The unwritten laws are most influential when a cabinet is formed; the procedure is not regulated by the Constitution but based on tradition and more recently on regulations established by the House of Representatives. At the eve of the elections the sitting cabinet offers its resignation to the monarch, who takes it into consideration; the cabinet is now "demissionary". After the elections the King consults his advisors. The chairman of the House of representatives then appoints an "informateur" who explores the possibilities of a coalition cabinet. Because of the Dutch multi-party system, no political party (in the modern sense) has ever obtained a majority by itself. On the basis of the information process the chairman then appoints a "formateur" who literally forms the government by negotiating a coalition agreement between the coalition parties and the division of the ministerial posts between the parties. He also meets with candidate ministers and often becomes Prime Minister himself. The King then dismisses the sitting cabinet and appoints the new one. If the procedure turns out to be problematic, the House can ask the king to play a role in the formation process.