It has been announced, during a press conference held at the House of Representatives on May 28, that Dick Schoof is the intended candidate for the role of next Dutch Prime Minister. He has been appointed by the newly formed Dutch right-wing coalition, which includes the PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB. 

Next Dutch PM aims to represent “all the Dutch”

Dick Schoof is currently the highest-ranking official at the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security and has previously had roles as a top executive of the AIVD intelligence service, National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) and director of the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). 

The candidacy of the official came as a surprise to many, including Schoof himself. "It will be a surprise to many people that I am standing here,” Schoof said during the press conference. “That surprise also applies to me.” 

The 67-year-old is currently not a member of any party despite previously being a PvdA member. "I will be Prime Minister for all Dutch people,“ said Schoof. "I think it is important that the Netherlands also has a Prime Minister who has proven officially that he can remain calm. This is necessary to regain trust.” He also stressed that he had been appointed by all four parties with a large majority in the House of Representatives. 

New team of ministers and state secretaries to form Dutch government

During the press conference Schoof stated that in the coming days, they will start work on putting together a team of ministers and state secretaries to form the Dutch government. According to the intended Dutch PM, the team will involve “the people with and for whom we are doing it”, such as social organisations and public services.

The coalition agreement has proposals for a large number of issues including immigration and asylum, financial security for families and farmers, as well as international security. “As political management, we will keep working on the social issues and take the concerns of all the Dutch into account, so we can work on building trust in government,” said Schoof.

Thumb image credit: Jeroen Meuwsen Fotografie / Shutterstock.com