The Schoof cabinet is the cabinet of the Netherlands, sworn in on 2 July 2024. Led by independent politician and civil servant Dick Schoof as prime minister of the Netherlands, the cabinet was formed by the Party for Freedom (PVV), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the New Social Contract (NSC) and the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB) after the 2023 Dutch general election.
Schoof cabinet | |
|---|---|
 Cabinet of the Netherlands | |
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| Date formed | 2 July 2024 |
| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | Willem-Alexander |
| Prime Minister | Dick Schoof |
| Deputy Prime Ministers | |
| No. of ministers | 16 |
| Member parties | |
| Status in legislature | Right-wing,[1] majority government (coalition government) 88/150
|
| History | |
| Election | 2023 election |
| Legislature terms | 2023–present |
| Incoming formation | 2023–2024 formation |
| Predecessor | Fourth Rutte cabinet |
Formation
editUnder informateurs Elbert Dijkgraaf and Richard van Zwol, the four parties (the right-wing populist PVV, the conservative liberal VVD, the Christian democratic NSC, and the agrarian BBB) reached the outline of a coalition agreement, titled "Hope, Courage, and Pride", on 16 May 2024.[2] They agreed to form an extra-parliamentary cabinet, which they defined as a cabinet with a greater distance to parliamentary groups in the House of Representatives.[3] Votes in parliament of coalition parties were not bound on issues not covered in the agreement, such as pensions, as long as they would not impact the budget.[4] Van Zwol was appointed formateur on 22 May. On 11 June, the four parties agreed on the names of candidates and the distribution of ministerial posts. The cabinet consists of 29 members, the same amount as its predecessor, of which 16 are ministers. Three new ministerial posts were created, the Minister of Asylum and Migration, the Minister of Climate and Green Growth, and the Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning; and it includes one minister without portfolio, namely the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.[5] The cabinet was sworn in on 2 July 2024.[6]
Following the formation, the cabinet was tasked with expanding the outline of the coalition agreement into a governing agreement.[3] It was finalized by the Council of Ministers on 6 September 2024 and presented on 13 September, ahead of the presentation of the 2025 Netherlands budget on Prinsjesdag.[7][8] The Netherlands Bar concluded in October 2024 that nine proposals, including the declaration of an asylum crisis, violated the principles of the rule of law, while another 28 were considered risks. Six proposals, such as the "right to make a mistake", could strengthen the rule of law.[9]
Term
editAgriculture
editThe coalition agreement scrapped a €24 billion transition fund that was created by the fourth Rutte cabinet in response to the nitrogen crisis to fund provincial plans to improve water and nature quality. Instead, an extra €5 billion in funding was designated for agriculture. Minister Femke Wiersma announced in September 2024 that provinces no longer had to submit plans, awaiting a new national strategy to tackle the nitrogen crisis.[10][11]
Asylum
editThe coalition agreement included plans to issue a "well-substantiated" statutory instrument to suspend certain provisions of the Aliens Act and to introduce an Asylum Crisis Act without delay. It was agreed that no new asylum applications would be processed and that the Dispersal Act would be revoked.[12][13][14] The coalition parties called their migration policy the most stringent and extensive in history.[15] In October 2024, the coalition parties agreed that the proposal to use emergency powers would be abandoned, and new legislation would be introduced to enact asylum measures, most of which were outlined in the coalition agreement, along with some additional provisions.[16][17][18]
In a September 2024 letter to the European Commission, Minister of Asylum and Migration Marjolein Faber requested an opt-out for the Netherlands from European asylum and migration legislation in case of a treaty amendment. Such an exception can only be granted by the European Council, and the Commission responded that no treaty amendments were pending.[19][20] Hungary later joined the Netherlands in requesting an opt-out.[21]
Defense
editIn response the Russian invasion of Ukraine, coalition parties agreed to increase defense spending to adhere to the NATO target of 2% of GDP. Minister Ruben Brekelmans and State Secretary Gijs Tuinman announced €2.4 billion in increased yearly funding for the Netherlands Armed Forces in September 2024. This would go towards attracting more personnel and the purchase of munitions, 46 Leopard 2A8 battle tanks, six F-35 fighter jets, two Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigates, and several NH90 military helicopters. The Netherlands had been left without tanks since 2011 because of budget cuts.[22][23] In addition, a further €2.6 billion was allocated towards the purchase of short- and medium-range air defense systems.[24]
Development aid
editThe Schoof cabinet renamed the portfolio of "development cooperation" to "development" (or "development aid" in Dutch). It intends to cut the yearly allocated budget by €2.4 billion, over a third of its total, starting in 2027. The percentage of the budget spent on sheltering asylum seekers in the Netherlands would be contained to 10%, and aid related to water management and food security would be prioritized.[25]
Education
editThe cabinet decided to cut funding for higher education and science by €1 billion per year in its 2025 budget. This would be achieved through lowering the number of international students, increasing tuition for students exceeding the standard duration, reducing money allocated to the Fund for Research and Science, and scrapping research grants. The latter had been created by the previous cabinet.[26]
Cabinet changes
editState Secretary for Tax Affairs and the Tax Administration Folkert Idsinga (NSC) resigned on 1 November 2024, citing a perceived lack of trust by the House. PVV leader Geert Wilders had joined opposition parties in demanding transparency about Idsinga's retirement savings, which included business interests and could create conflicts of interest. His savings, valued at over €6 million in 2023, were managed by a foundation for the duration of his term, and Idsinga refused to provide more visibility, citing his privacy.[27][28]
Cabinet type
editThe coalition parties agreed to form an extra-parliamentary cabinet. In particular, Pieter Omtzigt, the leader of NSC, had insisted on an alternative to the typical majority cabinet after having campaigned on a "new governance culture" in the election. An extra-parliamentary cabinet would be defined by greater distance between the cabinet and the parliamentary groups of coalition parties in the House of Representatives. Informateur Kim Putters recommended the formation of an "extra-parliamentary program cabinet", meaning the coalition parties would draft a shorter coalition agreement, which the cabinet would later expand into a governing agreement.[29]
A few months after its creation, newspaper NRC concluded the Schoof cabinet no longer resembled an extra-parliamentary cabinet. It noted that frequent talks occurred between parliamentary leaders and cabinet members and that coalition parties negotiated with the cabinet about the 2025 budget. Political scientist Arco Timmermans agreed the cabinet could not be considered extra-parliamentary, saying that more effort from parliamentary leaders would be required to keep distance.[29] Wim Voermans, another political scientists, argued that a cabinet could only be extra-parliamentary if there would have been no involvement from the parliament in its formation and the drafting of its agreement.[30]
Cabinet members
editThe party affiliations shown below indicate the party by which a cabinet member was given. Some cabinet members are a member of a different party or of no party.
| Title | Minister | Term of office | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Name | Party | Start | End | ||
| Prime Minister | |
Dick Schoof | Indep. | 2 July 2024 | Incumbent | |
| First Deputy Prime Minister | .jpg) |
Fleur Agema | PVV | 2 July 2024 | Incumbent | |
| Second Deputy Prime Minister | .jpg) |
Sophie Hermans | VVD | 2 July 2024 | Incumbent | |
| Third Deputy Prime Minister |  |
Eddy van Hijum | NSC | 2 July 2024 | Incumbent | |
| Fourth Deputy Prime Minister | .jpg) |
Mona Keijzer | BBB | 2 July 2024 | Incumbent | |
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- ^ Minister without portfolio within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- ^ Teun Struycken joined the cabinet on behalf of New Social Contract, but is not affiliated with the party.[32]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Dutch parties agree on final formation of rightwing government, Wilders says". Reuters. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ "Partijleiders nu definitief akkoord • Presentatie verschoven naar vanochtend" [Party leaders definitively in agreement • Presentation postponed to this morning]. NOS (in Dutch). 16 May 2024. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ^ a b Van den Dool, Pim (2024-05-31). "Beoogd premier Schoof belandt in een politiek mijnenveld" [Prime minister-designate Schoof will end up in a political minefield]. NRC (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2024-05-31. Retrieved 2024-06-01.
- ^ Sie, Puck (29 May 2024). "De voordracht van Schoof als premier roept veel nieuwe vragen op" [Schoof's nomination as prime minister raises many new questions]. Het Financieele Dagblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ "Verdeling kabinetsposten nu officieel: drie nieuwe ministeries" [Division of cabinet posts official: Three new ministries]. NOS (in Dutch). 12 June 2024. Archived from the original on 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "New Dutch Cabinet sworn in today 7 months after election". NL Times. 2 July 2024. Archived from the original on 3 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ Slomp, Priscilla; Oving, Sanne (6 September 2024). "Kabinet is het na stevig en lang overleg eens over regeerprogramma" [Cabinet has reached governing agreement after firm and long discussion]. NU.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "Kabinet ambitieus over asiel en bouwen, maar stuit bij mest op grenzen" [Cabinet ambitious on asylum and construction, but is constrained on manure]. NOS (in Dutch). 13 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
- ^ "Juristen: regeerprogramma op meerdere punten niet rechtsstatelijk" [Jurists: Governing agreement incompatible with the rule of law on several points]. NOS (in Dutch). 10 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Du Pré, Raoul (4 September 2024). "Minister Wiersma stelt het geduld van de Kamer op de proef: de stikstofstrategie is weg, maar waar blijft de nieuwe?" [Minister Wiersma tests the Houses's patience: The nitrogen strategy is gone, but when will its replacement come?]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "Kabinet schrapt huidige stikstofplannen, provincies reageren verrast" [Cabinet eliminates current nitrogen plans, provinces respond surprised]. NU.nl (in Dutch). 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ Van Buuren, Yara; Kieskamp, Wilma (22 August 2024). "PVV-minister Faber zegt 'asielcrisis' en meteen is er verwarring" [PVV minister Faber says 'asylum crisis' and confusion ensues]. Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ Meijer, Remco (26 August 2024). "Hij komt er, de asielcrisiswet, maar hoe en wanneer blijft de vraag" [The Asylum Crisis Act will come, but it remains unclear when and how]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ Meijer, Remco (26 August 2024). "Hij komt er, de asielcrisiswet, maar hoe en wanneer blijft de vraag" [The Asylum Crisis Act will arrive, but how and when remains to be seen]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ Meijer, Remco (2 July 2024). "De machtsoverdracht op Justitie: 'Wij houden van de oude bewindslieden en zoeken een nieuwe relatie'" [The transfer of power at Justice: 'We like the old government members and are looking for a new relationship']. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "Kabinet wil zo snel mogelijk asielwet, 'opvang moet tijdelijk zijn'" [Cabinet wants asylum law as soon as possible, 'sheltering should be temporary']. NOS (in Dutch). 25 October 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ Van Eijsden, Auke (23 October 2024). "Geert Wilders was standvastig en dreigde met een kabinetscrisis. Nu buigt hij toch het hoofd" [Geert Wilders was persistent and threatened with a cabinet crisis. He now bows his head after all]. Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ Van den Dool, Pim (25 October 2024). "Kabinet scherpt asielbeleid verder aan met 'noodmaatregelenwet'" [Cabinet sharpens asylum policy further with 'emergency measures bill']. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ "Nederland informeert EU over 'opt-out'-plannen, 'iets van de lange adem'" [The Netherlands informs EU about 'opt-out' plans, 'something for the long term']. NOS (in Dutch). 18 September 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "Opt-out briefje Faber ging expres naar 'verkeerde adres', zegt premier Schoof" [Opt-out letter Faber was sent to the 'wrong address' on purpose, according to Prime Minister Schoof]. RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 16 October 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "Hongarije wil Nederland volgen met opt-out voor asiel en migratie" [Hungary wants to follow the Netherlands with opt-out for asylum and migration]. NOS (in Dutch). 19 September 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "Defensienota: leger redt het niet met alleen beroepsmilitairen en reservisten" [Defense memo: Army needs more than just professional soldiers and reservists]. NOS (in Dutch). 5 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ Derix, Steven (5 September 2024). "Tanks, vliegtuigen en fregatten zijn niet genoeg: defensie heeft de samenleving nodig" [Tanks, aircraft, and frigates are not enough: Defense needs society]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "Kabinet koopt 46 tanks en investeert miljarden in luchtafweer voor eigen leger" [Cabinet buys 46 tanks and invests billions in air defense for own army]. NU.nl (in Dutch). 14 October 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
- ^ Oost, Georgia; Schiffers, Hugo (24 September 2024). "Kabinet wil snoeien in ontwikkelingshulp: 'Als iets wordt wegbezuinigd, is de kans heel klein dat het terugkomt'" [Cabinet wants to reduce development aid: 'If something is cut, the chances of it returning are very slim']. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ Kammer, Claudia (23 September 2024). "Het kabinet bezuinigt niet op universitaire banen maar op onderzoeksbeurzen. De schade blijft even groot, zeggen universiteiten" [The cabinet will not cut jobs at universities but will cut funding for research grants. The damage will be as significant, according to universities]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ De Haan, Marko (30 October 2024). "Waarin belegde staatssecretaris Idsinga (Fiscaliteit) zijn pensioen? Tweede Kamer wil meer helderheid wegens mogelijke belangenverstrengeling" [In what companies did State Secretary Idsinga (taxation) invest his retirement savings? House of Representatives wants more visibility due to potential conflicts of interest]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ Corder, Mike (1 November 2024). "Dutch junior finance minister quits after questions over his personal investments". Associated Press. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ a b Aharouay, Lamyae (4 October 2024). "Van het 'extraparlementaire' karakter van het kabinet is bijna niets meer over – voor zover het überhaupt van de grond kwam" [Little is left of the cabinet's 'extra-parliamentary' characteristics – as far as it ever materialized]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 October 2024.
- ^ Voermans, Wim (9 September 2024). "Wim Voermans: 'Dit is geen extraparlementair kabinet en dat moeten we ook niet willen'" [Wim Voermans: 'This is no extra-parliamentary cabinet, and we should not even want one']. EW (Interview) (in Dutch). Interviewed by Ilse Schröder. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "Members of the government". Government.nl. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ "Teun Struycken". Government.nl. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
No party affiliation (proposed by NSC)