Summary
Remmert Westerneng
Missies zonder mandaat: naar grotere parlementaire betrokkenheid bij uitzending van militairen?
Remmert Westerneng advocates a stronger involvement of Dutch parliament in authorising overseas deployment of Dutch military units in peace missions. Within the Netherlands constitutional framework the government is responsible for sending troops abroad. Parliament needs to be informed before military units are actually deployed. The author argues that the parliamentary share in responsibility for decision making has to be strengthened. Dutch missions without an explicit mandate by the UN Security Council have to be legitimised by a formal parliamentary say in the matter. In particular, Dutch participation in collective defence (NATO, WEU) against terrorism and weapons of mass destruction also needs to be dependent on parliamentary consent.