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Cabinet of the Netherlands

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The cabinet of the Netherlands (Dutch: Nederlands kabinet) is the main executive body of the Netherlands. The current cabinet of the Netherlands is the Schoof cabinet,[1] which has been in power since 2 July 2024. It is headed by Prime Minister Dick Schoof.[2]

Composition and role

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The Hague's Binnenhof. The Ministry of General Affairs, where the Council of Ministers meets every Friday, is in the centre.

The cabinet consists of the ministers and state secretaries. The cabinet is led by the Prime Minister. There are between twelve and sixteen Ministers, most of whom are also heads of specific government ministries, although there are often some ministers without portfolio who have areas of responsibility inside one or more ministries. For instance there has for some time been a minister for development cooperation, who works within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Most ministries also have a state secretary who is responsible for part of the relevant portfolio. State secretaries (such as that of Trade and Development Cooperation) are given the right to call themselves "Minister" in other countries and be treated as such for protocolary purposes, while not having any of the domestic rights given specifically to Ministers. Most significantly, state secretaries are not members of the Council of Ministers.

The policy of a cabinet is coordinated by the Council of Ministers, in which all ministers, including ministers without portfolio, take part. The Council initiates laws and policy. State secretaries do not attend the Council of Ministers unless invited, and even then they have no voting rights in the Council. The Council meets every Friday in the Trêveszaal (the Room of Treaties) in the Binnenhof. Meetings are chaired by the Prime Minister, or an acting prime minister if necessary. The Council makes decisions in a collegial manner; all ministers, including the Prime Minister, are (theoretically) equal. Behind the closed doors of the Trêveszaal, ministers can freely debate proposed decisions and express their opinion on any aspect of cabinet policy. Once a decision is made by the Council, all individual members are bound by it and are obliged to support it publicly. A member of Cabinet who is not prepared to publicly support a decision of the Council is obliged to step down. Typically, a good deal of effort is put into reaching relative consensus on any decision. A process of voting within the Council does exist, but is hardly ever used.

Together with the King, the Council of Ministers forms the Government, which makes all the major decisions. In practice, the King does not participate in the daily decision-making of government, although he is kept up to date by weekly meetings with the Prime Minister. The Dutch constitution does not speak of cabinet, but instead only of the Council of Ministers and Government.

The ministers, individually and collectively (as cabinet), are responsible to the States-General for government policy and must enjoy its confidence. It is not possible for a minister to be a member of parliament. Ministers or state secretaries who are no longer supported by a parliamentary majority are also expected by convention to step down. In contrast to the Westminster system, Dutch ministers may not simultaneously also be members of the States-General, although members of the States-General can be appointed as ministers, whereupon their seats become vacant.

An important question is whether the relationship between the cabinet and parliament should be dualistic or monistic. That is, whether ministers and leaders of governing parliamentary parties should prepare important political decisions. According to the dualistic position, members of parliament of governing parties should function independently of the Cabinet. The monistic position, by contrast, is that the Cabinet plays an important role in proposing legislation and policy.

The Council of Ministers typically meets at least once a week and is presided by the Prime Minister.[3]

Formation

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After a general election held generally every four years, or if a cabinet resigns during a parliamentary term, the process of cabinet formation starts. Because of the multi-party system of the Netherlands, no single party has had a majority in parliament since 1900, and formation of a coalition of two or often three parties is always necessary. This is a time-consuming process. The entire procedure is regulated by tradition and convention, with only the final appointment process specified by law.

Since 2012, the House of Representative appoints a scout to explore which political parties are willing to form a cabinet together. In the subsequent information phase, negotiations will take place under the leadership of an informateur about the government's future policy programme, to be recorded in a coalition agreement.. If negotiations break down, a new informateur is appointed and the information process begins afresh. If the informateur is successful, the portfolios are determined, divided among the parties and ministers and state secretaries are sought under the leadership of a formateur. The formateur is usually the prospective Prime Minister.

If the formateur is successful, the Monarch appoints all ministers and state secretaries individually by Royal Decision (Koninklijk Besluit). Each Minister privately swears an oath of loyalty to the Constitution. After this the entire Council of Ministers and the King or Queen regnant are photographed on the stairs of the palace Huis ten Bosch during the bordes scene. The new cabinet then presents their government statement to parliament.

Between the dissolution of the States-General before general elections and the appointment of a new cabinet, the incumbent cabinet is termed demissionair, that is, a caretaker government limiting itself to urgent and pressing matters and traditionally not taking any controversial decisions. If a Cabinet falls during a parliamentary term because one of the coalition partners withdraws its support, the coalition partner in question may leave. This does not result in a demissionair Cabinet, unless the Prime Minister is granted a dissolution of the States-General. Instead, the remaining parties in the governing coalition form a rompkabinet ("rump cabinet"). If the parties do not between them control a majority of the House of Representatives, the cabinet continues as a minority government.

Incumbent Cabinet

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Prime minister and deputy prime ministers in the Schoof cabinet[4]
Title Minister Term of office
Image Name Party Start End
Prime Minister
Dick Schoof
Dick Schoof
Dick Schoof Indep. 2 July 2024 Incumbent
First Deputy Prime Minister
Fleur Agema
Fleur Agema
Fleur Agema PVV 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Second Deputy Prime Minister
Sophie Hermans
Sophie Hermans
Sophie Hermans VVD 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Third Deputy Prime Minister
Eddy van Hijum
Eddy van Hijum
Eddy van Hijum NSC 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Fourth Deputy Prime Minister
Mona Keijzer
Mona Keijzer
Mona Keijzer BBB 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Ministers in the Schoof cabinet[4]
Title Minister Term of office
Image Name Party Start End
Minister of General Affairs
Dick Schoof
Dick Schoof
Dick Schoof Indep. 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport
Fleur Agema
Fleur Agema
Fleur Agema PVV 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Climate Policy and Green Growth
Sophie Hermans
Sophie Hermans
Sophie Hermans VVD 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Social Affairs and Employment
Eddy van Hijum
Eddy van Hijum
Eddy van Hijum NSC 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning
Mona Keijzer
Mona Keijzer
Mona Keijzer BBB 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Caspar Veldkamp
Caspar Veldkamp
Caspar Veldkamp NSC 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Justice and Security
David van Weel
David van Weel
David van Weel VVD 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
Judith Uitermark NSC 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Education, Culture and Science
Eppo Bruins
Eppo Bruins
Eppo Bruins NSC 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Finance
Eelco Heinen
Eelco Heinen
Eelco Heinen VVD 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Defence
Ruben Brekelmans
Ruben Brekelmans
Ruben Brekelmans VVD 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management
Barry Madlener.jpg
Barry Madlener PVV 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Economic Affairs
Dirk Beljaarts PVV 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature
Femke WIERSMA July 2024 (cropped).jpg
Femke Wiersma BBB 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister of Asylum and Migration
Marjolein Faber
Marjolein Faber
Marjolein Faber PVV 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development[i]
Reinette Klever
Reinette Klever
Reinette Klever PVV 2 July 2024 Incumbent
State secretaries in the Schoof cabinet[4]
Ministry Title State secretary Term of office
Image Name Party Start End
Justice and Security State Secretary for Justice and Security
Ingrid Coenradie PVV 2 July 2024 Incumbent
State Secretary for Legal Protection
Teun Struycken 2023 cut.jpg
Teun Struycken Indep.[ii] 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Interior and Kingdom Relations State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalisation
Zsolt Szabó
Zsolt Szabó
Zsolt Szabó PVV 2 July 2024 Incumbent
State Secretary for Reparations for Groningen
Eddie van Marum BBB 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Education, Culture and Science State Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education and Equal Opportunities
Mariëlle Paul
Mariëlle Paul
Mariëlle Paul VVD 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Finance State Secretary for Tax Affairs and the Tax Administration
Folkert Idsinga NSC 2 July 2024 Incumbent
State Secretary for Benefits and Customs
Nora Achahbar NSC 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Defence State Secretary for Defence
Gijs Tuinman
Gijs Tuinman
Gijs Tuinman BBB 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Infrastructure and Water Management State Secretary for Public Transport and the Environment
Portrait of Chris Jansen.png
Chris Jansen PVV 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature State Secretary for Fisheries, Food Security and Nature
Luis Planas, Femke Wiersma and Jean Rummenie - Agriculture and Fisheries Council - July 2024.jpg
Jean Rummenie BBB 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Social Affairs and Employment State Secretary for Participation and Integration
Jurgen Nobel VVD 2 July 2024 Incumbent
Health, Welfare and Sport State Secretary for Long-term and Social Care
Vicky Maeijer.jpg
Vicky Maeijer PVV 2 July 2024 Incumbent
State Secretary for Youth, Prevention and Sport
Vincent Karremans VVD 2 July 2024 Incumbent
  1. ^ Minister without portfolio within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  2. ^ Teun Struycken joined the cabinet on behalf of New Social Contract, but is not affiliated with the party.[5]

Ministries

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There are fifteen ministries, all with their own Minister, there is also one Ministers without portfolio and in some ministries there is a State Secretary next to the Minister. The number of Ministers and State Secretaries and the division of their tasks may vary somewhat from one cabinet to another. The ministries are:

Ministries Responsibilities Agencies /
Independent Agencies
Minister
Ministry of General Affairs
(Dutch: Ministerie van
Algemene Zaken
)
AZ Government policyPlanning
InformationDutch royal house
Government Information Service
Scientific Council for Government Policy
Cabinet Office
Review Committee on the Intelligence and Security Services [nl]
Dick Schoof
as Prime Minister
and
Minister of General Affairs
Ministry of the Interior
and Kingdom Relations

(Dutch: Ministerie van Binnenlandse
Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties
)
BZK Domestic policyCivil servicePublic administration
ElectionsLocal governments
IntelligenceKingdom Relations
Safety Board
General Intelligence and Security Service
PKIoverheid
Judith Uitermark
as Minister of the Interior
and Kingdom Relations
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(Dutch: Ministerie van
Buitenlandse Zaken
)
BZ Foreign relationsForeign policyInternational development
International tradeEuropean UnionNATOBeneluxDiaspora
Diplomatic Service
Center for the Promotion of Imports
Caspar Veldkamp
as Minister of
Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Finance
(Dutch: Ministerie van Financiën)
FIN Economic policyMonetary policyFiscal policy
Tax policyIncomes policyFinancial market
RegulationsGovernment budget
Tax and Customs Administration
Fiscal Information and Investigation Service
Authority for the Financial Markets
Eelco Heinen
as Minister of Finance
Ministry of
Justice and Security

(Dutch: Ministerie van
Justitie en Veiligheid
)
J&V Justice systemLaw enforcementPublic security
Emergency managementCounter-terrorism
Legal aidDrug policyIncarcerations
National Police Corps
Public Prosecution Service
National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism
Forensic Institute
Custodial Institutions Agency
David van Weel
as Minister of Justice
and Security
Ministry of
Asylum and Migration

(Dutch: Ministerie van
Asiel en Migratie
)
A&M Immigration policy Immigration and Naturalisation Service Marjolein Faber
as Minister of Asylum
and Migration
Ministry of Economic Affairs
(Dutch: Ministerie van Economische
Zaken
)
EZ Commercial policyIndustrial policyInvestment policy
Technology policyMiningTradeSpace policy
Natural resourceTourism
Foreign Investment Agency
Space Office
Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis
Department of Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards
Patent Office
Central Agency for Statistics
Environmental Assessment Agency
Dirk Beljaarts
as Minister of
Economic Affairs
Ministry of Climate Policy
and Green Growth

(Dutch: Ministerie van
Klimaat en Groene Groei
)
KGG Environmental policyClimate change policyRenewable energy policy Sophie Hermans
as Minister of
Climate Policy
and Green Growth
Ministry of Defence
(Dutch: Ministerie van Defensie)
DEF Armed forcesMilitary policyNational securityVeterans Affairs
Military policeDefence diplomacyHumanitarian aid
Army
Navy
Air Force
Marechaussee
Coastguard
Military Intelligence and Security Service
Ruben Brekelmans
as Minister of Defence
Ministry of Health,
Welfare and Sport

(Dutch: Ministerie van
Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport
)
VWS Health careHealth policyHealth insurance
Pharmaceutical policyVaccination policyWelfare
Biomedical sciencesSport
Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Health Care Inspectorate
Fleur Agema
as Minister of Health,
Welfare and Sport
Ministry of Social Affairs
and Employment

(Dutch: Ministerie van Sociale Zaken
en Werkgelegenheid
)
SZW Social policyEmploymentLabour economics
Occupational safety and healthSocial security
Consumer protectionTrade unionsTrade associationsEmancipation
Social and Economic Council
Inspectorate SZW [nl]
Eddy van Hijum
as Minister of
Social Affairs
and Employment
Ministry of Education,
Culture and Science

(Dutch: Ministerie van Onderwijs,
Cultuur en Wetenschap
)
OCW Education policyCultural policyScience policy
Knowledge policyResearchInnovation
ArtGender equalityCommunicationMedia
Public Broadcasting Agency
National Archives
National Library
Equal Treatment Commission
Eppo Bruins
as Minister of Education,
Culture and Science
Ministry of Infrastructure
and Water Management

(Dutch: Ministerie van Infrastructuur
en Waterstaat
)
I&W TransportAviationPublic works
Water Management
Rijkswaterstaat
Driving License and Certificates Agency [nl]
Meteorological Institute
Barry Madlener
as Minister of
Infrastructure and
Water Management
Ministry of Housing and
Spatial Planning

(Dutch: Ministerie van Volkshuisvesting
en Ruimtelijk Ordening
)
VRO Housing policySpatial planning Mona Keijzer
as Minister of Housing and
Spatial Planning
Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries, Food Security
and Nature

(Dutch: Ministerie van Landbouw,
Visserij, Voedselzekerheid
en Natuur
)
LVVN Agricultural policyFood policyFood safetyFisheries
Natural conservationForestryAnimal welfare
Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority [nl] Femke Wiersma
as Minister of Agriculture,
Fisheries, Food Security
and Nature


History

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The first real cabinet was formed in 1848 after a constitution was adopted which limited the power of the King and introduced the principle of ministerial responsibility to parliament. Until 1888 cabinets lacked a real coordinating role, and instead ministers were focused on their own department. After 1888 cabinets became more political.

Of the 32 coalition governments since World War II, only three excluded the largest party (all three times PvdA) and the largest number of parties in a coalition was 5 (in 1971 and 1973). After that, the three major Christian-democratic parties merged into CDA, and 2- or 3-party coalitions became standard.

Since 1945 there have been 32 cabinets, which were headed by 16 prime ministers. Willem Drees and Jan Peter Balkenende both chaired the most cabinets (four) and Ruud Lubbers served as prime minister the longest (between 1982 and 1994). The second Rutte cabinet was the longest lasting cabinet since World War II (1,816 days); only the cabinet led by Theo Heemskerk sat longer (2025 days). The first Balkenende cabinet is the shortest lasting normal cabinet since World War II (87 days); only the fifth cabinet of Hendrikus Colijn lasted shorter (10 days).

Third Van Agt cabinetSecond Van Agt cabinetFirst Van Agt cabinetDen Uyl cabinetSecond Biesheuvel cabinetFirst Biesheuvel cabinetDe Jong cabinetZijlstra cabinetCals cabinetMarijnen cabinetDe Quay cabinetSecond Beel cabinetThird Drees cabinetSecond Drees cabinetFirst Drees cabinet

First Beel cabinet

Schoof cabinetFourth Rutte cabinetThird Rutte cabinetSecond Rutte cabinetFirst Rutte cabinetFourth Balkenende cabinetThird Balkenende cabinetSecond Balkenende cabinetFirst Balkenende cabinetSecond Kok cabinetFirst Kok cabinetThird Lubbers cabinetSecond Lubbers cabinetFirst Lubbers cabinet
  Prime minister member of CDA (KVP/ARP)
  Prime minister member of PvdA (VDB)
  Prime minister member of VVD
  Independent prime minister

Council of Ministers of the Kingdom

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The Cabinet of the Netherlands also takes responsibility for day-to-day affairs in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is distinct from the Netherlands, as it also includes the constituent countries of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint-Maarten. If affairs are decided which are of vital importance of the Kingdom as a whole, the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands is joined by a Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba, Curaçao and Sint-Maarten to form the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom.

Types

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There are different types of cabinets:

  • A demissionary cabinet (demissionair kabinet) is a caretaker government during the election campaign and the formation of a new cabinet.
  • An extra-parliamentary cabinet (extraparlementair kabinet) not based on a parliamentary majority. The last extra-parliamentary cabinet was the Den Uyl cabinet. It consisted of members of the three progressive parties (the social democratic PvdA, the social liberal D66, and the progressive Christian PPR) and progressive members from the Christian democratic ARP and KVP. It is contrasted with a parliamentary cabinet, which does have an explicit majority in parliament.
  • A rump cabinet (rompkabinet) is the continuation of a Dutch cabinet when it has lost a coalition partner, typically a form of minority government, where the cabinet has not become demissionary, but seeks support from a majority of parliament to finish the work that was already introduced by the cabinet to the parliament. Normally the Dutch Monarch will call for dissolution of parliament somewhat later, since the basis behind the coalition agreement is gone.
  • A broad-basis cabinet (brede basiskabinet) is an oversized coalition or national cabinet. Between 1945 and 1959, several cabinets have included more parties than were necessary for a parliamentary majority. The first of them was the Schermerhorn cabinet. Other parties were included to give the cabinet and its far-reaching proposals, like the formation of a welfare state, a broad basis in parliament and society. The core of these cabinets were formed by the social democratic PvdA and the catholic KVP, the Roman/Red alliance which by themselves had a large majority in parliament.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Zaken, Ministerie van Algemene. "Government - Government.nl". www.government.nl. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  2. ^ Zaken, Ministerie van Algemene. "Members of the government - Government - Government.nl". www.government.nl. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  3. ^ Zaken, Ministerie van Algemene (2014-02-20). "How the Dutch Cabinet works - Government - Government.nl". www.government.nl. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  4. ^ a b c "Members of the government". Government.nl. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Teun Struycken". Government.nl. Retrieved 25 August 2024. No party affiliation (proposed by NSC)