The Dutch Labour Party (PvdA) wants to modernise the Dutch monarchy. The party says Dutch kings or queens should no longer head the Council of State (country's highest advisory body) or interfere with the formation of the cabinet coalition.

Under the Labour plans, the prime minister would no longer be required to ask permission from the monarch to dissolve the government in times of a cabinet or ministerial crisis. In future, parliament would appoint someone to help form the government and dissolve the cabinet, if necessary.

The party also wants to drastically reduce the number of people who are official members of the Royal House to just the monarch, his or her predecessor and his or her successor and their spouses. This would mean only six members of the family would receive an income from the treasury. At the moment, many members of the extended family receive a royal allowance.

Royal role
The party has published its plans on its website. The social democrats believe now is the right time for the move as Crown Prince Willem Alexander is widely expected to succeed Queen Beatrix in the not-too-distant future. In addition, the role of the Royal Family has been discussed more and more often in recent years and the institution itself has sought publicity. 

The party admits that there are bigger problems to be solved in the Netherlands than the role of the Royal Family, and recognises that most constitutional monarchies are well run. Nevertheless, the party says no one would install such an institution in this day and age, not even the Royal Family itself.

Republican
The plans have been drawn up by a working group, but their recommendations are likely to be adopted by the parliamentary party. The plans are designed to guarantee that the Netherlands is not headed by a political monarch. The Labour Party says it is not in favour of a monarchy, though it recognises the historical role of the Royal Family in the Netherlands.

The issue of modernising the monarchy has been raised in parliament before, but so far Prime Minister Mark Rutte has not appeared keen on the idea.

(nc/ae/mw)

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