A King's commissioner (Dutch: Commissaris van de Koning, CvdK) is the head of government and legislature in a province of the Netherlands. When the reigning monarch is a woman, the title is Queen's commissioner (Commissaris van de Koningin).
A commissioner is appointed by the Dutch Crown as its official representative, and serves as the non-voting chair of the provincial legislature, the States-Provincial. He or she also serves as chair and full and voting member of the Provincial executive.
The provinces form the regional administration, between the national and municipal levels. They are responsible for issues such as spatial planning and health care, within the bounds prescribed by the national government. The provinces also oversee policy and finances of municipalities and other lesser authorities such as water boards.
The provincial legislature, called the States-Provincial or Provincial Council, are elected by direct popular vote every four years. The executive authority is exercised collectively by the College of the King's Commissioner and the Provincial executive. The latter is elected by, and are accountable to, the provincial council.
When a vacancy arises, the States Provincial express their preferences to the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, who, in turn, presents a candidate for appointment by the Council of Ministers.
The candidates are almost exclusively drawn from among prominent members of the major national political parties, but are expected to be politically impartial while exercising their office.
official representative of the central government to the province
non-voting, impartial chair of the States-Provincial
oversight of the provincial administration and provincial utilities
chair and full, voting member of the Provincial council, with the possibility of holding their own political portfolio; common responsibilities include safety and public order
part of the province's oversight of municipal policy and finances, by paying regular official visits to the municipalities of the provinces
upon a vacancy as mayor (burgmeester) in a municipality of the province, reception of the municipal council's expressed preferences of candidate, and, based on that expression, recommending a candidate to the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
Naming practice in Limburg
In the Dutch province of Limburg, the King's Commissioner is informally referred to as Governor (Dutch: Gouverneur), drawing on the corresponding office in the bordering Belgian province of Limburg. Accordingly, the Province Hall (Provinciehuis) at Maastricht is thus often referred to as the Governor's Residence (Gouvernement).
![Azure, billetty Or a lion with a coronet Or armed and langued Gules holding in his dexter paw a sword Argent hilted Or and in the sinister paw seven arrows Argent pointed and bound together Or. [The seven arrows stand for the seven provinces of the Union of Utrecht.] The shield is crowned with the (Dutch) royal crown and supported by two lions Or armed and langued gules. They stand on a scroll Azure with the text (Or) "Je Maintiendrai" (French for "I will maintain".)](File:State_coat_of_arms_of_the_Netherlands.svg)
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