From oblivion to limelight: Stability and change in Dutch post-prime ministerial careers

J. de Vries, P. t Hart, H. Onstein

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Even though the Prime Minister (PM) has been the primus inter pares within Dutch government for a long time, the holders of the office were not supposed to flex their muscles. The role of chairman of the council of ministers was, historically, rotated among the members of the Cabinet. So Dutch PMs traditionally had only informal sources of influence. They first and foremost had to be good diplomats and effective back-room operators to keep their fractious multiparty coalition cabinets together. And they had to do so with relatively few formal powers.
Original languageUndefined/Unknown
Title of host publicationFormer Leaders in Modern Democracies
Subtitle of host publicationPolitical Sunsets
EditorsJ. de Vries, K. Theakston
Place of PublicationLondon
PublisherPalgrave Macmillan
Pages161-185
Number of pages24
ISBN (Electronic)978-1-137-26531-9
ISBN (Print)978-1-349-33971-6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

Publication series

NamePalgrave Studies in Political Leadership Series

Keywords

  • Prime Minister
  • Party Leader
  • Lisbon Treaty
  • Party Congress
  • Issue Advocate

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