The third Friday in september is just around the corner: Prinsjesdag

On 19 September, the King read the throne speech at the Koninklijke Schouwburg. After that, the minister of Finance hands over the traditional briefcase, containing the national budget and a bill of millions, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In the foreground, MPs in their benches in the plenary hall, to the left behind the speaker and to the right behind the minister of Finance with the Prinsjesdag briefcase.Prinsjesdag 2022: Minister of  Finance Sigrid Kaag with the well-known briefcase, which is handed over (via a messenger) to Chamber president Vera Bergkamp.

What happens on Prinsjesdag?

On Prinsjesdag, King Willem-Alexander delivers the throne speech. Due to the renovation of the Binnenhof, this is done in the Koninklijke Schouwburg instead of the Ridderzaal. After that, the minister of Finance offers the Million note and the national budget to the House of Representatives. On Prinsjesdag 2023, the Cabinet is demissionary, but that has no consequences for these traditions.

Read more about Prinsjesdag with a demissionary cabinet.

Preparations for Prinsjesdag 2022: the Royal Theater will be brightened up with multicolored bouquets.

King Willem-Alexander reads the throne speech at the Koninklijke Schouwburg on Prinsjesdag 2022.

“Members of the States General”

On behalf of the government, King Willem-Alexander makes the throne speech. It always begins with the words:’members of the States general’. These are the members of the first and second Chambers together. During the reading of the throne speech, the members of the Royal House and the Cabinet are also present. The throne speech shows how the country is doing according to the government and what the main plans are for the coming year. Each minister has made a contribution to the throne speech for his own policy area. The prime minister then discusses the text with the King.

Commission of imports and exports

Vera Bergkamp, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has a special role during the United Meeting of the first and second Chambers. She is chairman of the committee on immigration and emigration. Together with a number of members of the first and Second Chamber, she accompanies the members of the Royal House on their arrival and departure from the Royal Theatre. The clerk of the commission of entry and exit shouts upon entering the Hall ‘ ” The King!’. The attendees then stand.

Offer a suitcase

The presentation of the Prinsjesdagstukken from the briefcase of the minister of Finance is also a traditional highlight of Prinsjesdag. The briefcase contains the Million Dollar Bill and the national budget for the coming year. Chamber president Vera Bergkamp receives the briefcase in the plenary hall.

Budget cycle

The Wednesday and Thursday after Prinsjesdag are followed by the Algemene Politieke Beschouwingen (APB). The group leaders then debate the main points of the Cabinet plans. The prime minister speaks on behalf of the cabinet. This is followed by the general financial considerations (AFB), in which the financial consequences of the plans are discussed in detail. In the months that follow, the chamber deals with the budget of each ministry separately.