In the Netherlands, Dick Schoof, a 67-year-old former head of the Dutch spy agency and counterterrorism office, is expected to become the new prime minister. He is currently the top civil servant at the Ministry of Security and Justice.
Schoof is meeting with leaders of four political parties and is expected to be announced as their choice for prime minister at a press conference later today.
Experienced Leader
Schoof has a strong background in national security. He has led the General Intelligence and Security Service and was previously the counterterrorism chief in the Netherlands. He also headed the nation’s Immigration and Naturalization Service. Despite his extensive experience, he has not yet spoken to the media about his potential new role.
Geert Wilders, leader of the hard-right Party for Freedom, congratulated Schoof on social platform X. Wilders described Schoof as having a great track record, being nonpartisan, and possessing integrity.
Wilders added that Schoof is very likeable. Wilders’ party won the November election convincingly, but it took months to form a coalition with three other parties.
Gefeliciteerd Dick! 👍
Dick Schoof heeft een grote staat van dienst, is partijloos en staat dus boven de partijen, is integer en bijzonder sympathiek bovendien! pic.twitter.com/z5DwsrEEfd
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 28, 2024
Coalition Government
Wilders decided not to become prime minister himself because of opposition from his coalition partners. Instead, he is forming a coalition with outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s center-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, the populist Farmer Citizen Movement, and the centrist New Social Contract party. These parties are working together to form a technocrat Cabinet over the next month.
The coalition’s policy objectives, published last week, are titled “Hope, courage, and pride.” They include strict measures on asylum-seekers, scrapping family reunification for refugees, and reducing the number of international students studying in the Netherlands. These policies reflect the coalition’s hardline stance on immigration and education.
Until the new administration is sworn in, Rutte’s government will remain in power on a caretaker basis. The initial candidate for prime minister, chosen by Wilders, withdrew last week after allegations of involvement in medical patent fraud surfaced.
ALSO READ: “French Parliament Session Suspended as MP Raises Flag of Palestine: Controversy Erupts”
As the negotiations continue, the leaders of the four parties are expected to finalize their decision and announce Schoof as their chosen prime minister later this afternoon. The new government will aim to address the coalition’s policy goals and lead the country forward.
Comments