Council of State (Netherlands)

Council of State
Raad van State
Kneuterdijk Palace in The Hague
52°04′53″N 4°18′32″E / 52.081482°N 4.308911°E / 52.081482; 4.308911
Established	1 October 1531
Location	The Hague, Netherlands
Coordinates	52°04′53″N 4°18′32″E / 52.081482°N 4.308911°E / 52.081482; 4.308911
Authorized by	Constitution
Website	https://www.raadvanstate.nl
President
Currently	King Willem-Alexander
Since	30 April 2013
Vice President
Currently	Thom de Graaf
Since	1 November 2018

The Council of State (Dutch: Raad van State^ⓘ) is a constitutionally established advisory body in the Netherlands to the government and States General that officially consists of members of the royal family and Crown-appointed members generally having political, commercial, diplomatic or military experience. It was founded in 1531, making it one of the world's oldest still-functioning state organisations.^[1]

The Council of State must be consulted by the cabinet on proposed legislation before a law is submitted to parliament. The Council of State Administrative Law division also serves as one of the four highest courts of appeal in administrative matters. The King is president of the Council of State but he seldom chairs meetings. The Vice-President of the Council of State chairs meetings in his absence and is the de facto major personality of the institution. Under Dutch constitutional law, the Vice-President of the Council is acting head of state when there is no monarch such as if the royal family were to become extinct.