New Dutch Cabinet sworn in today 7 months after election

Over seven months after the elections, the Cabinet led by Dick Schoof takes office. King Willem-Alexander will swear in the Ministers and State Secretaries at Huis ten Bosch Palace. The new Cabinet members will also pose on the steps there. The Cabinet team will gather immediately after in the afternoon for a Cabinet meeting. It will start working in the coming weeks to implement the agreements made in the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB’s coalition agreement.

The new Cabinet has few people with experience in national administration. Oly State Secretary Mariëlle Paul (VVD) and BBB Deputy Prime Minister Mona Keijzer were previously in a Cabinet. However, the vast majority of Cabinet members come from politics despite plans to have about half of the Ministers come “from outside.”

On Tuesday, portfolios at the various Ministries will be transferred to the new Ministers. Three Ministers will soon lead an entirely new Ministry. The most striking transfer is that of the proverbial keys to the Torentje to Dick Schoof, the new Prime Minister. Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte will then really say goodbye.

The Cabinet meeting this afternoon is the second meeting of the Cabinet. It held its founding meeting on Monday, during which the portfolio distribution among Ministers and State Secretaries was made official.

Later in the day, the Cabinet will go to the Catshuis, where the Ministers will meet the parliamentary press.