Dutch government
The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. This means that the Netherlands has a government in which a King acts as head of state, but his work is mostly restricted to ceremonial duties. The governance of the country is conducted by a democratically elected cabinet and parliament.
Monarcy
The Dutch monarchy dates back all the way to 1813. After the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, Willem Frederik I of Oranje-Nassau was proclaimed Prince of the Netherlands. The family of Oranje-Nassau have been monarchs of the Netherlands ever since. The current monarch is King Willem-Alexander.
Cabinet and parliament
The Dutch cabinet consists of the ministers and state secretaries and is headed by the Prime Minister. They are responsible for all the major governmental decisions. The Dutch parliament which consists of two houses reviews proposed legislation and the actions of the cabinet.