Second Rutte cabinet

Summary

The second Rutte cabinet, also called the Rutte–Asscher cabinet, was the executive branch of the Government of the Netherlands from 5 November 2012 until 26 October 2017. The cabinet was formed by the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA) after the election of 2012. The cabinet was a centrist grand coalition and had a slim majority in the House of Representatives. VVD Leader Mark Rutte served as Prime Minister; prominent PvdA politician Lodewijk Asscher, a former alderman of Amsterdam, served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Employment.

Second Rutte cabinet
Rutte–Asscher cabinet

69th cabinet of the Netherlands
The installation of the second Rutte cabinet on 5 November 2012
Date formed5 November 2012 (2012-11-05)
Date dissolved26 October 2017 (2017-10-26)
4 years, 355 days in office
(Demissionary from 14 March 2017 (2017-03-14))
People and organisations
MonarchQueen Beatrix
(2012–2013)
King Willem-Alexander
(2013–2017)
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Deputy Prime MinisterLodewijk Asscher
No. of ministers13
Ministers removed4
Total no. of members17
Member partyPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(VVD)
Labour Party
(PvdA)
Status in legislatureCentrist
Majority government
(Grand coalition/Purple)
History
Election(s)2012 election
Outgoing election2017 election
Legislature term(s)2012–2017
Incoming formation2012 formation
Outgoing formation2017 formation
PredecessorFirst Rutte cabinet
SuccessorThird Rutte cabinet

The cabinet served in the middle of the 2010s. Domestically, it had to deal with the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 disaster, which was shot down by a surface-to-air missile killing 193 Dutch citizens on board, while internationally, climate change was a major point of attention. The cabinet suffered several major internal conflicts such as multiple cabinet resignations, including those of two Justice Ministers. The cabinet completed its entire term, and was succeeded by the third Rutte cabinet following the 2017 election. With 4 years, 355 days in office, it is the longest serving post-war cabinet in the Netherlands.[1]

Cabinet members edit

Ministers Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
  Mark Rutte
(born 1967)
Prime Minister General Affairs 14 October 2010 –
Incumbent
[Retained] [Continued]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Dr.
Lodewijk Asscher
(born 1974)
Deputy
Prime Minister
Social Affairs and
Employment
5 November 2012 –
26 October 2017
Labour Party
Minister
  Dr.
Ronald Plasterk
(born 1957)
Minister Interior and
Kingdom Relations
5 November 2012 –
29 June 2016
[Note]
Labour Party
  Stef Blok
(born 1964)
29 June 2016 –
16 September 2016
[Acting]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Dr.
Ronald Plasterk
(born 1957)
16 September 2016 –
26 October 2017
Labour Party
  Frans Timmermans
(born 1961)
Minister Foreign Affairs 5 November 2012 –
17 October 2014
[App]
Labour Party
  Bert Koenders
(born 1958)
17 October 2014 –
26 October 2017
Labour Party
  Jeroen
Dijsselbloem

(born 1966)
Minister Finance 5 November 2012 –
26 October 2017
Labour Party
  Ivo Opstelten
(born 1944)
Minister Security and
Justice
14 October 2010 –
10 March 2015
[Retained] [Res]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Stef Blok
(born 1964)
10 March 2015 –
20 March 2015
[Ad Interim]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Ard van der Steur
(born 1969)
20 March 2015 –
27 January 2017
[Res]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Stef Blok
(born 1964)
27 January 2017 –
26 October 2017
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Henk Kamp
(born 1952)
Minister Economic Affairs 5 November 2012 –
26 October 2017
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Jeanine Hennis-
Plasschaert

(born 1973)
Minister Defence 5 November 2012 –
4 October 2017
[Res]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Dr.
Klaas Dijkhoff
(born 1981)
4 October 2017 –
26 October 2017
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Edith Schippers
(born 1964)
Minister Health, Welfare
and Sport
14 October 2010 –
26 October 2017
[Retained]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Dr.
Jet Bussemaker
(born 1961)
Minister Education, Culture
and Science
5 November 2012 –
26 October 2017
Labour Party
  Melanie Schultz
van Haegen

(born 1970)
Minister Infrastructure and
the Environment
14 October 2010 –
26 October 2017
[Retained]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Ministers without portfolio Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
  Stef Blok
(born 1964)
Minister Interior and
Kingdom Relations
State-owned
Businesses

Independent
Government
Agencies

• Rijksvastgoedbedrijf [nl]
5 November 2012 –
27 January 2017
[App]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Lilianne Ploumen
(born 1962)
Minister Foreign Affairs Trade and Export
Development
Cooperation
5 November 2012 –
26 October 2017
Labour Party
State Secretaries Title/Ministry/Portfolio(s) Term of office Party
  Frans Weekers
(born 1967)
State Secretary Finance Fiscal Policy
Tax and Customs
Governmental
Budget
14 October 2010 –
30 January 2014
[Retained] [Res]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Eric Wiebes
(born 1963)
4 February 2014 –
26 October 2017
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Fred Teeven
(born 1958)
State Secretary
[Title]
Security and
Justice
Immigration
and Asylum

Integration
Public
Prosecution

Civil Law
Property Law
Victims' Rights
Judicial Reform
• Youth Justice
Penitentiaries
Debt
Gambling
Minorities
14 October 2010 –
10 March 2015
[Retained] [Res]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Dr.
Klaas Dijkhoff
(born 1981)
20 March 2015 –
4 October 2017
[App]
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Dr.
Co Verdaas
(born 1966)
State Secretary
[Title]
Economic Affairs Agriculture
• Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit [nl]
• Nature
• Fisheries
• Forestry
Animal Welfare
Tourism
5 November 2012 –
6 December 2012
[Res]
Labour Party
  Sharon Dijksma
(born 1971)
18 December 2012 –
3 November 2015
[App]
Labour Party
  Martijn van Dam
(born 1978)
3 November 2015 –
1 September 2017
[Res]
Labour Party
 
Martin van Rijn
Martin van Rijn
(born 1956)
State Secretary Health, Welfare
and Sport
Elderly Care
Youth Care
Disability Policy
Medical Ethics
Pharmaceutical
Policy
5 November 2012 –
26 October 2017
Labour Party
  Jetta Klijnsma
(born 1957)
State Secretary Social Affairs and
Employment
• Social Security
• Unemployment
Occupational
Safety

• Social Services
Equality
Emancipation
5 November 2012 –
26 October 2017
Labour Party
  Sander Dekker
(born 1975)
State Secretary Education, Culture
and Science
Higher
Education

Science Policy
Media
Culture
Art
5 November 2012 –
26 October 2017
People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
  Wilma Mansveld
(born 1962)
State Secretary
[Title]
Infrastructure and
the Environment
Public
Transport

Aviation
Rail Transport
Environmental
Policy

Weather
Forecasting
5 November 2012 –
28 October 2015
[Res]
Labour Party
  Sharon Dijksma
(born 1971)
3 November 2015 –
26 October 2017
Labour Party
Resigned
Retained from the previous cabinet
Continued in the next cabinet
Acting
Ad Interim
Designated with the diplomatic rank of Minister
Medical leave of absence from 29 June 2016 until 16 September 2016
Appointed as European Commissioner
Appointed as Minister of Security and Justice
Appointed as Minister of Defence
Appointed as State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment

Changes edit

On 6 December 2012, just 31 days after taking office, State Secretary for Economic Affairs Co Verdaas (PvdA) resigned after he was accused of making inappropriate declarations when he served as a Member of the Provincial-Executive of Gelderland.[2] He was replaced as State Secretary for Economic Affairs by former State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science Sharon Dijksma (PvdA) on 18 December 2012.[3]

On 17 October 2014 Minister of Foreign Affairs Frans Timmermans (PvdA) resigned after he was nominated as the next European Commissioner succeeding Neelie Kroes.[4] He was replaced as Minister of Foreign Affairs by Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations in Mali and former Minister for Development Cooperation Bert Koenders (PvdA).[5]

On 10 March 2015 Minister of Security and Justice Ivo Opstelten (VVD) and State Secretary for Security and Justice Fred Teeven (VVD) resigned after it was discovered that Fred Teeven when he served as a Prosecutor authorized the return of 4.7 million guilders to convicted drugs dealer Cees H. in 2000 without the knowledge of his superior or the tax office.[6]

On 4 October 2017 Minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (VVD) resigned following a critical report by the Dutch Safety Board into the investigation of the accidental deaths of two Army soldiers who died following the use of old ammunition during a Mortar test during the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali.[7] She was replaced as Minister of Defence by State Secretary for Security and Justice Klaas Dijkhoff (VVD) who served out the remaining three weeks before the installation of the new cabinet.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ "Dutch queen swears in new centrist government under Prime Minister Mark Rutte". Fox News World. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Staatssecretaris Co Verdaas stapt op" (in Dutch). NU.nl. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Sharon Dijksma staatssecretaris" (in Dutch). NOS. 15 December 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Timmermans voorgedragen als Eurocommissaris" (in Dutch). NU.nl. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Bert Koenders nieuwe minister van Buitenlandse Zaken" (in Dutch). NRC Handelsblad. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Tijdlijn opstappen Opstelten en Teeven" (in Dutch). NOS. 11 March 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Hennis treedt af om dodelijk ongeval Mali" (in Dutch). NOS. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Dijkhoff voor even minister van Defensie" (in Dutch). NOS. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

External links edit

Official
  • (in Dutch) Kabinet-Rutte II Parlement & Politiek
  • (in Dutch) Kabinet-Rutte-Asscher Rijksoverheid