David van Weel

In this Dutch name, the surname is Van Weel, not Weel.

• Naval officer
• diplomat

David van Weel
Van Weel in 2025
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 September 2025

David Martijn van Weel (born 4 August 1976) is a Dutch diplomat, civil servant, and former naval officer, who has been serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs and of Asylum and Migration in the Schoof cabinet since September 2025 and June 2025, respectively. He was the Minister of Justice and Security between July 2024 and September 2025. ^[1]

Career

Starting in 2016, Van Weel served as advisor on foreign affairs and defence to Prime Minister Mark Rutte. ^[2] In 2020, he became Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Cyber defence and Hybrid threats of NATO, under Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Broadcaster NOS noted that Van Weel had more frequent public appearances following the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. ^[3]

After the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB formed the Schoof cabinet, Van Weel was sworn in as Minister of Justice and Security on 2 July 2024, succeeding Dilan Yeşilgöz. He is serving on behalf of the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), which he joined in 2018. ^{[3] [4] [5]} Van Weel told that his priorities were to increase society's resilience in light of increased geopolitical tensions, to continue tackling subversive organized crime, and to increase trust in the rule of law. Responding to a clause in the coalition agreement, he said that he wanted to set limits on protests within the right to protest, citing highway blockades by the environmentalist movement Extinction Rebellion. ^[4]

He was working on an approach to combat antisemitism when the November 2024 Amsterdam riots occurred, in which supporters of the Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. were targeted. Van Weel postponed the presentation of his plan, scheduled a week after the attack, by a week to incorporate more recent suggestions. ^[6] The strategy contained €4.5 million in yearly funding and a new task force to increase the safety of Jewish citizens. In addition, the cabinet reiterated its commitment to impose limits on demonstrations, to criminalize the glorification of terrorism, and to broaden the grounds for revoking the Dutch nationality from dual citizens. ^{[7] [8]}

On 3 June 2025, Van Weel also became Minister of Asylum and Migration upon the resignation of Marjolein Faber. ^[9] When foreign affairs minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned, he took over the post on 5 September 2025, and he gave up his role as Minister of Justice and Security. ^[10]

Personal life

Van Weel and his family moved back to Rotterdam when he became a minister. ^[4]

References

1. "D.M. (David) van Weel". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 June 2024.
2. Zaken, Ministerie van Buitenlandse. "Interview met David van Weel - Assistant Secretary General bij de NAVO - Interview - De Veiligheidsdiplomaat". magazines.rijksoverheid.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
3. "VVD'er David van Weel van de NAVO naar Justitie" [VVD member David van Weel from NATO to Justice]. NOS (in Dutch). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
4. Van Weel, David (13 August 2024). "De nieuwe minister van Justitie: 'Ik wil kijken of we binnen het demonstratierecht grenzen kunnen stellen'" [The new Minister of Justice: 'I want to examine if we can place limits within the right to protest']. de Volkskrant (Interview) (in Dutch). Interviewed by Remco Meijer. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
5. "Ministers en staatssecretarissen kabinet-Schoof beëdigd" [Ministers and state secretaries of Schoof cabinet sworn in]. NOS (in Dutch). 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
6. "Kabinet heeft langer nodig voor strategie tegen antisemitisme" [Cabinet needs more time for strategy against antisemitism]. NOS (in Dutch). 14 November 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
7. Al Ali, Wafa (22 November 2024). "Kabinet kiest nadrukkelijk voor strafrecht bij strijd antisemitisme" [Cabinet expressly opts for criminal law in fight against antisemitism]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 November 2024.
8. "Kabinet komt met aanpak antisemitisme en zet speciale werkgroep op" [Cabinet introduces approach to combat antisemitism and establishes special task force]. NU.nl (in Dutch). 22 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
9. "PVV-bewindslieden tijdelijk vervangen, later definitief besluit" [PVV ministers temporarily replaced, later definitive decision]. Trouw (in Dutch). 3 June 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2025. Minister David van Weel (Justitie en Veiligheid, VVD) neemt vooralsnog de taken over van Marjolein Faber (Asiel) en staatssecretaris Ingrid Coenradie (Justitie en Veiligheid).
10. "Weer nieuwe gezichten in kabinet dat alleen nog op de winkel moet passen" [Yet more new faces in the cabinet who only have to take care]. NOS (in Dutch). 5 September 2025. Retrieved 5 September 2025.

Political offices
Preceded by Dilan Yeşilgöz	Minister of Justice and Security 2024–2025	Succeeded by Foort van Oosten
Preceded by Marjolein Faber	Minister of Asylum and Migration 2025–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Caspar Veldkamp	Minister of Foreign Affairs 2025–present