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

[edit]
Minister of State Appointed State/Local
Government
Function(s) 		Legislature
Function(s) 		Civil/
Diplomatic/
Judiciary
Function(s) 		Party
Frits Korthals Altes Frits
Korthals Altes
(born 1931) 		26 October 2001
(23 years, 15 days) 		Minister of Justice
(1982–1989)
Minister of the Interior
(1986) (1987) 		Member of the Senate
(1981–1982) (1991–2001)
Member of the House
of Representatives
(1989–1991)
President of the Senate
(1997–2001) 		People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Jaime Saleh Jaime Saleh
(born 1941) 		10 October 2004
(20 years, 31 days) 		Governor of the
Netherlands Antilles
(1990–2002) 		Judge of the Joint Court
of Justice of the
Netherlands Antilles
(1974–1979)
President of the Joint
Court of Justice of the
Netherlands Antilles
(1979–1990) 		Independent
Hans van den Broek Hans van
den Broek
(born 1936) 		25 February 2005
(19 years, 259 days) 		State Secretary for
Foreign Affairs
(1981–1982)
Minister of
Foreign Affairs
(1982–1993) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1976–1981) (1982)
(1986) (1989)
Christian
Democratic Appeal
(Catholic
People's Party)
Herman Tjeenk Willink Herman
Tjeenk Willink
(born 1942) 		21 December 2012
(11 years, 325 days) 		Member of the Senate
(1987–1997)
President of the Senate
(1991–1997) 		Vice-President of
the Council of State
(1997–2012) 		Labour Party
Winnie Sorgdrager Winnie Sorgdrager
(born 1948) 		22 June 2018
(6 years, 141 days) 		Minister of Justice
(1994–1998) 		Member of the Senate
(1999) 		Member of the
Council of State
(2006–2018) 		Democrats 66
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer
(born 1948) 		22 June 2018
(6 years, 141 days) 		Minister of
Foreign Affairs
(2002–2003) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1986–2002) 		Christian
Democratic Appeal
Sybilla Dekker Sybilla Dekker
(born 1942) 		22 June 2018
(6 years, 141 days) 		Minister of Housing,
Spatial Planning and
the Environment
(2003–2006) 		People's Party
for Freedom and
Democracy
Piet Hein Donner Piet Hein Donner
(born 1948) 		21 December 2018
(5 years, 325 days) 		Minister of Justice
(2002–2006)
Minister of Social Affairs
and Employment
(2007–2010)
Minister of the Interior
and Kingdom Relations
(2010–2012) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(2006–2007) 		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
(1997–1992)
Vice-President of
the Council of State
(2012–2018) 		Christian
Democratic Appeal
Jan Peter Balkenende Jan Peter
Balkenende
(born 1956) 		14 October 2022
(2 years, 27 days) 		Prime Minister
(2002–2010) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1998–2002) (2003)
(2006–2007) 		Christian
Democratic Appeal

Historical Ministers of State

[edit]
Minister of State Appointed State/Local
Government
Function(s) 		Legislature
Function(s) 		Civil/
Diplomatic/
Judiciary
Function(s) 		Party
Jos van Kemenade Dr.
Jos van Kemenade
(1937–2020)
(aged 82) 		5 April 2002 –
19 February 2020
(17 years, 320 days) 		Minister of Education
and Sciences
(1973–1977) (1981–1982)
Mayor of Eindhoven
(1988–1992)
Queen's Commissioner
of North Holland
(1992–2002) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1977) (1978–1981)
(1982–1984)
Labour Party
Wim Kok Wim Kok
(1938–2018)
(aged 80) 		11 April 2003 –
20 October 2018
(15 years, 192 days) 		Minister of Finance
(1989–1994)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1989–1994)
Minister of
General Affairs
(1994–2002)
Prime Minister
(1994–2002) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1986–1989) (1994)
(1998) 		Member of the Social and
Economic Council
(1972–1986)
Chairman of the
Trade Union
Federation
(1976–1986) 		Labour Party
Ruud Lubbers Ruud Lubbers
(1939–2018)
(aged 78) 		31 January 1995 –
14 February 2018
(23 years, 14 days) 		Minister of
Economic Affairs
(1973–1977)
Minister of
General Affairs
(1982–1994)
Prime Minister
(1982–1994)
Minister for Netherlands
Antilles and Aruba Affairs
(1989) (1994) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1977) (1977–1982)
(1986) (1989) 		Christian
Democratic Appeal
(Catholic
People's Party)
Els Borst Dr.
Els Borst
(1932–2014)
(aged 81) 		21 December 2012 –
8 February 2014
(1 year, 49 days) 		Minister of Health,
Welfare and Sport
(1994–2002)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1998–2002) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1998) 		Member of the
Health Council
(1986–1994) 		Democrats 66
Pieter Kooijmans Dr.
Pieter Kooijmans
(1933–2013)
(aged 79) 		13 July 2007 –
13 February 2013
(5 years, 215 days) 		State Secretary for
Foreign Affairs
(1973–1977)
Minister of
Foreign Affairs
(1993–1994) 		Christian
Democratic Appeal
(Anti-Revolutionary
Party)
Max van der Stoel Max van der Stoel
(1924–2011)
(aged 86) 		17 May 1991 –
23 April 2011
(19 years, 341 days) 		State Secretary for
Foreign Affairs
(1965–1966)
Minister of
Foreign Affairs
(1973–1977) (1981–1982) 		Member of the Senate
(1960–1963)
Member of the House
of Representatives
(1963–1965) (1967–1973)
(1977) (1978–1981)
Member of the
European Parliament
(1971–1973) 		Ambassador to the
United Nations
(1983–1986)
Member of the
Council of State
(1986–1993) 		Labour Party
Hans van Mierlo Hans van Mierlo
(1931–2010)
(aged 78) 		24 October 1998 –
11 March 2010
(11 years, 138 days) 		Minister of Defence
(1981–1982)
Minister of
Foreign Affairs
(1994–1998)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1994–1998) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1967–1977) (1986–1994)
(1998)
Member of the Senate
(1983–1986) 		Representative to the
Convention on the
Future of Europe
(2002) 		Democrats 66
Edzo Toxopeus Edzo Toxopeus
(1918–2009)
(aged 91) 		22 January 1985 –
3 August 2009
(24 years, 213 days) 		Minister of the Interior
(1959–1965)
Queen's Commissioner
of Groningen
(1970–1980) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1956–1959) (1963)
(1965–1969) 		Member of the
Council of State
(1980–1988) 		People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Willem Scholten Willem Scholten
(1927–2005)
(aged 77) 		1 July 1997 –
1 January 2005
(7 years, 184 days) 		State Secretary for
Finance
(1971–1973)
Minister of Defence
(1978–1980) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1963–1971) (1972–1976)
Member of the
European Parliament
(1973–1976) 		Member of the
Council of State
(1976–1978)
Vice-President of
the Council of State
(1980–1997) 		Christian
Democratic Appeal
(Christian
Historical Union)
Jelle Zijlstra Dr.
Jelle Zijlstra
(1918–2001)
(aged 83) 		30 April 1983 –
23 December 2001
(18 years, 237 days) 		Minister of
Economic Affairs
(1952–1959)
Minister of Finance
(1958–1963) (1966–1967)
Minister of
General Affairs
(1966–1967)
Prime Minister
(1966–1967) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1956) (1959)
Member of the Senate
(1963–1966) 		Member of the Social and
Economic Council
(1967–1982)
President of
the Central Bank
(1967–1982) 		Christian
Democratic Appeal
(Anti-Revolutionary
Party)
Emiel van Lennep Jonkheer
Emiel van Lennep
(1915–1996)
(aged 81) 		29 April 1986 –
2 October 1996
(10 years, 156 days) 		Treasurer-General of
the Ministry of Finance
(1951–1969)
Member of the Social and
Economic Council
(1984–1986) 		Christian
Democratic Appeal
(Christian
Historical Union)
Ivo Samkalden Dr.
Ivo Samkalden
(1912–1995)
(aged 82) 		22 January 1985 –
11 May 1995
(10 years, 109 days) 		Minister of Justice
(1956–1958) (1965–1966)
Minister of the Interior
(1966)
Mayor of Amsterdam
(1967–1977) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1959–1960)
Member of the Senate
(1960–1965) 		Chairman of the
Association of
Municipalities
(1971–1977) 		Labour Party
Marinus Ruppert Marinus Ruppert
(1911–1992)
(aged 80) 		29 November 1980 –
27 February 1992
(11 years, 90 days) 		Member of the Senate
(1956–1959) 		Member of the Social and
Economic Council
(1950–1959)
Member of the
Council of State
(1959–1973)
Vice-President of
the Council of State
(1973–1980) 		Christian
Democratic Appeal
(Anti-Revolutionary
Party)
Willem Drees Willem Drees
(1886–1988)
(aged 101) 		22 December 1958 –
14 May 1988
(29 years, 144 days) 		Minister of
Social Affairs
(1945–1948)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1945–1948)
Minister of
General Affairs
(1948–1958)
Prime Minister
(1948–1958)
Minister of
Colonial Affairs
(1951)
Minister of Finance
(1952) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1933–1945) (1946)
(1948) (1952)
(1956) 		Labour Party
(Social Democratic
Workers' Party)
Marga Klompé Dr.
Marga Klompé
(1912–1986)
(aged 74) 		17 July 1971 –
28 October 1986
(15 years, 103 days) 		Minister of Social Work
(1956–1963)
Minister of Education,
Arts and Sciences
(1961–1962) (1963)
Minister of Culture,
Recreation and
Social Work
(1966–1971) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1948–1956) (1959)
(1963–1966) (1967)
Member of the European
Coal and Steel
Community Parliament
(1952–1956) 		(Catholic
People's Party
(1971–1980)
Christian
Democratic Appeal
(1980–1986)
Jaap Burger Jaap Burger
(1904–1986)
(aged 81) 		4 January 1975 –
19 August 1986
(11 years, 227 days) 		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) 		Labour Party
(Social Democratic
Workers' Party)
Eelco van Kleffens Dr.
Eelco van Kleffens
(1894–1983)
(aged 88) 		4 July 1950 –
17 June 1983
(32 years, 348 days) 		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
(1956–1958)
Permanent Representative
to the OECD
(1956–1958)
Permanent Representative
to the European
Coal and
Steel Community
(1958–1967) 		Independent
Liberal
(Classical Liberal)
Jan Donner Dr.
Jan Donner
(1891–1981)
(aged 89) 		16 December 1971 –
2 February 1981
(9 years, 48 days) 		Minister of Justice
(1926–1933) 		Judge of the
Supreme Court
(1933–1944) (1945–1947)
President of
the Supreme Court
(1947–1961) 		Anti-Revolutionary
Party
(1971–1980)
Christian
Democratic Appeal
(1980–1981)
Carl Romme Carl Romme
(1896–1980)
(aged 83) 		16 December 1971 –
16 October 1980
(8 years, 305 days) 		Minister of
Social Affairs
(1937–1939) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1933) (1946–1961)
Member of the Senate
(1937) 		Member of the
Council of State
(1962–1972) 		Catholic
People's Party
(Roman Catholic
State Party)
(1971–1980)
Christian
Democratic Appeal
(1980)
Alidius Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer Dr.
Jonkheer
Alidius Tjarda
van Starkenborgh
Stachouwer
(1888–1978)
(aged 90) 		28 June 1956 –
16 August 1978
(22 years, 49 days) 		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) 		Independent
Liberal
(Classical Liberal)
Louis Beel Dr.
Louis Beel
(1902–1977)
(aged 74) 		21 November 1956 –
11 February 1977
(20 years, 82 days) 		Minister of the Interior
(1945–1947) (1951–1956)
Prime Minister
(1946–1948) (1958–1959)
Minister of
General Affairs
(1947–1948) (1958–1959)
Minister of
Colonial Affairs
(1947)
Governor-General of
the Dutch East Indies
(1948–1949)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1952–1956)
Minister of Social Work
(1952)
Minister of Justice
(1956)
Minister of Social Affairs
and Health
(1958–1959) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1946) (1948) 		Member of the
Council of State
(1958) (1959)
Vice-President of
the Council of State
(1959–1972) 		Catholic
People's Party
(Roman Catholic
State Party)
Jo Cals Jo Cals
(1914–1971)
(aged 57) 		5 December 1966 –
30 December 1971
(5 years, 25 days) 		State Secretary for
Education, Arts
and Sciences
(1950–1952)
Minister of Education,
Arts and Sciences
(1952–1961) (1962–1963)
Minister of
General Affairs
(1965–1966)
Prime Minister
(1965–1966) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1948–1950) (1952)
(1956) (1959)
(1963–1965) 		Chairman of the
Mine Council
(1950)
Chairman of the
Council for Arts
(1963–1965) 		Catholic
People's Party
(Roman Catholic
State Party)
Pieter Oud Pieter Oud
(1886–1968)
(aged 81) 		9 November 1963 –
12 August 1968
(4 years, 277 days) 		Minister of Finance
(1933–1937)
Mayor of Rotterdam
(1938–1941) (1945–1952) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1917–1933) (1937–1938)
(1948–1963) 		Chairman of the
Association of
Municipalities
(1946–1952) 		People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
(Free-thinking
Democratic League,
Labour Party)
Johan Furstner Lieutenant Admiral
Johan Furstner
(1887–1970)
(aged 83) 		25 August 1945 –
1 January 1963
(17 years, 129 days)
[Retired] 		Minister of the Navy
(1941–1945) 		Board member of the
Nationaal Comité
Handhaving Rijkseenheid
(post-
World War II) 		Alliance for
National Reconstruction;
Independent
Liberal Conservative
Josef van Schaik Josef van Schaik
(1882–1962)
(aged 80) 		15 March 1951 –
23 March 1962
(11 years, 8 days) 		Minister of Justice
(1933–1937)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1933–1937) (1948–1951)
Minister for
Constitutional Reform
(1948–1951)
Minister of Transport
and Water Management
(1948)
Minister of the Interior
(1949) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1917–1933) (1937–1948)
Speaker of the House
of Representatives
(1929–1933) (1937–1948) 		Chairman of the
Mine Council
(1932–1933)
Member of the
Council of State
(1951–1957) 		Catholic
People's Party
(General League of
Roman Catholic
Caucuses,
Roman Catholic
State Party)
Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy Dr.
Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy
(1885–1961)
(aged 76) 		5 April 1955 –
7 September 1961
(6 years, 155 days) 		Minister of Justice
(1939–1942) (1945)
Prime Minister
(1940–1945)
Minister of
Colonial Affairs
(1941–1942)
Minister of
General Warfare
(1942–1945) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1948–1956) (1956–1959) 		Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Frans Beelaerts van Blokland Jonkheer
Frans Beelaerts
van Blokland
(1872–1956)
(aged 84) 		22 December 1936 –
27 March 1956
(19 years, 96 days) 		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) 		Christian
Historical Union
Piet Aalberse Piet Aalberse
(1871–1948)
(aged 77) 		31 December 1934 –
5 July 1948
(13 years, 187 days) 		Minister of Labour
(1918–1923)
Minister of Labour,
Commerce and Industry
(1923–1925) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1903–1916) (1925–1937)
Speaker of the House
of Representatives
(1936–1937) 		Member of the
Council of State
(1937–1946) 		Catholic
People's Party
(General League of
Roman Catholic
Caucuses,
Roman Catholic
State Party)
Dirk Jan de Geer Jonkheer
Dirk Jan de Geer
(1870–1960)
(aged 89) 		31 August 1933 –
12 November 1947
(14 years, 73 days)
[Removed] 		Mayor of Arnhem
(1920–1921)
Minister of Finance
(1921–1923) (1923–1933)
(1939–1940)
Minister of the Interior
and Agriculture
(1925–1926)
Prime Minister
(1923–1933) (1939–1940)
Minister of
General Affairs
(1939–1940) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1907–1921) (1922)
(1933–1939) 		Christian Historical
Union
(Christian Historical
Voters' League,
Christian
Historical Party)
Willem Lodewijk de Vos van Steenwijk Baron
Willem Lodewijk de
Vos van Steenwijk
(1859–1947)
(aged 87) 		11 July 1946 –
12 April 1947
(275 days) 		Member of the Senate
(1913–1946)
President of the Senate
(1929–1946) 		Christian Historical
Union
Hendrikus Colijn Hendrikus Colijn
(1869–1944)
(aged 75) 		31 August 1929 –
18 September 1944
(15 years, 48 days) 		Minister of War
(1911–1913)
Minister of the Navy
(1912–1913)
Minister of Finance
(1923–1926) (1939)
Minister of
Colonial Affairs
(1925) (1933–1937)
Prime Minister
(1925–1926) (1933–1939)
Minister of
Economic Affairs
(1934) (1939)
Minister of
Water Management
(1935)
Minister of Defence
(1935–1937)
Minister of
Foreign Affairs
(1935)
Minister of
General Affairs
(1937–1939) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1909–1911) (1922–1923)
(1929–1933) (1937)
Member of the Senate
(1914–1920) (1926–1929)
(1939–1944) 		Anti-Revolutionary
Party
Jean Jacques Rambonnet Vice Admiral
Jean Jacques
Rambonnet
(1864–1943)
(aged 79) 		13 January 1920 –
3 August 1943
(23 years, 202 days) 		Minister of the Navy
(1913–1918)
Acting Minister of
the Colonies
(1915–1916)
Acting Minister of War
(1917) 		Independent
Liberal
(Classical Liberal)
Herman van Karnebeek Dr.
Jonkheer
Herman van
Karnebeek
(1874–1942)
(aged 67) 		25 July 1927 –
29 March 1942
(14 years, 247 days) 		Mayor of The Hague
(1911–1918)
Minister of
Foreign Affairs
(1918–1927)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1926–1927)
Queen's Commissioner
of South Holland
(1928–1942) 		Ambassador to the
League of Nations
(1927–1928) 		Independent
Liberal
(Classical Liberal)
Dirk Fock Dr.
Dirk Fock
(1858–1941)
(aged 83) 		24 August 1928 –
17 October 1941
(13 years, 54 days) 		Minister of
Colonial Affairs
(1905–1908)
Governor-General
of Suriname
(1908–1911)
Governor-General of
the Dutch East Indies
(1921–1926) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1901–1905) (1913–1920)
Speaker of the House
of Representatives
(1917–1920)
Member of the Senate
(1929–1935)
Liberal Union
Pieter Cort van der Linden Dr.
Pieter Cort van
der Linden
(1846–1935)
(aged 89) 		28 January 1915 –
15 July 1935
(20 years, 168 days) 		Minister of Justice
(1897–1901)
Minister of the Interior
(1913–1918)
Prime Minister
(1913–1918)
Minister of
Foreign Affairs
(1913) 		Member of the
Council of State
(1902–1913) (1918–1935) 		Independent
Liberal
(Classical Liberal)
Johannes Theodoor de Visser Dr.
Johannes
Theodoor de Visser
(1857–1932)
(aged 75) 		31 August 1931 –
14 April 1932
(227 days) 		Minister of Education,
Arts and Sciences
(1918–1925) 		Member of the House
of Representatives
(1897–1905) (1906–1913)
(1914–1918) (1922)
(1925–1929) 		Christian Historical
Union
NOTE 1: Hans van den Broek was European Commissioner for External Relations and Enlargement (1993–1995) European Commissioner for External Relations, Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy (1995–1999).
NOTE 2: Johan Furstner retired from the Council of State on 1 January 1963.
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.
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