The Netherlands: Notes |
Executive Government: 1798 On 23 Jan 1798 the Constituent Assembly (Constituerende Vergadering) elected four persons to form the Executive Government (Uitvoerend Bewind) and added the fifth member (Fokker) on 24 Jan 1798. Four of those five took office 25 Jan 1798, the fifth joining them 2 Feb 1798. While the Constituent Assembly continued to work on a Constitution, it confirmed (20 Mar 1798) the members of the Executive Government "as if the appointment had been made under the forthcoming Constitution". The Constitution (Staatsregeling) went into effect 20 May 1798. According to the regulations attached to this document, the office of chairman of the Executive Government rotated monthly. It is customary to refer to the Executive Government before 20 Mar 1798 or 20 May 1798 as Voorlopig Uitvoerend Bewind (Provisional Executive Government), but this term had no official standing. Interim Executive Governments: 1798 On 12 Jun 1798 most of the government members were arrested and the body was dissolved. A five-member Interim Administration (Intermediair Bestuur) was formed. There is no record of a chairman of the Interim Administration during its three-day term (12 Jun 1798 - 14 Jun 1798). Five members of the Interim Administration organised themselves on 14 Jun 1798 as the Interim Executive Government (Intermediair Uitvoerend Bewind). The presidency was put in weekly rotation. Under its authority a new legislature took office on 31 Jul 1798 and elected a new Executive Government (Uitvoerend Bewind) which took office on 17 Aug 1798. Executive Government: 1798-1801 The second Executive Government (Uitvoerend Bewind) in the history of the Batavian Republic was elected by state legislature (17 Aug 1798). The Constitution provided for one member being replaced each year, on the second Tuesday in June. This rule was indeed adhered to, contrary to what many sources erroneously assert. According to the regulations attached to this document, the office of chairman of the Executive Government rotated monthly. State Government: 1801-1805 Under the Constitution promulgated 17 Oct 1801, the executive power was exercised by the State Government (Staatsbewind), consisting of twelve members, seven of whom were initially appointed by the outgoing Executive Government, the remaining five to be appointed by the first seven. Most members of the State Government took office 17 Oct 1801. The Constitution styled the presiding officer of the State Government "president"; however, the term "voorzitter" ("chairman") continued in official use. The office of chairman rotated trimestrially. The Constitution provided (a) for one member to be replaced each year, the first replacement to take place 1 Nov 1802, and (b) that a vacancy occurring during the first six months of the State Government was to be filled by the remaining members of the body. No regular replacement took place in 1804. On 17 Dec 1804 four members of the State Authority were forced off the body by French imposition, and were not replaced. On 29 Apr 1805 the State Government was replaced by a single chief executive (Raadpensionaris). |
