The Netherlands: Politics in a Fragmented Culture

Abstract

The Netherlands epitomizes a parliamentary regime with a fragmented party system thus raising issues of stability and effectiveness. These issues have been exacerbated by the pillarization of Dutch society unity into five mutually isolated sub-cultures each with one or more political parties. The Dutch electoral scheme of a form of proportional representation permitted the development of a fragmented party system rendering the formation of a governing coalition a daunting task. The pillarization of Dutch society has weakened leading to the emergence of a new set of parties concerned with issues of identity. A Muslim sub-culture that resisted assimilation was perceived to be an existential threat. This weakened the social and political tolerance for which the Dutch are famed.