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The Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) has 150 seats. A government needs the support of 76 to survive. No party won a majority on November 22, 2023. Build your government below.
How Netherlands's coalition system works
Majority threshold
76 of 150 seats needed. The Netherlands uses pure proportional representation with no threshold โ any party winning 1 seat (0.67% of votes) enters parliament. This produces exceptionally fragmented legislatures.
Formation rules
After elections, the parliament's Speaker consults all party leaders, then appoints an "informateur" to explore coalition options, followed by a "formateur" to negotiate a formal agreement. Coalition formation can take months โ the record is 299 days (2021). The formed coalition presents a governing agreement to both chambers.
What makes this system distinctive
The Netherlands routinely produces 10-15 parties in parliament. The 2023 election returned 15 parties. Coalition mathematics in a 150-seat chamber require 76 seats โ but the extreme fragmentation means almost any majority requires 3-5 parties. The PVV (Wilders) was historically excluded from coalitions; 2023 broke that precedent.
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All 150 Seats โ November 22, 2023
76 of 150 seats needed. The Netherlands uses pure proportional representation with no threshold โ any party winning 1 seat (0.67% of votes) enters parliament. This produces exceptionally fragmented legislatures.
Netherlands in context: Geert Wilders' shock victory turned the most fragmented parliament in Dutch history into a right-wing government โ formed after 167 days of negotiations.
