The new Dutch cabinet will have 29 members, including five ministers from the Liberal Party

The new Dutch cabinet will consist of 29 ministers and junior ministers, nine of whom will be appointed by the leader of the far-right PVV party.

Geert Wilders’ party will be in charge of the new Ministry of Asylum and Migration, as well as the Ministries of Health, Infrastructure and Economic Affairs.

The right-wing liberal VVD retains the justice ministry, vacated by party leader Dilan Yesilgöz, and will name the finance and defense ministers. The party will also take charge of an expanded climate portfolio that includes “green growth.”

The National Security Council, led by Pieter Omtzigt, will include the interior and foreign ministries, with career diplomat Casper Veldkamp expected to be foreign minister, while also being responsible for education and social affairs.

The Farmers’ Party BBB will appoint both the Minister and Deputy Minister of Agriculture, which will include fisheries in its title for the first time in 21 years, and the Minister of Housing. Former Deputy Minister Mona Keijzer has been named Minister of Housing.

Although the parties had earlier agreed to form a “platform cabinet” with half of the positions held by non-political appointees, in reality only the Prime Minister-elect, Dick Schauf, is not affiliated with any party.

International Development

The Liberals will also appoint a minister without portfolio to oversee the Department of Overseas Aid and International Development, a notable move given that Geert Wilders called before the election for the department to be defunded.

“We can pay for everything (in our manifesto) if we stop handing over billions of dollars to Brussels and Africa,” he wrote.

The health minister is expected to be Fleur Agema, who has represented the Liberal Party (PVV) as an MP since 2006 and has long campaigned to reduce or abolish the €385 health insurance excess charge. The Liberals will also appoint a deputy minister in the department responsible for long-term care and social care.

The Hague reported that Wilders planned to appoint MP Gidi Macuzor as minister for asylum and migration affairs. In 2010, he was forced to withdraw from the Liberal Party’s parliamentary candidate because BroadCast Unitedligence services called him a “threat to the integrity of the Netherlands”.

Interior Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin warned Wilders in a letter that the All-Indian Intelligence Service (AIVD) suspected Makuzor of passing BroadCast Unitedligence to a “foreign power” – believed to be Israel.

Financing provided to VVD

VVD finance spokesman Eelco Heinen is expected to become finance minister, with the NSC providing deputy ministers for taxation and social security benefits. Former VVD MP Folkert Idsinga is expected to become tax minister.

Ruben Brekelmans will most likely be appointed Minister of Defense by the VVD, who will likely combine the Netherlands’ hard line on Ukraine with a strong pro-Israel stance. The deputy minister will be appointed by the BBB, who have a ready-made candidate in former soldier Gijs Tuinman.

David van Weel, currently NATO Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, will reportedly return to The Hague as Minister of Justice, while the PVV will take the position of Deputy Minister. Sophie Hermans, leader of the VVD parliamentary group during the last cabinet, has been appointed to be in charge of climate affairs.

Richard van Zwol, whose term as chief negotiator is coming to an end, will begin interviewing potential candidates on Friday. He will ask about the candidates’ health and suitability for the role.

MPs will also have the opportunity to question ministers for the first time in a series of public hearings before they are formally sworn in in early July.

The new lineup is based on party lines. Ministers are either members of the Cabinet, junior ministers or Secretary of State no.

PVV

VVD

National Security Council

Blood-brain barrier