New Dutch cabinet formally takes office after being sworn in

The Netherlands’ new right-wing cabinet was officially sworn in on Tuesday, completing the transfer of power from outgoing prime minister Mark Rutte to his successor Dick Schoof.

Schoof, 67, and his team of 16 ministers and 13 junior ministers pledged before King Willem-Alexander to perform their duties “honestly, diligently and impartially” and conduct themselves “as befits a good and just civil servant”.

Two members of the new government, agriculture minister Femke Wiersma and junior finance minister Folkert Idsinga, chose to give the oath in Frisian. The majority of ministers opted to affirm rather than swear “by almighty God”.

Schoof then signed the royal decrees confirming the appointment of his cabinet and sent his first tweet on the prime minister’s official account, which until now has only been operated in Rutte’s name.

The hour-long ceremony was rounded off with the traditional photocall with the king on the steps of the palace, known as the bordesscène.

Protesters

A group of protesters gathered outside the gates of the palace to demonstrate against the coalition, which they said includes “parties who spread hatred and exclude large groups of people in society”.

The cabinet is a four-way coalition of the far-right PVV, right-wing liberal VVD, centre-right NSC and the farmers’ party BBB.

Most of its members have never previously held ministerial office, with the exception of housing minister Mona Keijzer, who was a junior minister in Rutte’s third cabinet, and junior schools minister Mariëlle Paul, who keeps her job but is no longer a full minister.

Seasoned newcomers: the 16 ministers in Dick Schoof’s cabinet

The PVV, led by Geert Wilders, has five ministers in the cabinet, including health minister Fleur Agema and asylum minister Marjolein Faber.

The VVD and NSC have four each and dominate the major ministries of home affairs, foreign affairs, finance and justice. The BBB has two ministers, including the minister of agriculture.

Despite pledges to name an “extra-parliamentary” cabinet with a mix of political appointees and technocrats, only Schoof is formally non-partisan. The four party leaders agreed during the coalition negotiations to sit in parliament rather than the cabinet.

After the ceremony, Schoof went to the prime minister’s office, the octagonal torentje, where Rutte was on hand to open the door and present his successor with the keys and the hammer he will wield when chairing cabinet meetings.