News item | 21-04-2023 | 4:00 pm
The cabinet has approved the establishment of the Advisory Board on the operation of Article 57 of the Constitution and the appointment of the members of this Advisory Board. The establishment of the Advisory Board implements 2 motions that have been adopted by the House of Representatives.
This requested the government to set up an independent commission that:
- advises on a scheme for the temporary replacement of MPs who are also ministers in a caretaker cabinet, and
- analyzes the functioning of article 57 of the Constitution and makes proposals for clarification or renewal of this article (also in relation to the Electoral Act and the Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives).
The term of the Advisory Board is one year.
Broad knowledge and expertise
Prof. (em.) dr. JWM (Hans) Engels is appointed as chairman at the institution. Engels was senior lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Groningen, and later endowed professor of municipal law/municipal science (Thorbecke chair) in Leiden and endowed professor of local government law (Oppenheim chair) in Groningen. From 2004 to 2019 he was a member of the Senate, several years of which as party chairman. He was also chairman of the standing committee for the Interior and High Councils of State/General Affairs and the House of the Queen. From September 2018 to January 1, 2021, Engels was acting mayor of Loppersum.
The other members of the advisory board are:
- Prof. CC (Carla) van Baalen
- Prof. SL (Sarah) de Lange
- Prof. RJB (Roel) Schutgens
- prof. dr. mr. JE (Jonathan) Soeharno
The expertise of these members includes the fields of parliamentary history, political science, institutional constitutional law and integrity and ethics.
The establishment regulation and the appointment decision will be published in the Government Gazette.