*Welkom* to our blog! We are the 2008 Group Study Exchange team representing Rotary District 7620 which includes Central Maryland and Washington DC. We will be visiting District 1600, located in the southwestern part of the Netherlands as a part of a professional exchange with members from their district. This exchange is a part of the greater goal of the Rotary Club to promote world peace through the exchange of ideas and the understanding of other cultures. District 1600 includes Rotterdam and The Hague, which are the second and third largest cities in the Netherlands, following Amsterdam. We will be in the Netherlands from April 26 through May 24, during which, we will live with host families, give presentations to several Rotary Clubs and visit vocational sites related to our respective professions. Most of all, we will be immersed in Dutch culture and have many wonderful experiences. We hope you will enjoy reading about our experiences and adventures! *Dank u*

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Parliament


Thursday we had a private tour of the Parliament building and met with a former Parliament member. The Dutch government system is very different from ours in that it is proportional representation. Each party receives their number of seats in Parliament based on the percentage of votes it receives. There are currently 10 different parties in Parliament! All of these parties would fall on our liberal side...even their most conservative ones. I asked how anything can get accomplished with so many parties. The parties form coalitions with other parties in which they promise to vote together on certain issues. The Prime Minister is chosen from the party which received the most votes. The Queen is also considered part of the Government and the Court is not included in they system. The whole thing was very interesting and would take a long time to write out...but that's an overview.

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