Schoof I Cabinet sworn in by King Willem-Alexander
Update 11:46 - article updated to add comment from Prime Minister Schoof in third paragraph
King Willem-Alexander has sworn in the Ministers and State Secretaries of the Schoof I Cabinet at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague. The new Dutch government is now officially in office.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof was the first to take the oath, followed by each Minister and State Secretary. They could take the oath by saying, “So help me God Almighty,” or “This I declare and promise,” depending on their religion or lack thereof. Two Cabinet members took the oath in Frisian, the second national language - Minister Femke Wiersma of Agriculture and State Secretary Folkert Idsinga of Taxation and Customs.
"I am very much looking forward to star work as Prime Minister," Schoof said on X in one of his first posts on the MinPres profile of the Dutch Prime Minister. "For a safe and just Netherlands with social security for everyone."
After the swearing-in, the new Cabinet stood on Huis ten Bosch’s landing for their official first picture with the King.
The new Cabinet consists of 16 Ministers and 13 State Secretaries. In addition to non-partisan Prime Minister Schoof, there are five Ministers and four State Secretaries on behalf of the PVV, four Ministers and three State Secretaries on behalf of the VVD, four Ministers and three State Secretaries for the NSC, and two Ministers and three State Secretaries for the BBB.
The formation process took 223 days, not breaking the Rutte IV Cabinet’s record of 299 days.
As usual, the King resigned all members of the previous Cabinet, the Rutte IV Cabinet led by Mark Rutte, “in the most honorable manner.” Rutte is the Netherlands’ longest-serving Prime Minister. He took office on 14 October 2010, serving nearly 14 years.
Ministry | Cabinet positions | Rumored candidate candidate |
General Affairs | Prime Minister, Minister of General Affairs, no party | Dick Schoof |
Foreign Affairs | Minister of Foreign Affairs (NSC) | Caspar Veldkamp |
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation (PVV) | Reinette Klever | |
Justice and Security | Minister of Justice and Security (VVD) | David van Weel |
State Secretary of Justice and Security (PVV) | Ingrid Coenradie | |
State Secretary of Legal Protection (NSC) | Teun Struycken | |
Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations | Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations (NSC) | Judith Uitermark |
State Secretary of Kingdom Relations and Digitalization (PVV) | Zsolt Szabó | |
State Secretary of Groningen Recovery (BBB) | Eddie van Marum | |
Education, Culture, and Science | Minister of Education, Culture, and Science (NSC) | Eppo Bruins |
State Secretary of Primary- and Secondary Education and Emancipation (VVD) | Mariëlle Paul | |
Finance | Minister of Finance (VVD) | Eelco Heinen |
State Secretary of Taxation and Customs (NSC) | Folkert Idsinga | |
State Secretary of Allowances (NSC) | Nora Achahbar | |
Defense | Minister of Defense (VVD) | Ruben Brekelmans |
State Secretary of Defense (BBB) | Gijs Tuinman | |
Infrastructure and Water Management | Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (PVV) | Barry Madlener |
State Secretary of Public Transport and Environment | Chris Jansen | |
Economic Affairs | Minister of Economic Affairs | Dirk Beljaarts |
Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature | Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature (BBB) | Femke Wiersma |
State Secretary of Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature (BBB) | Jean Rummenie | |
Social Affairs and Employment | Minister of Social Affairs and Employment (NSC) | Eddy van Hijum |
State Secretary of Participation and Integration (VVD) | Jurgen Nobel | |
Public Health, Welfare, and Sport | Minister of Public Health, Welfare, and Sport (PVV) | Fleur Agema |
State Secretary of Longterm- and Social Care (PVV) | Vicky Maeijer | |
State Secretary of Youth, Prevention, and Sport (VVD) | Vincent Karremans | |
Asylum and Migration | Minister of Asylum and Migration (PVV) | Marjolein Faber |
Public Housing and Spatial Planning | Minister of Public Housing and Spatial Planning (BBB) | Mona Keijzer |
Climate and Green Growth | Minister of Climate and Green Growth (VVD) | Sophie Hermans |