Scouts, informateurs and formateurs facilitate specific phases in a Dutch cabinet formation. Since 2012, the scout explores the possibilities for a coalition government in the scouting phase, which can later be done again by an informateur. Since 1951, the main responsibility of an informateur is facilitating the negotiations between political parties in the information phase. The formateur was until 1951 responsible for the entire formation, but its role has been limited since 1982 to finding the ministers and state secretaries of the cabinet in the formation phase. [2] The roles are often filled by members of the largest party in the House of Representatives. [3] [4]
The roles have changed throughout the years. The role of formateur has existed since the first cabinet formation in 1848. [5] Formateurs were in general responsible for the entire formation, simply being instructed to form a cabinet. The (final) formateur is often the intended prime minister. [a] However, some formateurs were instructed to do preliminary work (exploring coalition options and/or facilitating negotiations). [b] [5]
In 1951, a separate role was created for the preliminary work: the informateur. Since that year, there has not been a formation without an informateur, although this has been attempted five times. Since 1989, the initial informateur is tasked with exploring the possibilities for a coalition. [6] The first exploratory round became the responsibility of a separate role, the scout, in 2012. Since that year, the monarch no longer has a role in the formation and thus no longer does the consultations at the start of the formation. The (in)formateurs and scouts have since then been appointed by the House of Representatives.
Name | Starting date [c] | Days | Role | Political affiliation | Formation | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gerrit Schimmelpenninck | 23 March 1848 | 1 | Formateur | liberal | 1848 | [7] |
Leonardus Antonius Lightenvelt | 20 September 1849 | 37 | Formateur | conservative | 1849 | [8] |
Dirk Donker Curtius | liberal | |||||
Johan Rudolph Thorbecke | 27 October 1849 | 3 | Formateur | liberal | ||
Jan Nedermeijer van Rosenthal | liberal | |||||
Floris Adriaan van Hall | 16 April 1853 | 3 | Formateur | liberal | 1853 | [9] |
Justinus van der Brugghen | 1 June 1856 | 30 | Formateur | anti-revolutionary | 1856 | [10] |
Jan Jacob Rochussen | 3 March 1858 | 16 | Formateur | conservative | 1858 | [11] |
Floris Adriaan van Hall | 17 February 1860 | 4 | Formateur | liberal | 1860 | [12] |
Schelto van Heemstra | 21 February 1860 | 3 | Formateur | conservative | ||
Jan Jacob Rochussen | 16 February 1861 | 24 | Formateur | conservative | 1861 | [13] |
Schelto van Heemstra | conservative | |||||
Jules van Zuylen van Nijevelt | 12 March 1861 | 3 | Formateur | anti-revolutionary | ||
Johan Rudolph Thorbecke | 18 January 1862 | 13 | Formateur | liberal | 1861–1862 | [14] |
Isaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte | 29 January 1866 | 7 | Formateur | liberal | Jan–Feb 1866 | [15] |
Jules van Zuylen van Nijevelt | 24 May 1866 | 7 | Formateur | anti-revolutionary | May–Jun 1866 | [16] |
Æneas Mackay Sr. | 17 April 1868 | 2 | Formateur | anti-revolutionary | 1868 | [17] |
Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg | 29 April 1868 | 4 | Formateur | conservative | ||
Gerlach Cornelis Joannes van Reenen | 4 May 1868 | 5 | Formateur | conservative | ||
Æneas Mackay Sr. | 17 May 1868 | 5 | Formateur | anti-revolutionary | ||
Johan Rudolph Thorbecke | 23 May 1868 | 11 | Formateur | liberal | ||
Cornelis Fock | 24 November 1870 | 5 | Formateur | liberal | 1870–1871 | [18] |
Lodewijk Gerard Brocx | liberal | |||||
Johan Rudolph Thorbecke | 1 December 1870 | 33 | Formateur | liberal | ||
Gerrit de Vries | 25 June 1872 | 10 | Formateur | liberal | 1872 | [19] |
Jan Heemskerk | 14 July 1874 | 43 | Formateur | liberal | 1874 | [20] |
Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello | 16 October 1877 | 17 | Formateur | liberal | 1877 | [21] |
Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg | 24 July 1879 | 9 | Formateur | conservative | 1879 | [22] |
Eppo Cremers | 12 July 1879 | 11 | Formateur | conservative | ||
Isaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte | liberal | |||||
Gerrit de Vries | liberal | |||||
Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg | 8 August 1882 | 5 | Formateur | conservative | 1882 | [22] |
Johannes Tak van Poortvliet | 31 July 1882 | 9 | Formateur | liberal | ||
Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg | 3 July 1882 | 5 | Formateur | conservative | ||
Jan Heemskerk | 4 March 1883 | 9 | Formateur | liberal | 1883 | [23] |
Otto van Rees | 12 March 1883 | 7 | Formateur | liberal | ||
Johan George Gleichman | 19 March 1883 | 5 | Formateur | liberal | ||
Jan Heemskerk | 29 March 1883 | 23 | Formateur | liberal | ||
Æneas Mackay Jr. | 30 March 1888 | 20 | Formateur | ARP | 1888 | [24] [25] |
Gijsbert van Tienhoven | 26 July 1891 | 22 | Formateur | liberal | 1891 | [26] |
Joan Röell | 4 May 1894 | 4 | Formateur | liberal | 1894 | [27] |
Nicolaas Pierson | 13 July 1897 | 10 | Formateur | LU | 1897 | [28] |
Abraham Kuyper | 11 July 1901 | 15 | Formateur | ARP | 1901 | [29] [30] |
Hendrik Goeman Borgesius | 14 July 1905 | 34 | Formateur | LU | 1905 | [31] |
Jan Elias Nicolaas Schimmelpenninck van der Oye | 27 February 1907 | 3 | Formateur | CHP | 1907 | [31] |
Pieter Cort van der Linden | 17 March 1907 | 5 | Formateur | liberal | ||
Theo Heemskerk | 16 January 1908 | 27 | Formateur | ARP | 1907–1908 | [32] [33] |
Dirk Bos | 11 July 1913 | 15 | Formateur | VDB | 1913 | [34] |
Pieter Cort van der Linden | 2 August 1913 | 27 | Formateur | liberal | ||
Willem Hubert Nolens | 13 July 1918 | 38 | Formateur | RKSP | 1918 | [35] [36] |
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck | 29 August 1918 | 9 | Formateur | RKSP | ||
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck | 22 June 1921 | 35 | Formateur | RKSP | 1921 | [35] [37] |
Dirk Jan de Geer | 19 July 1922 | 4 | Formateur | CHU | 1922 | [38] [39] |
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck | 22 July 1922 | 49 | Formateur | RKSP | ||
Dionysius Koolen | 15 November 1923 | 10 | Formateur | RKSP | 1923-1924 | [38] [40] |
Frans Beelaerts van Blokland | 24 November 1923 | 12 | Formateur | CHU | ||
Herman Adriaan van Karnebeek | 4 January 1924 | 3 | Formateur | liberal | ||
Hendrik Colijn | 15 July 1925 | 18 | Formateur | ARP | 1925 | [41] [42] |
Henri Marchant | 24 November 1925 | 8 | Formateur | VDB | 1925-1926 | [43] [44] |
Johannes Theodoor de Visser | 8 December 1925 | 4 | Formateur | CHU | ||
Johannes Theodoor de Visser | 12 December 1925 | 42 | Formateur | CHU | ||
Joseph Limburg | 23 January 1926 | 35 | Formateur | VDB [d] | ||
Dirk Jan de Geer | 1 March 1926 | 4 | Formateur | CHU | ||
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck | 12 July 1929 | 18 | Formateur | RKSP | 1929 | [46] [47] |
3 August 1929 | 7 | Formateur | ||||
Hendrik Colijn | 2 May 1933 | 15 | Formateur | ARP | 1933 | [48] [49] |
16 May 1933 | 11 | Formateur | ||||
Piet Aalberse | 26 July 1935 | 2 | Formateur | RKSP | 1935 | [50] [51] |
Hendrik Colijn | 29 July 1935 | 2 | Formateur | ARP | ||
Hendrik Colijn | 30 May 1937 | 25 | Formateur | ARP | 1937 | [52] [53] |
Hendrik Colijn | 30 June 1939 | 10 | Formateur | ARP | Jun–Jul 1939 | [54] [55] |
Dionysius Koolen | 9 July 1939 | 6 | Formateur | RKSP | ||
Hendrik Colijn | 14 July 1939 | 12 | Formateur | ARP | ||
Dirk Jan de Geer | 4 August 1939 | 6 | Formateur | CHU | Aug 1939 | [56] |
Pieter Gerbrandy | 28 August 1940 | 3 | Formateur | ARP | 1940 | [57] |
Pieter Gerbrandy | 1 July 1941 | 26 | Formateur | ARP | 1941 | [57] |
Pieter Gerbrandy | 8 February 1945 | 15 | Formateur | ARP | Feb 1945 | [58] |
Willem Drees | 28 May 1945 | 27 | Formateur | SDAP | May–Jun 1945 | [59] [60] |
Willem Schermerhorn | VDB | |||||
Louis Beel | 27 May 1946 | 36 | Formateur | KVP | 1946 | [61] [62] |
Louis Beel | 13 July 1948 | 10 | Formateur [e] | KVP | 1948 | [63] [64] |
22 July 1948 | 8 | Formateur | ||||
Josef van Schaik | 30 July 1948 | 8 | Formateur | KVP | ||
Dirk Stikker | 28 January 1951 | 5 | Informateur | VVD | 1951 | [65] [66] |
Willem Drees | 1 February 1951 | 16 | Formateur | PvdA | ||
Josef van Schaik | KVP | |||||
Max Steenberghe | 18 February 1951 | 7 | Formateur | KVP | ||
Carl Romme | 13 March 1951 | 2 | Formateur | KVP | ||
27 February 1951 | 15 | Informateur | ||||
Willem Drees | 27 June 1952 | 26 | Formateur | PvdA | 1952 | [67] [68] |
Louis Beel | 23 July 1952 | 13 | Informateur | KVP | ||
Leendert Antonie Donker | 5 August 1952 | 17 | Formateur | PvdA | ||
Cornelis Staf | 22 August 1952 | 5 | Formateur | CHU | ||
Willem Drees | 29 August 1952 | 4 | Formateur | PvdA | ||
Jaap Burger | 25 May 1955 | 9 | Formateur | PvdA | 1955 | [69] [70] |
Willem Drees | 16 June 1956 | 38 | Formateur | PvdA | 1956 | [71] [72] |
Carl Romme | 24 June 1956 | 9 | Formateur | KVP | ||
Piet Lieftinck | 16 August 1956 | 5 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
7 August 1956 | 9 | Informateur | ||||
Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman | 22 August 1956 | 25 | Informateur | ARP | ||
Jaap Burger | 20 September 1956 | 19 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
Willem Drees | 9 October 1956 | 3 | Formateur | PvdA | ||
Louis Beel | 12 December 1958 | 7 | Informateur | KVP | 1958 | [73] [74] |
19 December 1958 | 3 | Formateur | ||||
Louis Beel | 14 March 1959 | 13 | Informateur | KVP | 1959 | [75] [76] |
Jan de Quay | 28 March 1959 | 30 | Formateur | KVP | ||
Louis Beel | 1 May 1959 | 13 | Informateur | KVP | ||
Jan de Quay | 14 May 1959 | 5 | Formateur | KVP | ||
Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman | 27 December 1960 | 6 | Informateur | ARP | 1960–1961 | [77] [78] |
Carl Romme | 20 May 1963 | 16 | Informateur | KVP | 1963 | [79] [80] |
Wim de Kort | 6 June 1963 | 21 | Formateur | KVP | ||
Louis Beel | 28 June 1963 | 7 | Informateur | KVP | ||
Jan de Quay | 5 July 1963 | 11 | Formateur | KVP | ||
Victor Marijnen | 16 July 1963 | 8 | Formateur | KVP | ||
Norbert Schmelzer | 2 March 1965 | 11 | Informateur | KVP | 1965 | [81] [82] |
Jo Cals | 15 March 1965 | 29 | Formateur | KVP | ||
Norbert Schmelzer | 18 October 1966 | 17 | Informateur | KVP | 1966 | [83] [84] |
Louis Beel | 4 November 1966 | 12 | Informateur | KVP | ||
Jelle Zijlstra | 16 November 1966 | 6 | Formateur | ARP | ||
Jelle Zijlstra | 18 February 1967 | 15 | Informateur | ARP | 1967 | [85] [86] |
Louis Beel | 6 March 1967 | 3 | Informateur [f] | KVP | ||
Barend Biesheuvel | 9 March 1967 | 12 | Formateur | ARP | ||
Piet de Jong | 21 March 1967 | 14 | Formateur | KVP | ||
Piet Steenkamp | 15 May 1971 | 37 | Informateur | KVP | 1971 | [88] [89] |
Barend Biesheuvel | 21 June 1971 | 15 | Formateur | ARP | ||
Barend Biesheuvel | 22 July 1972 | 18 | Formateur | ARP | 1972 | [90] [91] |
Marinus Ruppert | 4 December 1972 | 58 | Informateur | ARP | 1972–1973 | [92] [93] |
Jaap Burger | 1 February 1973 | 62 | Formateur | PvdA | ||
Dries van Agt | 10 April 1973 | 13 | Informateur | KVP | ||
Wil Albeda | ARP | |||||
Jaap Burger | 23 April 1973 | 18 | Formateur | PvdA | ||
Marinus Ruppert | ARP | |||||
Joop den Uyl | 1 June 1977 | 45 | Formateur | PvdA | 1977 | [94] [95] |
Wil Albeda | 20 July 1977 | 7 | Informateur | CDA | ||
Joop den Uyl | 27 July 1977 | 30 | Formateur | PvdA | ||
Gerard Veringa | 26 August 1977 | 7 | Informateur | CDA | ||
2 September 1977 | 35 | Formateur | ||||
Joop den Uyl | PvdA | |||||
Maarten Vrolijk | 11 October 1977 | 15 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
Koos Verdam | CDA | |||||
Joop den Uyl | 26 October 1977 | 10 | Formateur | PvdA | ||
Wim van der Grinten | 8 November 1977 | 29 | Informateur | CDA | ||
Dries van Agt | 8 December 1977 | 11 | Formateur | CDA | ||
Ruud Lubbers | 30 May 1981 | 66 | Informateur | CDA | 1981 | [96] [97] |
Jan de Koning | CDA | |||||
Ed van Thijn | 10 July 1981 | 25 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
4 August 1981 | 16 | Formateur | ||||
Sjeng Kremers | CDA | |||||
Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman | 20 August 1981 | 13 | Informateur | CDA | ||
Dries van Agt | 2 September 1981 | 9 | Formateur | CDA | ||
Cees de Galan | 16 October 1981 | 19 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
Victor Halberstadt | PvdA | |||||
Piet Steenkamp | 14 May 1982 | 12 | Informateur | CDA | May–Jun 1982 | [98] [99] |
Dries van Agt | 25 May 1982 | 4 | Formateur | CDA | ||
Jos van Kemenade | 10 September 1982 | 21 | Informateur | PvdA | Sep–Nov 1982 | [100] [101] |
Willem Scholten | 1 October 1982 | 29 | Informateur | CDA | ||
Ruud Lubbers | 30 October 1982 | 5 | Formateur | CDA | ||
Jan de Koning | 23 May 1986 | 50 | Informateur | CDA | 1986 | [102] [103] |
Ruud Lubbers | 11 July 1986 | 3 | Formateur | CDA | ||
Jan de Koning | 8 September 1989 | 5 | Informateur | CDA | 1989 | [104] [105] |
Ruud Lubbers | 13 September 1989 | 45 | Informateur | CDA | ||
27 October 1989 | 9 | Formateur | ||||
Herman Tjeenk Willink | 6 May 1994 | 8 | Informateur | PvdA | 1994 | [106] [107] |
Jan Vis | 14 May 1994 | 44 | Informateur | D66 | ||
Gijs van Aardenne | VVD | |||||
Klaas de Vries | PvdA | |||||
Herman Tjeenk Willink | 27 June 1994 | 9 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
Wim Kok | 6 July 1994 | 23 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
29 July 1994 | 22 | Formateur | ||||
Klaas de Vries | 8 May 1998 | 6 | Informateur | PvdA | 1998 | [108] [109] |
Gerrit Zalm | 14 May 1998 | 67 | Informateur | VVD | ||
Els Borst | D66 | |||||
Wim Kok | PvdA | |||||
20 July 1998 | 14 | Formateur | ||||
Herman Tjeenk Willink | 22 May 1999 | 18 | Formateur | PvdA | 1999 | [110] [111] |
Piet Hein Donner | 17 May 2002 | 48 | Informateur | CDA | 2002 | [112] [113] |
Jan Peter Balkenende | 4 July 2002 | 18 | Formateur | CDA | ||
Piet Hein Donner | 24 January 2003 | 11 | Informateur | CDA | 2003 | [114] [115] |
5 February 2003 | 66 | Informateur | ||||
Frans Leijnse | PvdA | |||||
Rein Jan Hoekstra | 15 April 2003 | 35 | Informateur | CDA | ||
Frits Korthals Altes | VVD | |||||
Jan Peter Balkenende | 20 May 2003 | 7 | Formateur | CDA | ||
Ruud Lubbers | 1 July 2006 | 4 | Informateur | CDA | 2006 | [116] [117] |
Jan Peter Balkenende | 5 July 2006 | 3 | Formateur | CDA | ||
Rein Jan Hoekstra | 25 November 2006 | 25 | Informateur | CDA | 2006–2007 | [118] [119] |
Herman Wijffels | 20 December 2006 | 51 | Informateur | CDA | ||
Jan Peter Balkenende | 9 February 2007 | 13 | Formateur | CDA | ||
Uri Rosenthal | 12 June 2010 | 14 | Informateur | VVD | 2010 | [120] [121] |
Herman Tjeenk Willink | 26 June 2010 | 10 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
Uri Rosenthal | 5 July 2010 | 16 | Informateur | VVD | ||
Jacques Wallage | PvdA | |||||
Ruud Lubbers | 21 July 2010 | 14 | Informateur | CDA | ||
Ivo Opstelten | 4 August 2010 | 32 | Informateur | VVD | ||
Herman Tjeenk Willink | 7 September 2010 | 7 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
Ivo Opstelten | 13 September 2010 | 25 | Informateur | VVD | ||
Mark Rutte | 7 October 2010 | 8 | Formateur | VVD | ||
Henk Kamp | 13 September 2012 | 6 | Scout | VVD | 2012 | [122] [119] |
20 September 2012 | 42 | Informateur | ||||
Wouter Bos | PvdA | |||||
Mark Rutte | 31 October 2012 | 5 | Formateur | VVD | ||
Edith Schippers | 16 March 2017 | 11 | Scout | VVD | 2017 | [123] [124] |
28 March 2017 | 63 | Informateur | ||||
Herman Tjeenk Willink | 30 May 2017 | 29 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
Gerrit Zalm | 28 June 2017 | 105 | Informateur | VVD | ||
Mark Rutte | 12 October 2017 | 14 | Formateur | VVD | ||
Annemarie Jorritsma | 18 March 2021 | 8 | Scout | VVD | 2021–2022 | [125] [126] |
Kajsa Ollongren | D66 | |||||
Tamara van Ark | 25 March 2021 | 8 | Scout | VVD | ||
Wouter Koolmees | D66 | |||||
Herman Tjeenk Willink | 6 April 2021 | 24 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
Mariëtte Hamer | 12 May 2021 | 113 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
Johan Remkes | 7 September 2021 | 23 | Informateur | VVD | ||
5 October 2021 | 71 | Informateur | ||||
Wouter Koolmees | D66 | |||||
Mark Rutte | 16 December 2021 | 25 | Formateur | VVD | ||
Gom van Strien | 24 November 2023 | 4 | Scout | PVV | 2023–2024 | [127] |
Ronald Plasterk | 28 November 2023 | 14 | Scout | PvdA | ||
13 December 2023 | 62 | Informateur | ||||
Kim Putters | 14 February 2024 | 30 | Informateur | PvdA | ||
Elbert Dijkgraaf | 20 March 2024 | 58 | Informateur | SGP | ||
Richard van Zwol | CDA | |||||
22 May 2024 | 41 | Formateur |
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)The prime minister of the Netherlands is the head of the executive branch of the Government of the Netherlands. Although the monarch is the de jure head of government, the prime minister de facto occupies this role as the officeholder chairs the Council of Ministers and coordinates its policy with the rest of the cabinet. In his role as the de facto head of government, the prime minister also represents the Netherlands in the European Council. Fourty-three men have served in the position. The current prime minister, Dick Schoof, has been in the position since 2 July 2024, with his cabinet being sworn in on the same day.
The first Kok cabinet, also called the first Purple cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch government from 22 August 1994 until 3 August 1998. The cabinet was formed by the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA), the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), and the social-liberal Democrats 66 after the election of 1994. The cabinet was a centrist grand coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with Labour Leader Wim Kok serving as Prime Minister. Prominent Liberal politician Hans Dijkstal served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, while Progressive-Liberal Leader Hans van Mierlo served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The De Jong cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 5 April 1967 until 6 July 1971. The cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Catholic People's Party (KVP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and Christian Historical Union (CHU) and the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) after the election of 1967. The cabinet was a centre-right coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with prominent Catholic politician Piet de Jong the Minister of Defence in the previous cabinet serving as Prime Minister. Prominent Liberal politician Johan Witteveen a former Minister of Finances served as Deputy Prime Minister and returned as Minister of Finance, prominent Protestant politician Joop Bakker the Minister of Economic Affairs in the previous cabinet served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Transport and Water Management and was given the portfolio of Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs.
Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician who has served as the 14th secretary-general of NATO since October 2024. He previously served as the prime minister of the Netherlands from 2010 to 2024, and as the leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from 2006 to 2023. Serving a total of almost 14 years, Rutte is the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history.
A formateur is a politician who is appointed to lead the formation of a coalition government, after either a general election or the collapse of a previous government. The role of the formateur is especially important in the politics of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Israel and the Czech Republic. These countries have a parliamentary system, where the executive derives its mandate from majority support in the legislature. They also use proportional representation for elections to parliament, and have a multiparty system that makes it improbable for one party to win an outright majority. There may be several combinations of parties which might form a coalition. The formateur is traditionally appointed by the head of state but in the Netherlands that became the right of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the early 21st century.
The First Beel cabinet was the executive branch of the Dutch Government from 3 July 1946 until 7 August 1948. The cabinet was formed by the christian-democratic Catholic People's Party (KVP) and the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA) after the election of 1946. The cabinet was a centre-left grand coalition and had a substantial majority in the House of Representatives with prominent Catholic politician Louis Beel serving as Prime Minister and dual served as Minister of the Interior continuing from the previous cabinet. Labour Leader Willem Drees continued as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs from the previous cabinet. According to one study, “Beel was of the opinion that a joint KVP-PvdA program should be presented to other political groups. According to Beel, that program should be socio-economically progressive, that is to say reform-oriented in favor of broad layers of the population. The socialists should not have to fear that a conservative wing within the KVP would rule the roost.”
The formation of a Dutch cabinet is the process of government formation of a Dutch cabinet, consisting of ministers and state secretaries. Most cabinet formations take place after elections for the House of Representatives, but these can also take place in between.
After the general election of 9 June 2010, a cabinet formation took place in Netherlands. This led to the swearing in of the First Rutte cabinet after 127 days. The cabinet consisted of the conservative liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), with confidence and supply from the radical right Party for Freedom (PVV).
Following the Dutch general election on 17 March 2021, a cabinet formation led to the establishment of the fourth Rutte cabinet in 2022. The coalition included the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Democrats 66 (D66), Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and Christian Union (CU), the same parties from the preceding third Rutte cabinet. This formation process, lasting 299 days, was the longest formation in Dutch history.
After the Dutch general election of 25 May 1977, a cabinet formation took place in the Netherlands. On 19 December 1977, this resulted in the First Van Agt cabinet. The coalition was formed by the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).
A process of cabinet formation took place in the Netherlands following the general election of September 2012. After 54 days this led to the Second Rutte cabinet, consisting of People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and Labour Party (PvdA). This made it one of the fastest cabinet formations. The formation was the first in which the monarch of the Netherlands did not play an active role.
A cabinet formation took place in Netherlands after the general election of 3 July 1918. The formation led to the swearing-in of the first Ruijs de Beerenbrouck cabinet on 9 September 1918, compromising the Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP), the Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and the Christian Historical Union (CHU).
A cabinet formation took place in the Netherlands after the first Ruijs de Beerenbrouck cabinet tendered its resignation on 16 June 1921. The resignation was prompted by ministerial crises involving Finance Minister Simon de Vries Czn and War Minister Willem Frederik Pop. During the formation, Prime Minister and formateur Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck selected Dirk Jan de Geer and Jannes van Dijk as their replacements. Additionally, the right-wing parties forming the cabinet — the Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP), the Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP), and the Christian Historical Union (CHU) — reached an agreement on the substantive issues underlying the crises. The two new ministers were sworn in on 28 July 1921, marking the end of the formation.
A cabinet formation took place in Netherlands following the general election of 26 May 1981. The formation led to the inauguration of the second Van Agt cabinet on 11 September, composed of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), the Labour Party (PvdA), and Democrats 66 (D'66). The cabinet fell shortly before the government statement, but was patched up within three weeks.
A cabinet formation took place in the Netherlands following the general election of 5 July 1922. The formation resulted in the inauguration of the Second Ruijs de Beerenbrouck cabinet on 18 September 1922, comprising the General League of Roman Catholic Electoral Associations (AB), the Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP), and the Christian Historical Union (CHU).