The new look Dutch government was virtually finalised on Monday, featuring 15 men and 13 women, with seven D66 ministers, six from the VVD and five from the CDA.
The nominees still have to be cleared by the security services but once that has been completed, the new line-up will be presented to the king and sworn in on February 23.
Fifteen of the ministers and juniors are new to the cabinet and 13 – mainly from the VVD – are old hands. Eelco Heinen remains in post as finance minister while David van Weel, who moved to foreign affairs after the last government collapsed, returns to his previous post as justice minister.
Sandra Palmen, who was appointed by the NSC party to the last cabinet to oversee the rectification of the childcare benefits scandal, is staying on as an independent.
General affairs:
Rob Jetten (D66), prime minister
Foreign affairs:
Tom Berendsen (CDA), minister of foreign affairs
Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (D66), minister for foreign trade and development cooperation
Justice and security:
David van Weel (VVD), minister of justice and security
Claudia van Bruggen (D66), junior minister – legal protection and prisons
Bart van den Brink (CDA), deputy prime minister and minister for asylum and migration
Home affairs
Pieter Heerma (CDA), minister of the interior and kingdom relations
Eric van der Burg (VVD), junior minister for effective government
Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan (D66), minister for housing and spatial planning
Education, culture and science:
Rianne Letschert (D66), minister of education, culture and science
Judith Tielen (VVD), junior minister
Finance:
Eelco Heinen (VVD), minister of finance
Nathalie van Berkel (D66) junior minister
Sandra Palmen (independent), junior minister – childcare benefits redress
Defence:
Dilan Yesilgöz (VVD), deputy prime minister and minister of defence
Derk Boswijk (CDA), junior minister
Infrastructure and water management:
Vincent Karremans (VVD), minister of infrastructure and water management
Annet Bertram (CDA), junior minister
Economic affairs and climate:
Heleen Herbert (CDA), minister of economic affairs and climate
Willemijn Aerdts (D66), junior minister – digital economy
Stientje van Veldhoven (D66), minister for climate and green growth
Jo-Annes de Bat (CDA), junior minister
Agriculture, fisheries, food security and nature:
Jaimi van Essen (D66), minister of agriculture, fisheries, food security and nature
Silvio Erkens (VVD), junior minister
Social affairs and employment:
Hans Vijlbrief (D66), minister of social affairs and employment
Thierry Aartsen (VVD), minister for work and participation
Health, welfare and sport:
Sophie Hermans (VVD), minister of health, welfare and sport
Mirjam Sterk (CDA), minister for long-term care, youth and sport
In the Netherlands, ministers and junior ministers for the cabinet but only full ministers attend the regular Friday meetings with the prime minister.
The promotion of two party leaders – Rob Jetten and Dilan Yesilgöz – to the cabinet, means two parliamentary party chiefs also need to be found. Ruben Brekelmans will take over the leadership of the VVD while Jan Paternotte will head up D66.
CDA leader Henri Bontenbal is remaining in the lower house.
