List of prime ministers of the Netherlands facts for kids

Five former leaders (Wim Kok, Dries van Agt, Piet de Jong, Ruud Lubbers and Jan Peter Balkenende) with Mark Rutte in July 2011.

The Netherlands has a special leader called the Prime Minister. This person is like the head of the government. They also lead the Council of Ministers, which is a group of important government officials. The Prime Minister is also in charge of the Ministry of General Affairs, which helps keep the government running smoothly.

The official job title of Prime Minister started in 1945. But people have used the term to describe the leaders of the Council of Ministers since 1848. This list shows all the people who have held this important role in Dutch history.

Leaders of the Netherlands

This table lists all the Prime Ministers of the Netherlands, from the very first one in 1848 to the current leader. You can see their names, pictures, when they started and left office, how long they served, their political party, the government they led (called a cabinet), and which monarch was ruling at the time.

Name (born and died)	Portrait	Term of office			Political affiliation		Cabinet	Monarch (reign)
		Took office	Left office	Tenure
Schimmelpenninck, GerritGerrit Schimmelpenninck (1794–1863)		25 March 1848	17 May 1848	53 days		Independent Liberal	Schimmelpenninck Conservative	Willem II (1840–1849)
Kempenaer, Jacob deJacob de Kempenaer (1793–1870)		21 November 1848	1 November 1849	345 days		Independent Liberal	De Kempenaer— Donker Curtius Liberal
Thorbecke, Johan RudolphJohan Rudolph Thorbecke (1798–1872)		1 November 1849	19 April 1853	3 years, 169 days		Independent Liberal	Thorbecke I Liberal	Willem III (1849–1890)
Hall, Floris Adriaan vanFloris Adriaan van Hall (1791–1866)		19 April 1853	1 July 1856	3 years, 73 days		Independent Liberal	Van Hall— Donker Curtius Conservative
Brugghen, Justinus van derJustinus van der Brugghen (1804–1863)		1 July 1856	18 March 1858	1 year, 260 days		Independent Antirevolutionary	Van der Brugghen Conservative
Rochussen, Jan JacobJan Jacob Rochussen (1797–1871)		18 March 1858	23 February 1860	1 year, 342 days		Independent Conservative	Rochussen Liberal–Conservative
Hall, Floris Adriaan vanFloris Adriaan van Hall (1791–1866)		23 February 1860	14 March 1861	1 year, 19 days		Independent Liberal	Van Hall—Van Heemstra Liberal–Conservative
Zuylen van Nijevelt, Jacob vanJacob van Zuylen van Nijevelt (1816–1890)		14 March 1861	10 November 1861	241 days		Independent Liberal	Van Zuylen van Nijevelt—Van Heemstra Liberal–Conservative
Heemstra, Schelto vanSchelto van Heemstra (1807–1864)		10 November 1861	1 February 1862	83 days		Independent Liberal
Thorbecke, Johan RudolphJohan Rudolph Thorbecke (1798–1872)		1 February 1862	10 February 1866	4 years, 9 days		Independent Liberal	Thorbecke II Liberal
Fransen van de Putte, Isaäc DignusIsaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte (1822–1902)		10 February 1866	1 June 1866	111 days		Independent Liberal	Fransen van de Putte Liberal
Zuylen van Nijevelt, Julius vanJulius van Zuylen van Nijevelt (1819–1894)		1 June 1866	4 June 1868	2 years, 3 days		Independent Conservative	Van Zuylen van Nijevelt Conservative
Bosse, Pieter Philip vanPieter Philip van Bosse (1809–1879)		4 June 1868	4 January 1871	2 years, 214 days		Independent Liberal	Van Bosse-Fock cabinet Liberal
Thorbecke, Johan RudolphJohan Rudolph Thorbecke (1798–1872)		4 January 1871	4 June 1872	1 year, 152 days		Independent Liberal	Thorbecke III Liberal
Vries, Gerrit deGerrit de Vries (1818–1900)		4 June 1872	27 August 1874	2 years, 84 days		Independent Liberal	De Vries-Fransen van de Putte Liberal
Heemskerk, JanJan Heemskerk (1818–1897)		27 August 1874	3 November 1877	3 years, 68 days		Independent Conservative	Heemskerk–Van Lynden van Sandenburg Conservative
Kappeyne van de Coppello, JanJan Kappeyne van de Coppello (1822–1895)		3 November 1877	20 August 1879	1 year, 290 days		Independent Liberal	Kappeyne van de Coppello Liberal
Lynden van Sandenburg, Theo vanTheo van Lynden van Sandenburg (1826–1885)		20 August 1879	23 April 1883	3 years, 246 days		Independent Antirevolutionary	Van Lynden van Sandenburg Liberal–Conservative
Heemskerk, JanJan Heemskerk (1818–1897)		23 April 1883	21 April 1888	4 years, 363 days		Independent Conservative	J. Heemskerk Liberal–Conservative
Mackay Jr., AeneasAeneas Mackay Jr. (1838–1909)		21 April 1888	21 August 1891	3 years, 123 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	Mackay Coalition
Tienhoven, Gijsbert vanGijsbert van Tienhoven (1841–1914)		21 August 1891	9 May 1894	2 years, 261 days		Independent Liberal	Van Tienhoven Liberal	Wilhelmina (1890–1948)
Röell, JoanJoan Röell (1844–1914)		9 May 1894	27 July 1897	3 years, 79 days		Independent Liberal	Röell Liberal
Pierson, NicolaasNicolaas Pierson (1839–1909)		27 July 1897	1 August 1901	4 years, 5 days		Liberal Union	Pierson Liberal
Kuyper, AbrahamAbraham Kuyper (1837–1920)		1 August 1901	17 August 1905	4 years, 16 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	Kuyper Coalition
Meester, Theo deTheo de Meester (1851–1919)		17 August 1905	12 February 1908	2 years, 179 days		Liberal Union	De Meester Liberal
Heemskerk, TheoTheo Heemskerk (1852–1932)		12 February 1908	29 August 1913	5 years, 198 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	T. Heemskerk Coalition
Linden, Pieter Cort van derPieter Cort van der Linden (1846–1935)		29 August 1913	9 September 1918	5 years, 11 days		Independent Liberal	Cort van der Linden Liberal
Ruijs de Beerenbrouck, CharlesCharles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (1873–1936)		9 September 1918	4 August 1925	6 years, 329 days		General League of Roman Catholic Electoral Associations	Ruijs de Beerenbrouck I RKSP – ARP – CHU
							Ruijs de Beerenbrouck II RKSP – ARP – CHU
Colijn, HendrikusHendrikus Colijn (1869–1944)		4 August 1925	8 March 1926	216 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	Colijn I RKSP – ARP – CHU
Geer, Dirk Jan deDirk Jan de Geer (1870–1960)		8 March 1926	10 August 1929	3 years, 155 days		Christian Historical Union	De Geer I RKSP – ARP – CHU
Ruijs de Beerenbrouck, CharlesCharles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (1873–1936)		10 August 1929	26 May 1933	3 years, 289 days		Roman Catholic State Party	Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III RKSP – ARP – CHU
Colijn, HendrikusHendrikus Colijn (1869–1944)		26 May 1933	10 August 1939	6 years, 76 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	Colijn II, III RKSP – ARP – CHU – LSP – VDB
							Colijn IV, V RKSP – ARP – CHU
Geer, Dirk Jan deDirk Jan de Geer (1870–1960)		10 August 1939	3 September 1940	1 year, 24 days		Christian Historical Union	De Geer II RKSP – SDAP – ARP – CHU – VDB
Gerbrandy, Pieter SjoerdsPieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (1885–1961)		3 September 1940	25 June 1945	4 years, 295 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	Gerbrandy I RKSP – SDAP – ARP – CHU – VDB
							Gerbrandy II RKSP – SDAP – ARP – CHU – LSP – VDB
							Gerbrandy III RKSP – ARP – VDB
Schermerhorn, WillemWillem Schermerhorn (1894–1977)		25 June 1945	3 July 1946	1 year, 8 days		Free-thinking Democratic League until 1946	Schermerhorn—Drees VDB – SDAP – KVP – ARP
						Labour Party from 1946
Beel, LouisLouis Beel (1902–1977)		3 July 1946	7 August 1948	2 years, 35 days		Catholic People's Party	Beel I KVP – PvdA
Drees, WillemWillem Drees (1886–1988)		7 August 1948	22 December 1958	10 years, 137 days		Labour Party	Drees—Van Schaik PvdA – KVP – CHU – VVD	Juliana (1948–1980)
							Drees I PvdA – KVP – CHU – VVD
							Drees II PvdA – KVP – ARP – CHU
							Drees III PvdA – KVP – ARP – CHU
Beel, LouisLouis Beel (1902–1977)		22 December 1958	19 May 1959	148 days		Catholic People's Party	Beel II KVP – ARP – CHU
Quay, Jan deJan de Quay (1901–1985)		19 May 1959	24 July 1963	4 years, 66 days		Catholic People's Party	De Quay KVP – ARP – CHU – VVD
Marijnen, VictorVictor Marijnen (1917–1975)		24 July 1963	14 April 1965	1 year, 264 days		Catholic People's Party	Marijnen KVP – ARP – CHU – VVD
Cals, JoJo Cals (1914–1971)		14 April 1965	22 November 1966	1 year, 222 days		Catholic People's Party	Cals KVP – ARP – PvdA
Zijlstra, JelleJelle Zijlstra (1918–2001)		22 November 1966	5 April 1967	134 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	Zijlstra ARP – KVP
Jong, Piet dePiet de Jong (1915–2016)		5 April 1967	6 July 1971	4 years, 92 days		Catholic People's Party	De Jong KVP – ARP – CHU – VVD
Biesheuvel, BarendBarend Biesheuvel (1920–2001)		6 July 1971	11 May 1973	1 year, 309 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	Biesheuvel I ARP – KVP – CHU – VVD – DS70
							Biesheuvel II ARP – KVP – CHU – VVD
Uyl, Joop denJoop den Uyl (1919–1987)		11 May 1973	19 December 1977	4 years, 222 days		Labour Party	Den Uyl PvdA – KVP – ARP – D66 – PPR
Agt, Dries vanDries van Agt (1931–2024)		19 December 1977	4 November 1982	4 years, 320 days		Christian Democratic Appeal	Van Agt I CDA – VVD
							Van Agt II CDA – PvdA – D66	Beatrix (1980–2013)
							Van Agt III CDA – D66
Lubbers, RuudRuud Lubbers (1939–2018)		4 November 1982	22 August 1994	11 years, 291 days		Christian Democratic Appeal	Lubbers I CDA – VVD
							Lubbers II CDA – VVD
							Lubbers III CDA – PvdA
Kok, WimWim Kok (1938–2018)		22 August 1994	22 July 2002	7 years, 334 days		Labour Party	Kok I PvdA – VVD – D66
							Kok II PvdA – VVD – D66
Balkenende, Jan PeterJan Peter Balkenende (born 1956)		22 July 2002	14 October 2010	8 years, 84 days		Christian Democratic Appeal	Balkenende I CDA – LPF – VVD
							Balkenende II CDA – VVD – D66
							Balkenende III CDA – VVD
							Balkenende IV CDA – PvdA – CU
Rutte, MarkMark Rutte (born 1967)		14 October 2010	2 July 2024	13 years, 262 days		People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Rutte I VVD – CDA
							Rutte II VVD – PvdA
								Willem-Alexander (2013–present)
							Rutte III VVD – CDA – D66 – CU
							Rutte IV VVD – CDA – D66 – CU
Schoof, DickDick Schoof (born 1957)		2 July 2024	23 February 2026	1 year, 236 days		Independent	Schoof PVV – VVD – NSC – BBB
Jetten, RobRob Jetten (born 1987)		23 February 2026	Incumbent	0 days		Democrats 66	Jetten D66 – VVD – CDA

See Also

• Historical rankings of prime ministers of the Netherlands
• List of prime ministers of the Netherlands by education
• Religious affiliations of prime ministers of the Netherlands