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When I came to the Netherlands in 2000, Dutch politics was something to really get my head around. Coming from a two party system in Britain, I was amazed at the number of parties in the Dutch system. And the fact that coalitions are just a normal part of Dutch life. It’s always been a puzzle to get a functioning government in pace. Recently, the electorate is feeling disenchanted and is polarised. So the political waters here have become particularly choppy, making it an intriguing time to take a closer look at what’s happening.

A New Prime Minister: Why Dick Schoof?

The Netherlands recently witnessed a significant shift in its political leadership with the announcement that Dick Schoof will be the next Prime Minister of the Netherlands. Schoof’s rise to the premiership comes at a time when the country is navigating through turbulent political waters. This was sparked by the resignation of Mark Rutte and his government in July 2023.

Since no single party emerged with a clear majority (as is usually the case in Dutch politics) in the elections in November 2023, four right wing parties (PVV, NSC, VVD, BBB) have been in talks since then to try and form a coalition government, with Wilder’s PVV as the party holding the cards.

Geert Wilders

Wilder’s party (PVV – Party for Freedom) received the most votes in the general election last year. However, it wasn’t enough to form a government outright. A controversial figure, Wilders’ success raised concerns among various groups, including immigrants. He is known for his controversial and strong stance on immigration and Islam. The highly fragmented Dutch political system of proportional representation has meant that it was by no means a slam dunk that Wilders would be the next Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

The traditional process of appointing a Prime Minister from the winning party was untenable in this particular coalition. For a start, Peter Omzigt, the leader of NSC, refused to be part of a coalition with Wilders as PM.

Compromise is the Name of the Game

The proposed appointment of Dick Schoof is the result of extensive negotiations and compromises among the four coalition parties.

The four key parties, recognising the need for a unifying figure, announced Schoof this week as their candidate for PM. It’s a surprise proposal, to say the least, but many political commentators state that it is also a logical one. His non-partisan stance (although he was a member of PVDA (Labour) until 3,5 years ago) and previous roles have been pivotal in securing the support of a broad coalition.

Who is Dick Schoof?

Dick Schoof was the head of the AIVD intelligence service, National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) and director of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). So it’s clear that he has a background that matches the key electoral issues pertaining to the asylum process and organised crime. Having said this, he has no political experience – but the four coalition parties see this as advantageous – he is a figure that stands above any political party.

What Next?

Dick Schoof, as prime minister, will lead the extra-parliamentary cabinet that the four parties plan to form. The coalition recently published their agreement, and for the coming weeks the focus will be on choosing ministers and Secretaries of State. The plan is that the new coalition government will be in place at the beginning of July (presumably just in time for it all to close down for the summer).

Dick Schoof announced this week, during a press conference, that he intends to be een premier voor alle Nederlanders. Time will tell.

For the Record

*I would like credit for the fact that I have written an entire blog post about a future PM called Dick, without any reference to the fact that I, as a Brit, am more than used to seeing a Dick as PM.*

The post Dick Schoof Proposed as New Dutch Prime Minister appeared first on Turning Dutch.