The Constitution provides citizens with the right to change their government peacefully, and citizens exercised this right in practice through periodic, free, and fair elections held on the basis of universal suffrage. These constitutional rights also apply to the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.

Parliamentary elections were held in January. There were no restrictions in law or in practice that hindered the participation of women and minorities in government and politics. More than one-third of the 150 members of the second chamber of Parliament were female, as were 5 of 16 cabinet ministers. The Government pursued an active policy to promote the participation of women in politics and public administration. Although women were a minority, they also held positions in the parliaments and cabinets of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.