Dick Schoof facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dick Schoof
Schoof in 2025
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 2 July 2024 – 23 February 2026
Monarch	Willem-Alexander
Deputy	See list Fleur Agema (2024–2025) Eddy van Hijum (2024–2025) Mona Keijzer Sophie Hermans
Preceded by	Mark Rutte
Succeeded by	Rob Jetten
Government offices Secretary-General of the Ministry of Justice and Security In office 1 March 2020 – 28 May 2024 Prime Minister Mark Rutte Minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus Dilan Yeşilgöz Preceded by Siebe Riedstra [nl] Succeeded by Anneke van Dijk Director-General of the General Intelligence and Security Service In office 16 November 2018 – 1 March 2020 Prime Minister Mark Rutte Minister Kajsa Ollongren Raymond Knops (acting) Preceded by Rob Bertholee Succeeded by Erik Akerboom [nl] National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism In office 1 March 2013 – 16 November 2018 Prime Minister Mark Rutte Minister Ivo Opstelten Stef Blok (acting) Ard van der Steur Stef Blok Ferdinand Grapperhaus Preceded by Erik Akerboom Succeeded by Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg [nl] Chief Director of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service In office 1 December 1999 – 1 March 2003 Prime Minister Wim Kok Jan Peter Balkenende Minister Job Cohen Ella Kalsbeek Hilbrand Nawijn Preceded by J. G. Bos Succeeded by P. W. A. Veld
Personal details
Born	Hendrikus Wilhelmus Maria Schoof (1957-03-08) 8 March 1957 (age 69) Santpoort, Netherlands
Political party	Independent (2021–present)
Other political affiliations	Labour (until 2021)
Spouse	Yolanda Senf ​ (divorced)​
Domestic partner	Loes Meurs
Children	2
Residences	Zoetermeer, Netherlands
Alma mater	Radboud University (MSc)
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Dick Schoof, born on March 8, 1957, is a Dutch politician and government official. He was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from July 2, 2024, until February 23, 2026.

Mr. Schoof had a long career working for the government. He held important roles in different ministries. These included director-general for public order and safety, and director-general at the Ministry of Justice and Security. He also served as the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism. Later, he was director-general of the General Intelligence and Security Service. Before becoming Prime Minister, he was the secretary-general of the Ministry of Justice and Security.

Mr. Schoof was an independent politician. He led a government made up of several political parties: the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB. His government ended in June 2025. After that, Mr. Schoof continued as a caretaker Prime Minister until February 2026.

Early Life and Education

Dick Schoof was born on March 8, 1957, in Santpoort, Netherlands. He grew up in a large family with six brothers and one sister. His father worked for the local government. His older brother, Nico Schoof, was also a mayor in different towns. His grandfather, Wim Pommerel, faced difficulties during World War II because of his actions to help others.

When he was eight, his family moved to Hengelo. He went to school there at Lyceum De Grundel. He later studied urban and regional planning at Radboud University. He was also involved in a student rowing club called Phocas.

Early Career in Government

Mr. Schoof started his career helping with education policies. In 1988, he began working for the Ministry of Education. He worked on important projects, like deciding who should take care of school buildings.

From 1996, he held important roles in security. He was a top official at the Ministry of Justice and Security.

In 1999, he became the head of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). This office handles requests from people wanting to live in the Netherlands. He worked to make the process smoother and clearer for everyone.

In 2003, Mr. Schoof moved to the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. There, he helped organize the police force into one national group called the National Police Corps.

National Security Roles

Schoof during a meeting with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2022

From 2010 to 2013, he was a director-general at the Ministry of Justice and Security.

In 2013, Mr. Schoof became the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV). This role involved keeping the country safe from threats. He helped manage the Dutch response after a sad airplane accident in 2014. This event strengthened his working relationship with Prime Minister Mark Rutte. He also worked on keeping peace and safety within the Netherlands.

From 2018 to 2020, Mr. Schoof was the director-general of the General Intelligence and Security Service. He worked to help this agency connect more with other organizations.

On March 1, 2020, he became the secretary-general of the Ministry of Justice and Security. This was a very important non-political job. He continued working even after reaching the usual retirement age.

Prime Minister of the Netherlands (2024–2026)

Schoof with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in 2024.

After the 2023 elections, several political parties decided to form a government together. They chose Mr. Schoof to be their Prime Minister. He was sworn in on July 2, 2024, by King Willem-Alexander. Mr. Schoof was the first independent politician to become Prime Minister in a long time. People saw him as someone who understood how the government worked and was good at security matters.

On September 13, 2024, Mr. Schoof shared the government's plans. These plans included new ideas for how the Netherlands would handle people seeking asylum. After discussions, an agreement was reached in October 2024.

In December 2024, the government worked on solutions for the 'nitrogen crisis.' This involved protecting nature and finding ways to continue building projects responsibly.

On June 3, 2025, the PVV party left Mr. Schoof's government. This led to his resignation as Prime Minister. He continued to work on important issues like the cost of living and housing until February 2026.

Hosting the 2025 NATO Summit

Schoof with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte, US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the 2025 The Hague NATO summit

As caretaker Prime Minister, Mr. Schoof hosted the 2025 The Hague NATO summit in The Hague on June 24–25, 2025. He called it a "historic" event. He helped keep the NATO countries working together. He met with important leaders, including the President of Ukraine. Mr. Schoof was happy with the summit's results, which included plans for defense spending.

Political Views

As a Government Official

In 2020, Mr. Schoof spoke about certain groups that might challenge Dutch laws. He said that some groups aimed for a separate society where Dutch laws might not apply. He noted that it could be hard to understand their true goals because they sometimes showed different views in public than in private.

As a Politician

Mr. Schoof was a member of the Labour Party for over 30 years. He left the party in 2021 because he felt his views no longer matched theirs. After the 2023 elections, he said that the public's vote showed a lack of trust in the government.

When he was chosen as Prime Minister in May 2024, Mr. Schoof promised to follow the government's plans. He said he would act as a neutral politician. He shared concerns with his cabinet parties about immigration, social security, farmers, and international safety. He also mentioned that the government's agreement was fair and reasonable.

Mr. Schoof wanted a clearer approach to immigration. He believed that current levels put pressure on society and public services. He suggested that the Netherlands should be more careful about who enters the country. He also thought that rules for people coming to work could be changed to help the economy.

Personal Life

Mr. Schoof lives in Zoetermeer with his partner, Loes Meurs. She is a psychologist. Mr. Schoof and his ex-wife, Yolanda Senf, have two daughters. They were adopted from China in the 1990s. Mr. Schoof was raised Catholic but stopped attending church when he was 16.

He enjoys running. He completed his first marathon in 1987 and his 18th marathon in 2024. As Prime Minister, he ran a half marathon in Amsterdam using a different name.

See also

In Spanish: Dick Schoof para niños