Prinsjesdag

From NSwiki, the NationStates encyclopedia.
Jump to: navigation, search

Every third Tuesday of September in Knootoss is known as Prinsjesdag, a day in which the Knootian Prime Minister addresses a sitting of the Staten-Generaal. The highly publicised meeting is held in the historic Hall of Knights (Ridderzaal) in The Hague and the Prime Minister's Speech standing in front of the Throne outlines the main points of government policy for the coming year. MPs then gather in parliament, where the Minister of Economic Affairs presents the budget and government financial estimates for the coming year.

Ceremony

The Prime Minister leaves in a horse-drawn golden coach from the Noordeinde Palace at 1pm and travels to the Hall of Knights in the centre of The Hague. Dignitaries and a military guard of honour accompany him or her on the 30-minute journey. Members of the public also line the side of the roads to cheer and catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister, while military salutes are fired at one-minute intervals to let the public know the carriage is en route. The procession travels from the palace past the Mauritshuis Museum through the Middenpoort (Middle Gate) and Grenadierspoort (Grenadiers' Gate) to the Binnenhof, where the parliamentary offices are located.

The Knootian national anthem is played when the Prime Minister arrives at the Binnenhof, who then salutes the flag and mounts the steps to the Hall of Knights, which were built by Count Floris V of Holland in 1280.

The speaker of the parliament then announces the arrival of the Head of State to the gathered dignitaries, such as the Members of Parliament, members of the Council of State, senior civil servants, high-ranking officers of the Knootian Defence Force, senior members of the judiciary and the Mayor of The Hague.

The Prime Minister launches into a half-hour speech outlining the government's policy. After the Prime Minister's closing words, the speaker will call: "Long live the Republic!", which is followed by three cheers from everyone present. The MPs then gather later in parliament to hear the Economic Affairs minister outline the facts and figures of the budget.