Editing States General of the Netherlands (section)

==Functions==
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" align="center"
|-
| '''[[Tweede Kamer]]'''
* 150 members
* elected directly in general elections
* term of office: 4 years
|| '''[[Eerste Kamer]]'''
* 75 members
* elected indirectly through [[Provincial council (Netherlands)|provincial councils]]
* term 4 years 
|-
| colspan="2" align="center"| '''Verenigde Vergadering'''
(joint session of both houses)
|}

[[File:Koning Willem-Alexander spreekt de Troonrede 2015 uit in de Ridderzaal.webm|thumb|[[Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands|King Willem-Alexander]] giving the annual speech from the throne in the [[Ridderzaal]], 2015]]
{{Politics of the Netherlands}}
The States General meets in joint session at least once a year, at the opening of the parliamentary year, when the [[Dutch Monarchy|king]] gives his [[Speech from the Throne]] on [[Prinsjesdag|Prince's Day]]. On special occasions, such as when a States Generate vote on a marriage of a member of the royal house, an [[Inauguration of the Dutch monarch|inauguration of the monarch]], or the death of a member of the royal house, both houses also meet in a joint session ({{lang|nl|Verenigde Vergadering}}), with the President of the Senate presiding. They take place in the [[Ridderzaal]] (Hall of Knights) in the Binnenhof, except for the [[inauguration]] of the monarch, which occurs in the [[Nieuwe Kerk (Amsterdam)|Nieuwe Kerk]] in [[Amsterdam]]. The rest of the time, the two chambers sit separately.

Constitutionally, all functions of the parliament are given to both houses, except for the rights of initiative and amendment, which only the {{lang|nl|Tweede Kamer}} has. The Joint Session also appoints the monarch if there is no heir to the throne and the regent is unable to exercise his or her powers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.houseofrepresentatives.nl/how-parliament-works/democracy-netherlands|title=Democracy in the Netherlands|website=www.houseofrepresentatives.nl}}</ref>

An important question is whether the relationship between cabinet and parliament should be [[dualism (politics)|dualistic]] or monistic. That is, whether ministers and leaders of governing parliamentary parties should prepare important political decisions. According to the dualistic position, members of parliament of governing parties should remain independent of the cabinet. The term 'monism' is used to refer to a stance that important decisions should be prepared by the people of the governing coalition in order to promote political stability.