Back Provinsiale State Afrikaans البرلمان الإقليمي (هولندا) Arabic Provinciale Staten German États provinciaux (Pays-Bas) French Provinsjale Steaten Frisian Stati provinciali Italian Status provinciales Latin Provinciale Staten Malay Provinciale Staten (Nederland) Dutch Provinciale Staten Portuguese
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![Azure, billetty Or a lion with a coronet Or armed and langued Gules holding in his dexter paw a sword Argent hilted Or and in the sinister paw seven arrows Argent pointed and bound together Or. [The seven arrows stand for the seven provinces of the Union of Utrecht.] The shield is crowned with the (Dutch) royal crown and supported by two lions Or armed and langued gules. They stand on a scroll Azure with the text (Or) "Je Maintiendrai" (French for "I will maintain".)](view_image.php?q=Provincial_council_(Netherlands)&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:State_coat_of_arms_of_the_Netherlands.svg) |
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The provincial council (Dutch: Provinciale Staten, PS), also known as the States-Provincial, 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. The number of seats in a provincial council is proportional to its population.
The provincial councils originated as Estates assemblies in the Middle Ages, hence the name 'States Provincial'. From 1813 to 1850, the noble members of the ridderschap chose one-third of the members of the provincial councils. Johan Rudolf Thorbecke's reforms and his 'Provinces Law' (Provinciewet) of 1850 brought this privilege to an end.
The provincial council chooses the provincial executive, which is the executive organ of the province. Originally, the States Provincial themselves also had executive powers and chose the provincial executive from among their own members. On 11 March 2003, the two institutions split.
The principal roles of the provincial council 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 provincial council are chaired by the King's Commissioner in the province, appointed by the monarch every six years.
The last provincial elections were held on 15 March 2023.
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.