of the decisions that have been made. So it is clear that the local council (elected by the people) has quite a lot of influence.

The provinces are governed by the provincial councils, the Provincial Executive Committee and the Royal Commissioner. Provincial councils are in charge of the province and form the general administration. The members of provincial councils are elected once every four years and all belong to political parties. The Royal Commissioner and the Provincial Executive Committee are in charge of the daily government of the province. Together with the Provincial council they determine the provincial policy. The policy execution is subsequently supervised by the Provincial council.

Parliament governs at a national level. Parliament consists of the First Chamber and the Second Chamber. The Second Chamber supervises the government. The government consists of the ministers and the Queen and forms the so-called 'executive power' (which means that it is responsible for the proper execution of decisions that have been made).

The members of the Second Chamber are in principle elected directly by the citizens once every four years, which is not the case for members of the First Chamber. They are elected by the members of the provincial councils.

Dutch politics are actually determined in the Second Chamber. This is the place where they try to establish how the voters' wishes can best be realised. Members of the Second Chamber are the ones who initially assess the government's bills or amendments. When a bill has been passed, it is then sent to the First Chamber. Members of the Second Chamber by the way also have the right to introduce bills themselves. Laws are actually passed - and sometimes also rejected - by the First Chamber.

back

Amsterdam City Council

Amsterdam is run by the City Council and the College of Aldermen. The Council is the highest authority in the City of Amsterdam and is responsible for all important decisions. Amongst other things, the Council sets the city's annual budget.

Design

There are 45 seats on the council, which are contested by the various political parties. Council members are elected every four years by residents of the city of Amsterdam.
In the current council term, the following political parties are represented on the Council: Labour Party (15 seats), Liberals (9 seats), Green Left (7 seats), Democrats 66 (4 seats), Christian Democrats (3 seats), Socialist Party (3 seats), A Different Amsterdam/Greens (3 seats) and Mobile Amsterdam 99 (1 seat).
Most Councillors also have a job next to their Council work. This is because council membership is voluntary work, for which Councillors merely receive an allowance. Amsterdam Councillors devote on average about 30 hours per week to Council work.

The Council meets every second Wednesday at 13:00 and, if necessary, again at 19:30 the same day. These meetings are open to the public and are held in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The meetings begin with a 'question-time' session, during which Councillors can ask questions about matters of current interest.

The College of Aldermen

The day-to-day running of Amsterdam is the task of a 'college' made up of the Mayor and currently six Aldermen. Aldermen are elected by and from the Council. After they are appointed, the Aldermen remain members of the full Council and vote in its meetings. The Mayor and the six Aldermen share their work: Each has his or her own portfolio and areas of responsibility.

The College prepares the resolutions to be adopted by the Council and implement these resolutions once they have been adopted. The Council may also reject a proposal from the College, as the Council has the final say. To be able to manage effectively, the Council delegates many tasks to the College. These mainly concern decisions taken on the basis of an established policy, which therefore does not need to be debated by the Council.

The College meets once a week on Tuesdays. These meetings are not open to the public. All public decisions are announced through press releases and ' News from the College of Aldermen'. Decisions are available for inspection (by appointment) in the Public Information Centre.

The Mayor

The Mayor occupies a special position. He is not elected by the city's residents, but is appointed by the Monarchy. He chairs the City Council and the College of Alderman. He can vote in the College, but not in the full Council. The Mayor also has various responsibilities of his own. He is head of the police and responsible for maintaining public order in the city. To a large extent, he also represents Amsterdam to the outside world.

Council Committees

Most of the proposals that come before the City Council do not proceed there directly. First they are discussed by advisory committees, also known as Council Committees. These Committees are made up of members of the City Council (including the responsible Alderman) who specialise in a particular area of policy. Each committee discusses the policy proposals of a specific member of the board, focussing on current themes presented. 

The Aldermen present and discuss policy proposals and provide information to the committee on current affairs. They can be assisted by civil servants from their departments. At the start each meeting, civilians have the possibility to address the committee on subjects of interest. In principle, the council committees meet once every three weeks.

In Amsterdam there are seven of such committees, which usually meet every second week and are mostly open to the public. Other people aside Councillors can make their voices heard on the Committee, such as members of the public who have written a letter to the Council (known as a 'council address'). The smaller parties are sometimes represented on council committees by Associate Councillors. These are people who have not been elected to the City Council but were on the list of candidates of the political parties in question.

Aside from preparing the discussions and decisions of the City Council, the committees are also empowered to take decisions themselves. Since the introduction of the Local Authorities Act in 2002, members of the board are no longer member of committees, but do attend.

back