What is a motion? Esther Ouwehand/PvdA [= Labour Party]
The House sometimes has questions about government policy
or has other plans than the government
or it has no confidence in the government carrying out a plan properly
so it asks for extra effort or a change of course
and if during the debate the government says, Actually, I dont feel like doing that
you decide to submit a motion
setting out on paper what precisely you as a party wish to happen
you submit it and then votes are cast
and if the House supports your motion then that is a decision of the House and
the government is given an assignment nevertheless to do what at first they didnt feel like doing
Who submits the motion?
Individual MPs have the right to submit motions
You can always submit a motion if you want to petition the government
the condition is that five other MPs agree to you submitting the motion
so after you have submitted your motion you always hear the chair saying, Are there enough supporters for this motion?
Where are motions submitted?
Once youve had a debate in a committee room afterwards youd have to say, But I still want to submit a motion,
that can only be done in the plenary hall so room needs to be found for that in the diary at some other time and the chair does that
and then the chair puts the question for every motion, Who is for? the party leaders raise their hands
then the chair says out loud the parties who are for
then if there are enough votes for that - 75 plus one - the chair says, Your motion is accepted.
How do Members vote in the House?
You vote as a party
but House Members can also ask for voting by call
then you want every House Member himself or herself to say whether he or she is for or against your motion
and then of course its important that everyone is present.
And what if the motion is not implemented?
Then it could occur that the House says, The motion is accepted but the minister refuses to implement it
Ministers who refuse to implement motions accepted by the House have no place in the cabinet and so have to go home.
So then it could occur that the House says that a motion of no confidence will be put so that the minister can no longer continue in office.
