The Netherlands is set to inaugurate a new government on Monday, led by centrist Prime Minister Rob Jetten. The distribution of key ministries includes the center-right CDA party and the liberal VVD among his coalition partners, while his party D66 will oversee portfolios such as education and agriculture.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the prominent figures in the new cabinet. Berendsen, aged 42, has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2019 and spearheaded the CDA’s campaign in the 2024 EU elections. Known for being “calm and approachable,” the CDA highlights his ability to build broad coalitions with individuals of diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Hailing from Breda in the southern Netherlands, Berendsen is dedicated to both Dutch and European interests.
Prior to his role as an MEP, Berendsen worked as a sustainability consultant for PwC in the Netherlands. Yesilgoz, aged 48, made history by becoming the first female leader of the liberal VVD in 2023, succeeding former Prime Minister Mark Rutte. She played a pivotal role in coalition negotiations following the previous year’s election, declining to collaborate with the left-leaning GroenLinks/PvdA.
Yesilgoz, who was born in Ankara, Turkey, and later moved to the Netherlands as a child, served as the Minister of Justice from 2022 to 2024 in the fourth Rutte cabinet. She advocated for stricter measures on crime, organized crime, and immigration. Van Weel, a former naval officer also from the VVD, held various ministerial positions in the preceding Dutch government under Dick Schoof.
During his tenure as Minister of Justice, Van Weel garnered attention by advocating for legal restrictions on protests, emphasizing the need for a clear distinction between peaceful demonstrations and disruptive actions, particularly targeting groups like Extinction Rebellion. In response to clashes between locals and Israeli football fans in Amsterdam in November 2024, Van Weel postponed and then reinforced a national antisemitism strategy.
Heinen, aged 44, another member of the VVD, has been serving as the Minister of Finance since July 2024. Regarded as a fiscal conservative, Heinen emphasized the end of “free money” when presenting the Dutch budget for 2025. He aims to reduce spending and stabilize public finances to protect current citizens and prevent burdening future generations.
Heerma, aged 48, a former judoka with accolades in Dutch junior championships and the 1996 Junior World Championships, has had a lengthy career as an MP for the CDA, first elected in 2012. He has held several senior party positions, including two terms as parliamentary leader. Despite being agnostic, Heerma became the CDA’s first non-Christian parliamentary leader until 2023.
Van Essen, representing Jetten’s D66, faces significant challenges as the new Minister of Agriculture, tasked with addressing the prolonged nitrogen crisis that has sparked political turmoil and farmer protests. Court rulings mandate a substantial reduction in nitrogen emissions, primarily stemming from intensive livestock farming, prompting policymakers to consider measures that could impact farmers’ livelihoods.
Born in 1991, Van Essen previously served as a local politician in Deventer. He takes over the agriculture ministry from the right-wing populist BBB farmers’ party, which experienced losses in the October 2025 election.
