Minister of State (Netherlands)

The Minister of State (Dutch : Minister van Staat) is an honorary title in the Netherlands. The title is formally granted together with the style Excellency, by the Monarch, but on the initiative of the cabinet of the Netherlands. It is given on a personal basis, for life rather than for a specified period. The title is granted for exceptional merits, generally to senior politicians at the end of their party career. Ministers of state are often former cabinet members or party leaders. Ministers of State advise the Sovereign in delicate situations, with moral authority but without formal competence. A Minister of State is not part of a cabinet, but may be asked to represent the government for certain events. The Ministers of State have a diplomatic passport. Before World War II it was common for Ministers of State to still have a public function, some notable as Pieter Cort van der Linden and Hendrikus Colijn, were Minister of State while they served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands. After World War II, Louis Beel was the only person who still sat in the cabinet while he was Minister of State.

Current ministers of state

Portrait	Name	Appointed	Party		Office(s)
	Herman Tjeenk Willink (born 1942)	21 December 2012 (12 years, 66 days)		PvdA	Member of the Senate (1987–1997) President of the Senate (1991–1997) Vice-President of the Council of State (1997–2012)
	Winnie Sorgdrager (born 1948)	22 June 2018 (6 years, 248 days)		D66	Minister of Justice (1994–1998) Member of the Senate (1999) Member of the Council of State (2006–2018)
	Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (born 1948)	22 June 2018 (6 years, 248 days)		CDA	Member of the House of Representatives (1986–2002) Minister of Foreign Affairs (2002–2003) Secretary General of NATO (2004–2009)
	Sybilla Dekker (born 1942)	22 June 2018 (6 years, 248 days)		VVD	Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (2003–2006)
	Piet Hein Donner (born 1948)	21 December 2018 (6 years, 66 days)		CDA	Member of the Scientific Council for Government Policy (1990–1993) Director of the Scientific Council for Government Policy (1993–1997) Member of the Council of State (1997–2002) Minister of Justice (2002–2006) Member of the House of Representatives (2006–2007) Minister of Social Affairs and Employment (2007–2010) Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (2010–2012) Vice-President of the Council of State (2012–2018)
	Jan Peter Balkenende (born 1956)	14 October 2022 (2 years, 134 days)		CDA	Member of the House of Representatives (1998–2002, 2003, 2006–2007) Prime Minister (2002–2010)

Historical Ministers of State

Portrait	Name	Appointed	Party		Office(s)
	Dr. Jos van Kemenade (1937–2020)	5 April 2002		PvdA	Minister of Education and Sciences (1973–1977, 1981–1982) Member of the House of Representatives (1977, 1978–1981, 1982–1984) Mayor of Eindhoven (1988–1992) Queen's Commissioner of North Holland (1992–2002)
	Wim Kok (1938–2018)	11 April 2003		PvdA	Member of the Social and Economic Council (1972–1986) Member of the House of Representatives (1986–1989, 1994, 1998) Minister of Finance (1989–1994) Deputy Prime Minister (1989–1994) Prime Minister (1994–2002)
	Ruud Lubbers (1939–2018)	31 January 1995		CDA	Minister of Economic Affairs (1973–1977) Prime Minister (1982–1994) Minister for Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Affairs (1989, 1994) Member of the House of Representatives (1977, 1977–1982, 1986, 1989)
	Hans van den Broek (1936–2025)	25 February 2005		CDA	Member of the House of Representatives (1976–1981, 1982, 1986, 1989) State Secretary for Foreign Affairs (1981–1982) Minister of Foreign Affairs (1982–1993) European Commissioner (1993–1999)
	Dr. Els Borst (1932–2014)	21 December 2012		D66	Member of the Health Council (1986–1994) Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (1994–2002) Member of the House of Representatives (1998) Deputy Prime Minister (1998–2002)
	Dr. Pieter Kooijmans (1933–2013)	13 July 2007		CDA	State Secretary for Foreign Affairs (1973–1977) Minister of Foreign Affairs (1993–1994)
	Max van der Stoel (1924–2011)	17 May 1991		PvdA	Member of the Senate (1960–1963) Member of the House of Representatives (1963–1965, 1967–1973, 1977, 1978–1981) State Secretary for Foreign Affairs (1965–1966) Member of the European Parliament (1971–1973) Minister of Foreign Affairs (1973–1977, 1981–1982) Ambassador to the United Nations (1983–1986) Member of the Council of State (1986–1993)
	Hans van Mierlo (1931–2010)	24 October 1998		D66	Member of the House of Representatives (1967–1977, 1986–1994, 1998) Minister of Defence (1981–1982) Member of the Senate (1983–1986) Minister of Foreign Affairs (1994–1998) Deputy Prime Minister (1994–1998)
	Edzo Toxopeus (1918–2009)	22 January 1985		VVD	Member of the House of Representatives (1956–1959, 1963, 1965–1969) Minister of the Interior (1959–1965) Queen's Commissioner of Groningen (1970–1980) Member of the Council of State (1980–1988)
	Frits Korthals Altes (1931–2025)	26 October 2001		VVD	Member of the Senate (1981–1982, 1991–2001) Minister of Justice (1982–1989) Minister of the Interior (1986, 1987) Member of the House of Representatives (1989–1991) President of the Senate (1997–2001)
	Willem Scholten (1927–2005)	1 July 1997		CDA	Member of the House of Representatives (1963–1971, 1972–1976) State Secretary for Finance (1971–1973) Member of the European Parliament (1973–1976) Member of the Council of State (1976–1978) Minister of Defence (1978–1980) Vice-President of the Council of State (1980–1997)
	Dr. Jelle Zijlstra (1918–2001)	30 April 1983		CDA	Minister of Economic Affairs (1952–1959) Member of the House of Representatives (1956, 1959) Minister of Finance (1958–1963, 1966–1967) Member of the Senate (1963–1966) Prime Minister (1966–1967) Member of the Social and Economic Council (1967–1982) President of the Central Bank (1967–1982)
	Jonkheer Emiel van Lennep (1915–1996)	29 April 1986		CDA	Treasurer-General (1951–1969) Member of the Social and Economic Council (1984–1986)
	Dr. Ivo Samkalden (1912–1995)	22 January 1985		PvdA	Minister of Justice (1956–1958, 1965–1966) Member of the House of Representatives (1959–1960) Member of the Senate (1960–1965) Mayor of Amsterdam (1967–1977) Chairman of the Association of Municipalities (1971–1977)
	Marinus Ruppert (1911–1992)	29 November 1980		CDA	Member of the Social and Economic Council (1950–1959) Member of the Senate (1956–1959) Member of the Council of State (1959–1973) Vice-President of the Council of State (1973–1980)
	Willem Drees (1886–1988)	22 December 1958		PvdA	Member of the House of Representatives (1933–1945, 1946, 1948, 1952, 1956) Minister of Social Affairs (1945–1948) Deputy Prime Minister (1945–1948) Prime Minister (1948–1958)
	Dr. Marga Klompé (1912–1986)	17 July 1971		KVP	Member of the House of Representatives (1948–1956, 1959, 1963–1966, 1967) Member of the Common Assembly of the ECSC (1952–1956) Minister of Social Work (1956–1963) Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences (1961–1962, 1963) Minister of Culture, Recreation and Social Work (1966–1971)
	Jaap Burger (1904–1986)	4 January 1975		PvdA	Minister for Government Restoration (1943–1944) Minister of the Interior (1944–1945) Member of the House of Representatives (1945–1962) Member of the Senate (1963–1970) Member of the European Parliament (1966–1970) Member of the Council of State (1970–1979)
	Dr. Eelco van Kleffens (1894–1983)	4 July 1950		Indep.	Minister of Foreign Affairs (1939–1946) Minister for Foreign Policy (1946–1947) Ambassador to the United States (1947–1949) Ambassador to the United Nations (1947–1949, 1954–1955) Ambassador to Portugal (1950–1956) Permanent Representative to NATO and the OECD (1956–1958) Permanent Representative to the ECSC (1958–1967)
	Dr. Jan Donner (1891–1981)	16 December 1971		ARP	Minister of Justice (1926–1933) Judge of the Supreme Court (1933–1944, 1945–1947) President of the Supreme Court (1947–1961)
	Carl Romme (1896–1980)	16 December 1971		KVP	Member of the House of Representatives (1933, 1946–1961) Member of the Senate (1937) Minister of Social Affairs (1937–1939) Member of the Council of State (1962–1972)
	Dr. Jonkheer Alidius Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer (1888–1978)	28 June 1956		Indep.	Queen's Commissioner of Groningen (1925–1933) Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (1937–1945) Ambassador to Belgium (1933–1937) Ambassador to France (1950–1956) Permanent Representative to the OECD (1950–1956)
	Dr. Louis Beel (1902–1977)	21 November 1956		KVP	Minister of the Interior (1945–1947, 1951–1956) Member of the House of Representatives (1946, 1948) Prime Minister (1946–1948, 1958–1959) Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (1948–1949) Deputy Prime Minister (1952–1956) Minister of Social Affairs and Health (1958–1959) Member of the Council of State (1958, 1959) Vice-President of the Council of State (1959–1972)
	Jo Cals (1914–1971)	5 December 1966		KVP	Member of the House of Representatives (1948–1950, 1952, 1956, 1959, 1963–1965) State Secretary for Education, Arts and Sciences (1950–1952) Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences (1952–1961, 1962–1963) Prime Minister (1965–1966)
	Pieter Oud (1886–1968)	9 November 1963		VVD	Member of the House of Representatives (1917–1933, 1937–1938, 1948–1963) Minister of Finance (1933–1937) Mayor of Rotterdam (1938–1941, 1945–1952) Chairman of the Association of Municipalities (1946–1952)
	Josef van Schaik (1882–1962)	15 March 1951		KVP	Member of the House of Representatives (1917–1933, 1937–1948) Speaker of the House of Representatives (1929–1933, 1937–1948) Minister of Justice (1933–1937) Deputy Prime Minister (1948–1951) Minister for Constitutional Reform (1948–1951) Member of the Council of State (1951–1957)
	Dr. Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (1885–1961)	5 April 1955		ARP	Minister of Justice (1939–1942, 1945) Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1940–1945) Minister of Colonial Affairs (1941–1942) Member of the House of Representatives (1948–1956, 1956–1959)
	Jonkheer Frans Beelaerts van Blokland (1872–1956)	22 December 1936		CHU	Minister of Foreign Affairs (1927–1933) Ambassador to China (1923–1927) Vice-President of the Council of State (1933–1956) Chairman of the Council of Nobility (1947–1956)
	Piet Aalberse (1871–1948)	31 December 1934		RKSP	Member of the House of Representatives (1903–1916, 1925–1937) Minister of Labour (1918–1923) Minister of Labour, Commerce and Industry (1923–1925) Speaker of the House of Representatives (1936–1937) Member of the Council of State (1937–1946)
	Jonkheer Dirk Jan de Geer (1870–1960)	31 August 1933 – 12 November 1947 [Removed]		CHU	Member of the House of Representatives (1907–1921, 1922, 1933–1939) Mayor of Arnhem (1920–1921) Minister of Finance (1921–1923, 1923–1933, 1939–1940) Minister of the Interior and Agriculture (1925–1926) Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1923–1933, 1939–1940)
	Baron Willem Lodewijk de Vos van Steenwijk (1859–1947)	11 July 1946		CHU	Member of the Senate (1913–1946) President of the Senate (1929–1946)
	Hendrikus Colijn (1869–1944)	31 August 1929		ARP	Member of the House of Representatives (1909–1911, 1922–1923, 1929–1933, 1937) Minister of War (1911–1913) Minister of the Navy (1912–1913) Member of the Senate (1914–1920, 1926–1929, 1939–1944) Minister of Finance (1923–1926, 1939) Minister of Colonial Affairs (1925, 1933–1937) Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1925–1926, 1933–1939) Minister of Economic Affairs (1934, 1939) Minister of Defence (1935–1937)
	Vice Admiral Jean Jacques Rambonnet (1864–1943)	13 January 1920		Indep.	Minister of the Navy (1913–1918)
	Dr. Jonkheer Herman Adriaan van Karnebeek (1874–1942)	25 July 1927		Indep.	Mayor of The Hague (1911–1918) Minister of Foreign Affairs (1918–1927) Ambassador to the League of Nations (1927–1928) Queen's Commissioner of South Holland (1928–1942)
	Dr. Dirk Fock (1858–1941)	24 August 1928		LSP	Member of the House of Representatives (1901–1905, 1913–1920) Minister of Colonial Affairs (1905–1908) Governor-General of Suriname (1908–1911) Speaker of the House of Representatives (1917–1920) Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (1921–1926) Member of the Senate (1929–1935)
	Dr. Pieter Cort van der Linden (1846–1935)	28 January 1915		Indep.	Minister of Justice (1897–1901) Member of the Council of State (1902–1913, 1918–1935) Minister of the Interior (1913–1918) Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1913–1918)
	Dr. Johannes Theodoor de Visser (1857–1932)	31 August 1931		CHU	Member of the House of Representatives (1897–1905, 1906–1913, 1914–1918, 1922, 1925–1929) Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences (1918–1925)

^{NOTE 3: Dirk Jan de Geer′s title of Minister of State was removed by a post-war court on 12 November 1947 after he was tried and found guilty of treason and betrayal for his actions during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.}

External links

• Ministers van Staat Rijksoverheid (in Dutch)