States-provincial
A states-provincial (in Dutch: Provinciale Staten, abbreviated PS – commonly known as simply Staten) is the provincial parliament and legislative assembly in each of the provinces of the Netherlands. It is elected for each province simultaneously once every four years and has the responsibility for matters of sub-national or regional importance. Each states-provincial is directly elected by the voters within the relevant province, and the number of seats in each states-provincial is proportional to its population.
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| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Netherlands |
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The states-provincial originated as Estates assemblies in the Middle Ages, hence the name. From 1813 to 1850 the noble members of the ridderschap chose one-third of the members of states-provincial. Johan Rudolf Thorbecke's reforms and his "Provinces Law" ("provinciewet") of 1850 brought this privilege to an end.
The states-provincial choose the provincial-executive as the executive organ of the province. Originally, the states-provincial themselves had also executive powers and chose the provincial-executive from their own members for daily governance. On 11 March 2003, the two institutions split; in other words, there was a change from fusion of powers to separation of powers.
The principal roles of the states-provincial have become to set general policies, represent the people, approve provincial legislation and the annual budget and to oversee the executive. Both the provincial-executive and the States-provincial are presided over by the King's Commissioner in the province, appointed by the Crown every six years.
The last provincial elections were held 20 March 2019.
Three months after their election the combined members of the states-provincial elect the members of the Senate of the States-General of the Netherlands.
Number of seats in each states-provincial
The size of states-provincials ranges from 39 members for a province with less than 400,000 inhabitants to 55 members for a province with more than 2,000,000 inhabitants.
Before 2007, they ranged from 47 members for a province with less than 200,000 inhabitants to 83 members for a province with more than 2,500,000 inhabitants. As a consequence of a change to the Provinciewet, starting at the states-provincial elections of 7 March 2007, the total number of States-Provincial members was reduced from 764 to 564. A survey of the change in seats per province:
| Province | Seats 2003 | Seats 2007 | Seats 2011 | Seats 2015 | Seats 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groningen | 55 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 |
| Friesland | 55 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 |
| Drenthe | 51 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 |
| Overijssel | 63 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 |
| Flevoland | 47 | 39 | 39 | 41 | 41 |
| Gelderland | 75 | 53 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| Utrecht | 63 | 47 | 47 | 49 | 49 |
| North Holland | 83 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| South Holland | 83 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| Zeeland | 47 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 |
| North Brabant | 79 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| Limburg | 63 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 |
| Total | 764 | 564 | 566 | 570 | 570 |
A consequence of this reduction in the number of seats is that the election threshold (the minimum number of votes needed for a party to gain at least one seat in an assembly) has risen. Depending on the province, the threshold now lies between 1.5% and over 2% of the votes. Because of this, it has become harder for small parties to win a seat. This may also have consequences for the representation of small parties in the Senate, which is elected by the members of the States-Provincial.
National results
Outcome of the provincial elections calculated at national level:
| Political party | 2003* | 2007 | 2011 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forum for Democracy (FvD) | - | - | - | - | 86 |
| People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) | 103 | 102 | 112 | 89 | 80 |
| Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) | 169 | 151 | 86 | 89 | 72 |
| GreenLeft (GL) | 37 | 33 | 34 | 30 | 61 |
| Labour Party (PvdA) | 150 | 114 | 107 | 63 | 53 |
| Party for Freedom (PVV) | - | 0 | 69 | 66 | 41 |
| Democrats 66 (D66) | 20 | 9 | 42 | 67 | 40 |
| Socialist Party (SP) | 29 | 83 | 56 | 70 | 35 |
| ChristianUnion (CU) | 19 | 35 | 23 | 29 | 31 |
| Party for the Animals (PvdD) | 0 | 8 | 7 | 18 | 20 |
| 50Plus | 0 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 17 |
| Reformed Political Party (SGP) | 13 | 13 | 12 | 18 | 14 |
| Denk (DENK) | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| CU - SGP[1] | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Pim Fortuyn List (LPF) | 10 | 0 | - | - | - |
| Regionalist parties | 10 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 15 |
| Total | 564 | 564 | 566 | 570 | 570 |
| Turnout | 47.62% | 46.40% | 55.97% | 47.76% |
Note *: 2003 election calculated for the 2007 number of seats (564).
Elections by party by province
Provincial elections, 2003
Outcome of the 2003 Dutch provincial elections:
| Province | 2003 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDA | PvdA | VVD | GL | SP | D66 | CU | SGP | LPF | (others) | total | |
| Groningen | 12 | 20 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 55 |
| Friesland | 16 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7+1+1+1 | 55 | |
| Drenthe | 12 | 19 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 51 |
| Overijssel | 24 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 63 |
| Flevoland | 10 | 12 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 47 |
| Gelderland | 24 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 75 |
| Utrecht | 16 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 63 |
| North Holland | 17 | 24 | 20 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 83 | |
| South Holland | 20 | 20 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 83 |
| Zeeland | 13 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1+2 | 47 |
| North Brabant | 30 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 79 | |
| Limburg | 28 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 63 |
| Total | 222 | 198 | 138 | 51 | 37 | 31 | 26+5 | 19+5 | 15 | 22 | 764 |
Provincial elections, 2007
Outcome of the 2007 Dutch provincial elections:
| Province | 2007 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDA | PvdA | VVD | GL | SP | D66 | CU | SGP | PvdD | (others) | total | |
| Groningen | 9 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 43 |
| Friesland | 12 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 43 |
| Drenthe | 10 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 |
| Overijssel | 17 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| Flevoland | 8 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 |
| Gelderland | 15 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 53 |
| Utrecht | 11 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 47 |
| North Holland | 11 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 55 | |
| South Holland | 13 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 55 |
| Zeeland | 10 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 39 |
| North Brabant | 18 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 55 | |
| Limburg | 18 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 47 |
| Total | 151 | 114 | 102 | 32 | 83 | 9 | 35+3 | 13+3 | 9 | 13 | 564 |
Due to defections from one party to another and other such reasons the number of seats can fluctuate during each inter-elections period. This table only shows the distribution straight after the elections.
The named 'others' for 2007 are:
- in Groningen: PvhN (by 1 seat)
- in Friesland: FNP (by 5 seats)
- in Utrecht: Mooi Utrecht (by 1 seat)
- in North Holland: ONH/Verenigd Senioren Partij (by 1 seat)
- in South Holland: Leefbaar Zuid-Holland (by 1 seat)
- in Zeeland: PvZ (by 2 seats)
- in North Brabant: Brabantse Partij (by 1 seat)
- in Limburg: PNL (by 1 seat)
Provincial elections, 2011
Outcome of the 2011 Dutch provincial elections:
| Province | 2011 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDA | PvdA | VVD | GL | SP | D66 | CU | SGP | PvdD | PVV | 50+ | (others) | total | ||
| Groningen | 5 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 43 | |
| Friesland | 8 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 43 | |
| Drenthe | 6 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 41 | |
| Overijssel | 11 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 47 | |
| Flevoland | 4 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 39 | |
| Gelderland | 9 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 55 | |
| Utrecht | 6 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 47 | |
| North Holland | 5 | 11 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 55 | ||
| South Holland | 6 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 55 | |
| Zeeland | 6 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 39 | |
| North Brabant | 10 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 55 | ||
| Limburg | 10 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 47 | |
| Total | 86 | 107 | 112 | 34 | 56 | 42 | 23+1 | 12+1 | 7 | 69 | 9 | 8 | 566 | |
The named 'others' for 2011 are:
- in Groningen: PvhN (by 1 seat)
- in Friesland: FNP (by 4 seats)
- in North Holland: ONH (by 1 seat)
- in Zeeland: PvZ (by 2 seats)
Provincial elections, 2015
Outcome of the 2015 Dutch provincial elections:
| Province | 2015 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDA | PvdA | VVD | GL | SP | D66 | CU | SGP | PvdD | PVV | 50+ | (others) | total | ||
| Groningen | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 4 | - | 2 | 3 | - | 3+1 | 43 | |
| Friesland | 9 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | - | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 43 | |
| Drenthe | 6 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | - | 5 | 1 | 1 | 41 | |
| Overijssel | 11 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 47 | |
| Flevoland | 5 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 41 | |
| Gelderland | 9 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 55 | |
| Utrecht | 6 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 49 | |
| North Holland | 5 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 55 | ||
| South Holland | 7 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 55 | |
| Zeeland | 6 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6 | - | 4 | 1 | 1+1 | 39 | |
| North Brabant | 9 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 55 | ||
| Limburg | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 4 | - | - | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1+1 | 47 | |
| Total | 89 | 63 | 89 | 30 | 70 | 67 | 29+2 | 18+2 | 18 | 66 | 14 | 15 | 570 | |
The named 'others' for 2015 are:
- in Groningen: Groninger Belang (by 3 seats), PvhN (by 1 seat)
- in Friesland: FNP (by 4 seats)
- in Drenthe; Sterk Lokaal (by 1 seat)
- in North Holland: ONH (by 1 seat)
- in Zeeland: Zeeland Lokaal (by 1 seat), PvZ (by 1 seat)
- in North Brabant: Lokaal Brabant (by 1 seat)
- in Limburg: Volkspartij Limburg (by 1 seat), Lokaal-Limburg (by 1 seat)
See also
- Provinces of the Netherlands
- Interprovinciaal Overleg
- Estates of the realm, for the origin of the term
- Provincieraad, the equivalent body in Belgium
References
- Combinated list in two provinces (North Holland and North Brabant, also Friesland in 2003).