List of ministers of defence of the Netherlands

The minister of defence (Dutch: Minister van Defensie) is the head of the Ministry of Defence and a member of the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers. The incumbent minister is Ruben Brekelmans of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) party who has been in office since 2 July 2024. Regularly, a state secretary is assigned to the ministry who is tasked with specific portfolios. The current state secretary is Gijs Tuinman of the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB) who also has been in office since 2 July 2024.

Minister of Defence of the Netherlands
Minister van Defensie
Flag for the minister of defence
Incumbent Ruben Brekelmans since 2 July 2024
Ministry of Defence
Style	His/Her Excellency
Member of	Council of Ministers
Appointer	The Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister
Precursor	Minister of War Minister of the Navy
Formation	1 September 1928 (historic) 7 August 1948 (current)
First holder	Johan Lambooij [nl] (historic) Kees Staf (current)
Final holder	Hendrik van Boeijen (historic)
Abolished	27 July 1941 (historic)
Deputy	Gijs Tuinman as State Secretary for Defence
Salary	€157,287 (As of 2017[update]) (including €4,193 of expenses)
Website	Minister of Defence

History

Role

List of ministers of defence

1928–1941

Minister of Defence			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Major Johan Lambooij (1874–1942)	1 September 1928 – 10 August 1929	Roman Catholic State Party	Dirk Jan de Geer (De Geer I) [1]
		Dr. Laurentius Nicolaas Deckers (1883–1978)	10 August 1929 – 2 September 1935 [Appt]	Roman Catholic State Party	Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (De Beerenbrouck III) [2]
					Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn II) [3]
					Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn III) [4]
		Major Dr. Hendrikus Colijn (Prime Minister) (1869–1944)	2 September 1935 – 24 June 1937	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Captain Dr. Jannes van Dijk (1871–1954)	24 June 1937 – 10 August 1939	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn IV • V) [5][6]
		Major general Adriaan Dijxhoorn (1889–1953)	10 August 1939 – 12 June 1941	Independent Liberal (Conservative Liberal)	Dirk Jan de Geer (De Geer II) [7]
					Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (Gerbrandy I) [8]
		Hendrik van Boeijen (also Minister of the Interior) (1889–1947)	12 June 1941 – 27 July 1941 [Ad interim]	Christian Historical Union

Since 1948

Minister of War and Navy			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Captain Wim Schokking (1900–1960)	7 August 1948 – 16 October 1950 [Res]	Christian Historical Union	Willem Drees (Drees– Van Schaik) [9]
		Hans s'Jacob (1906–1967)	16 October 1950 – 15 March 1951	Independent Christian Democratic Protestant
		Kees Staf (1905–1973)	15 March 1951 – 13 October 1956	Christian Historical Union	Willem Drees (Drees I • II) [10][11]
Minister of Defence			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Kees Staf (1905–1973)	13 October 1956 – 19 May 1959 [Minister]	Christian Historical Union	Willem Drees (Drees III) [12]
					Louis Beel (Beel II) [13]
		Major general Sidney J. van den Bergh (1898–1977)	19 May 1959 – 1 August 1959 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Jan de Quay (De Quay) [14]
		Dr. Jan de Quay (Prime Minister) (1901–1985)	1 August 1959 – 4 September 1959 [Acting]	Catholic People's Party
		Sim Visser (1908–1983)	4 September 1959 – 24 July 1963	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Captain Piet de Jong (1915–2016)	24 July 1963 – 5 April 1967	Catholic People's Party	Victor Marijnen (Marijnen) [15]
					Jo Cals (Cals) [16]
					Jelle Zijlstra (Zijlstra) [17]
		Lieutenant general Willem den Toom (1911–1998)	5 April 1967 – 6 July 1971	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Piet de Jong (De Jong) [18]
		Hans de Koster (1914–1992)	6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Barend Biesheuvel (Biesheuvel I • II) [19]
		Henk Vredeling (1924–2007)	11 May 1973 – 1 January 1977 [App]	Labour Party	Joop den Uyl (Den Uyl) [20]
		Captain Bram Stemerdink (born 1936)	1 January 1977 – 19 December 1977	Labour Party
		Dr. Roelof Kruisinga (1922–2012)	19 December 1977 – 4 March 1978 [Res]	Christian Historical Union	Dries van Agt (Van Agt I) [21]
		Jan de Koning (1926–1994)	4 March 1978 – 8 March 1978 [Ad Interim] [Minister]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Willem Scholten (1927–2005)	8 March 1978 – 25 August 1980 [App]	Christian Historical Union
		Captain Pieter de Geus (1929–2004)	25 August 1980 – 11 September 1981	Christian Historical Union
				Christian Democratic Appeal
		Hans van Mierlo (1931–2010)	11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982	Democrats 66	Dries van Agt (Van Agt II • III) [22][23]
		Dr. Job de Ruiter (1930–2015)	4 November 1982 – 14 July 1986	Christian Democratic Appeal	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers I) [24]
		Dr. Wim van Eekelen (born 1931)	14 July 1986 – 6 September 1988 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers II) [25]
		Piet Bukman (1934–2022)	6 September 1988 – 24 September 1988 [Ad Interim] [Minister]	Christian Democratic Appeal
		Frits Bolkestein (born 1933)	24 September 1988 – 7 November 1989	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Relus ter Beek (1944–2008)	7 November 1989 – 6 February 1991 [Note]	Labour Party	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers III) [26]
		Jan Pronk (born 1940)	6 February 1991 – 3 March 1991 [Acting] [Minister]	Labour Party
		Relus ter Beek (1944–2008)	3 March 1991 – 22 August 1994	Labour Party
		Dr. Joris Voorhoeve (born 1945)	22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 [Minister]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Wim Kok (Kok I) [27]
		Frank de Grave (born 1955)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Wim Kok (Kok II) [28]
		Benk Korthals (born 1944)	22 July 2002 – 12 December 2002 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende I) [29]
		Henk Kamp (born 1952)	12 December 2002 – 22 February 2007 [Minister]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
					Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende II • III) [30][31]
		Eimert van Middelkoop (born 1949)	22 February 2007 – 14 October 2010 [Minister]	Christian Union	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende IV) [32]
		Hans Hillen (born 1947)	14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012	Christian Democratic Appeal	Mark Rutte (Rutte I) [33]
		Commander Jeanine Hennis- Plasschaert (born 1973)	5 November 2012 – 4 October 2017 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Mark Rutte (Rutte II) [34]
		Dr. Klaas Dijkhoff (born 1981)	4 October 2017 – 26 October 2017	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Ank Bijleveld (born 1962)	26 October 2017 – 17 September 2021 [Res]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Mark Rutte (Rutte III) [35]
		Dr. Ferdinand Grapperhaus (born 1959)	17 September 2021 – 24 September 2021 [Acting] [Minister]	Christian Democratic Appeal
		Henk Kamp (born 1952)	24 September 2021 – 10 January 2022	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Jonkvrouw Kajsa Ollongren (born 1967)	10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024	Democrats 66	Mark Rutte (Rutte IV) [36]
		Ruben Brekelmans (born 1986)	2 July 2024 – Incumbent	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Dick Schoof (Schoof) [37]

^Resigned

^Acting

^{Ad Interim}

^{Medical leave of absence from 6 February 1991 until 3 March 1991}

^{Appointed as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries}

^{Appointed as European Commissioner}

^{Appointed as Vice-President of the Council of State}

^{Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies from 22 December 1958}

^{Minister for Development Cooperation}

^{Minister for Kingdom Relations}

^{Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment until 27 May 2003}

^{Minister without Portfolio for Housing from 23 February 2010}

^{Minister of Justice and Security}

List of state secretaries for defence

State Secretary for Defence			Portfolio(s)	Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Vice admiral Harry Moorman (1899–1971)	• Navy	1 May 1949 – 27 November 1950	Catholic People's Party	Willem Drees (Drees–Van Schaik • Drees I) [9][10]
			• Army • Navy • Air Force	27 November 1950 – 1 June 1951
			• Navy	1 June 1951 – 19 May 1959		Willem Drees (Drees II • III) [11][12]
						Louis Beel (Beel II) [13]
		Wim Fockema Andreae (1909–1996)	• Army • Air Force	1 May 1949 – 27 November 1950 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Willem Drees (Drees–Van Schaik) [9]
		Ferdinand Kranenburg (1911–1994)	• Army • Air Force	1 June 1951 – 1 June 1958 [Res]	Labour Party	Willem Drees (Drees I • II) [10][11]
						Willem Drees (Drees III) [12]
		Meine van Veen (1893–1970)		25 October 1958 – 22 December 1958	Labour Party
		Lieutenant general Michael Calmeyer (1895–1990)	• Army • Air Force	19 June 1959 – 24 July 1963	Christian Historical Union	Jan de Quay (De Quay) [14]
		Captain Piet de Jong (1915–2016)	• Navy	25 June 1959 – 24 July 1963	Catholic People's Party
		Vice admiral Adri van Es (1913–1994)	• Navy	14 August 1963 – 6 July 1971	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Victor Marijnen (Marijnen) [15]
						Jo Cals (Cals) [16]
						Jelle Zijlstra (Zijlstra) [17]
						Piet de Jong (De Jong) [18]
			• Human Resources • Equipment	6 July 1971 – 16 September 1972 [Res]		Barend Biesheuvel (Biesheuvel I • II) [19]
		Brigadier general Joop Haex (1911–2002)	• Army	14 August 1963 – 14 April 1965	Christian Historical Union	Victor Marijnen (Marijnen) [15]
		Major general Willem den Toom (1911–1998)	• Air Force	25 November 1963 – 14 April 1965	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Gerard Peijnenburg (1919–2000)	• Army	13 May 1965 – 5 April 1967	Independent Christian Democratic Catholic	Jo Cals (Cals) [16]
						Jelle Zijlstra (Zijlstra) [17]
		Colonel Jan Borghouts (1910–1966)	• Air Force	12 July 1965 – 5 February 1966 [Died]	Catholic People's Party	Jo Cals (Cals) [16]
		Lieutenant general Heije Schaper (1906–1996)		22 June 1966 – 5 April 1967	Independent Conservative Liberal
						Jelle Zijlstra (Zijlstra) [17]
		Major general Joop Haex (1911–2002)	• Army	18 April 1967 – 6 July 1971	Christian Historical Union	Piet de Jong (De Jong) [18]
		Bob Duynstee (1920–2014)	• Air Force	28 April 1967 – 6 July 1971	Catholic People's Party
		Joep Mommersteeg (1917–1991)	• Human Resources	11 May 1973 – 1 March 1974 [Res]	Catholic People's Party	Joop den Uyl (Den Uyl) [20]
		Brigadier general Cees van Lent (1922–2000)		11 March 1974 – 11 September 1981	Catholic People's Party
					Christian Democratic Appeal	Dries van Agt (Van Agt I) [21]
		Captain Bram Stemerdink (born 1936)	• Equipment • Justice	11 May 1973 – 1 January 1977 [App]	Labour Party	Joop den Uyl (Den Uyl) [20]
		Dr. Wim van Eekelen (born 1931)	• Equipment • Justice	20 January 1978 – 11 September 1981	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Dries van Agt (Van Agt I) [21]
		Captain Bram Stemerdink (born 1936)	• Equipment • Justice	11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 [Res]	Labour Party	Dries van Agt (Van Agt II) [22]
		Jan van Houwelingen (1939–2013)	• Human Resources	14 September 1981 – 7 November 1989	Christian Democratic Appeal
			• Human Resources • Equipment			Dries van Agt (Van Agt III) [23]
			• Equipment			Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers I) [24]
			• Human Resources • Equipment			Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers II) [25]
		Charl Schwietert (born 1943)	• Human Resources	8 November 1982 – 11 November 1982 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers I) [24]
		Willem Hoekzema (born 1939)		19 November 1982 – 14 July 1986	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Baron Berend-Jan van Voorst tot Voorst (1944–2023)	• Human Resources • Equipment • Justice	7 November 1989 – 1 June 1993 [App]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers III) [26]
		Lieutenant colonel Ton Frinking (1931–2022)		1 June 1993 – 22 August 1994	Christian Democratic Appeal
		Lieutenant commander Jan Gmelich Meijling (1936–2012)	• Human Resources • Equipment	22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Wim Kok (Kok I) [27]
		Commander Henk van Hoof (born 1947)	• Human Resources • Equipment	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Wim Kok (Kok II) [28]
		Cees van der Knaap (born 1951)	• Human Resources • Military Administration • Equipment	22 July 2002 – 18 December 2007 [App]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende I • II • III) [29][30][31]
						Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende IV) [32]
		Lieutenant Jack de Vries (born 1968)		18 December 2007 – 18 May 2010 [Res]	Christian Democratic Appeal
Vacant
		Barbara Visser (born 1977)	• Human Resources • Military Administration • Equipment	26 October 2017 – 31 August 2021 [App]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Mark Rutte (Rutte III) [35]
		Christophe van der Maat (born 1980)	• Human Resources • Military Administration • Equipment	10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Mark Rutte (Rutte IV) [36]
		Lieutenant Colonel Gijs Tuinman (born 1979)	• Human Resources • Military Administration • Equipment	2 July 2024 – Incumbent	Farmer–Citizen Movement	Dick Schoof (Schoof) [37]

^Resigned

^{Died in Office}

^{Appointed as Minister of Defence}

^{Appointed as Queen's Commissioner of Limburg}

^{Appointed as Mayor of Ede}

^{Appointed as Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management}

See also

• Ministry of Defence
• Chief of Defence

References

1. "Kabinet-De Geer I". DeGeerI. Parlement & Politiek.
2. "Kabinet-Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III". RuijsdeBeerenbrouckIII. Parlement & Politiek.
3. "Kabinet-Colijn II". ColijnII. Parlement & Politiek.
4. "Kabinet-Colijn III". ColijnIII. Parlement & Politiek.
5. "Kabinet-Colijn IV". ColijnIV. Parlement & Politiek.
6. "Kabinet-Colijn V". ColijnV. Parlement & Politiek.
7. "Kabinet-De Geer II". DeGeerII. Parlement & Politiek.
8. "Kabinet-Gerbrandy I / II". GerbrandyI/II. Parlement & Politiek.
9. "Kabinet-Drees-Van Schaik". DreesVanSchaik. Rijksoverheid.
10. "Kabinet-Drees I". DreesI. Rijksoverheid.
11. "Kabinet-Drees II". DreesII. Rijksoverheid.
12. "Kabinet-Drees III". DreeslII. Rijksoverheid.
13. "Kabinet-Beel II". BeelII. Rijksoverheid.
14. "Kabinet-De Quay". DeQuay. Rijksoverheid.
15. "Kabinet-Marijnen". Marijnen. Rijksoverheid.
16. "Kabinet-Cals". Cals. Rijksoverheid.
17. "Kabinet-Zijlstra". Zijlstra. Rijksoverheid.
18. "Kabinet-De Jong". DeJong. Rijksoverheid.
19. "Kabinet-Biesheuvel". Biesheuvel. Rijksoverheid.
20. "Kabinet-Den Uyl". DenUyl. Rijksoverheid.
21. "Kabinet-Van Agt I". VanAgtI. Rijksoverheid.
22. "Kabinet-Van Agt II". VanAgtII. Rijksoverheid.
23. "Kabinet-Van Agt III". VanAgtIII. Rijksoverheid.
24. "Kabinet-Lubbers I". LubbersI. Rijksoverheid.
25. "Kabinet-Lubbers II". LubbersII. Rijksoverheid.
26. "Kabinet-Lubbers III". LubbersIII. Rijksoverheid.
27. "Kabinet-Kok I". KokI. Rijksoverheid.
28. "Kabinet-Kok II". KokII. Rijksoverheid.
29. "Kabinet-Balkenende I". BalkenendeI. Rijksoverheid.
30. "Kabinet-Balkenende II". BalkenendeII. Rijksoverheid.
31. "Kabinet-Balkenende III". BalkenendeIII. Rijksoverheid.
32. "Kabinet-Balkenende IV". BalkenendeIV. Rijksoverheid.
33. "Kabinet-Rutte-Verhagen". RutteI. Rijksoverheid.
34. "Kabinet-Rutte-Asscher". RutteII. Rijksoverheid.
35. "Kabinet-Rutte III". RutteIII. Rijksoverheid.
36. "Kabinet-Rutte IV". RutteIV. Rijksoverheid.
37. "Kabinet-Schoof". Schoof. Rijksoverheid.