Artikel 55: Senate Election

Artikel 55
  1. The members of the Upper House shall be chosen by the members of the provincial councils and the members of the electoral colleges as referred to in paragraph 2 and in Article 132a, paragraph 3. The election shall take place not more than three months after the election of the members of the provincial councils except in the event of the dissolution of the House.
  2. For Dutch nationals who are not resident in the Netherlands and who satisfy the requirements laid down for elections to the Lower House of the States General, elections shall be held for an electoral college for the Upper House. The members of this electoral college shall be directly elected by these Dutch nationals. The same conditions apply to membership. Article 129, paragraphs 2 to 6 shall apply mutatis mutandis.’

In andere talen:

English

  1. The members of the Upper House shall be chosen by the members of the provincial councils and the members of the electoral colleges as referred to in paragraph 2 and in Article 132a, paragraph 3. The election shall take place not more than three months after the election of the members of the provincial councils except in the event of the dissolution of the House.
  2. For Dutch nationals who are not resident in the Netherlands and who satisfy the requirements laid down for elections to the Lower House of the States General, elections shall be held for an electoral college for the Upper House. The members of this electoral college shall be directly elected by these Dutch nationals. The same conditions apply to membership. Article 129, paragraphs 2 to 6 shall apply mutatis mutandis.’

Français

  1. Les sénateurs sont élus par les membres des États provinciaux et ceux des collèges électoraux visés au paragraphe 2 et à l’article 132a, paragraphe 3. L’élection a lieu, sauf en cas de dissolution de la Chambre, dans les trois mois suivant l’élection des membres des États provinciaux.
  2. Des élections visant à constituer un collège électoral de la Première Chambre sont organisées pour les Néerlandais non résidents qui satisfont aux conditions applicables à l’élection de la Seconde Chambre. Les membres de ce collège électoral sont élus directement par ces Néerlandais. L’éligibilité est soumise aux mêmes conditions. L’article 129, paragraphes 2 à 6, s’applique par analogie.

Deutsch

  1. Die Mitglieder der Ersten Kammer werden von den Mitgliedern der Provinzialstaaten und den Mitgliedern der Wahlgremien im Sinne des Absatzes 2 und des Artikels 132a Absatz 3 gewählt. Die Wahl findet, außer im Falle einer Auflösung der Kammer, innerhalb von drei Monaten nach der Wahl der Mitglieder der Provinzialstaaten statt.
  2. Für Niederländer, die keine Landesansässigen sind und die Voraussetzungen für die Wahl zur Zweiten Kammer der Generalstaaten erfüllen, finden Wahlen zu einem Wahlgremium für die Erste Kammer statt. Die Mitglieder dieses Wahlgremiums werden in unmittelbarer Wahl von diesen Niederländern gewählt. Für die Mitgliedschaft gelten dieselben Voraussetzungen. Artikel 129 Absätze 2 bis 6 gilt entsprechend.

Español

  1. Los miembros de la Primera Cámara son elegidos por los miembros de los Estados Provinciales y los miembros de los colegios electorales como los mencionados en el artículo 132a, apartado tercero. La elección tendrá lugar, salvo en caso de disolución de la Cámara, dentro de los tres meses siguientes a la elección de los miembros de los Estados Provinciales.
  2. Se celebrarán elecciones para un colegio electoral para la Primera Cámara, en beneficio de los neerlandeses que no sean residentes en los Países Bajos y que cumplan los requisitos vigentes para la elección de la Segunda Cámara de los Estados Generales. Los miembros de dicho colegio electoral serán elegidos directamente por esos neerlandeses. A la pertenencia al colegio se le aplican los mismos requisitos. Se aplicará por analogía el artículo 129, apartados segundo a sexto.

Explanation

Please note: Only the Dutch-language version of the Constitution has legal effect. 

The Senate is elected

  • by the members of the Provincial Councils
  • for the islands in the Caribbean Netherlands not classified as provinces, by the members of an electoral college
  • for eligible voters residing abroad who are also allowed to vote for the House of Representatives (non-residents), likewise by an electoral college (paragraph 2).

The election must take place within three months after the elections for the Provincial Councils, except in the event of the interim dissolution of the Senate.

The term of office of the Provincial Councils is four years, except for exceptions to be determined by law (Article 129, paragraph 4). If the legislature makes use of this possibility, the term of office of the Senate shall be adjusted to that longer or shorter term of office of the Provincial Councils (Article 52, paragraph 2).

However, if the normal term of office is deviated from for only one or a few provinces, for example in the case of a provincial reorganization, no extension or shortening of the term of office and no interim election of the Senate will be necessary. The right to vote for the Senate is regulated in the Electoral Act. As long as the electoral college for non-residents is not regulated in the Electoral Act, the 2017 version of this article remains in force. This is regulated in Additional Article VI. The new Article 55 will only enter into force by Royal Decree once the Non-Residents Electoral College Act, published in the Government Gazette 410 dated 19 October 2022, has entered into force.