Rutte says that his ministers leaving is "explainable"

Outgoing prime minister Mark Rutte would prefer to keep his team together but thinks the situation regarding his ministers leaving is "explainable." In less than two months, D66 ministers Sigrid Kaag (Financials), Gunay Uslu (Media and Culture), and Ernst Kuipers (Public Health) have all resigned. Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra had already left for Brussels. Minister Liesje Schreinemacher (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) has been away on pregnancy leave since December.

"It's all in the game," Rutte said about the shifts in his outgoing Cabinet. He is not concerned about the influx of new ministers who still need to be trained. The Prime Minister speaks of "good people" who can handle the work.

Rutte called it "inevitable" that people are leaving, and he is referring to Hoekstra and Kaag, who are working important roles abroad, which he is "really proud" of. Hoekstra has been the European Climate Commissioner since October, and Kaag will be working as the UN coordinator for the reconstruction of Gaza.

Caretaker Minister Hugo de Jonge (Home Affairs) believes that it is "really part of the office that you also do and complete your task in its entirety." But he cannot judge "personal considerations," according to the minister. If several ministers do leave, "then you have to provide a replacement. That's, of course, just how it works practically."

State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief (Mining) thinks it's "a pity" that his party member Kuipers and other party members have left the Cabinet. "I think it is a great pity about Ernst Kuipers because the man has worked very hard for the Ministry of Health."

"It's a personal decision," Vijlbrief said about Cabinet members leaving prematurely. "I personally would do that differently, but he chose this way. And every case is different."