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List of prime ministers of the Netherlands facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Netherlands has a special leader called the Prime Minister. This important job started way back in 1848 when the country's rules (the Constitution) were changed. The Prime Minister is like the captain of a team of ministers, called the Council of Ministers. Since 1945, they've been officially known as the minister-president van Nederland, or just premier.

Right now, Dick Schoof is the 43rd Prime Minister of the Netherlands. He started his role on July 2, 2024.

What Does a Prime Minister Do?

The Prime Minister is the head of the Dutch government. They lead the cabinet, which is a group of ministers in charge of different parts of the country, like education, health, or defense. The Prime Minister makes sure the government works well together and represents the Netherlands on the world stage.

How Do Prime Ministers Get Their Job?

After a general election in the Netherlands, people vote for political parties. The party that gets the most votes usually tries to form a government with other parties. This is called a coalition. The leader of the main party in this coalition often becomes the Prime Minister. Sometimes, someone who isn't a party leader can also be chosen, like Dick Schoof, who is an independent.

A Look at Past Prime Ministers

The Netherlands has had many Prime Ministers over the years, each from different political parties. These parties often represent different ideas about how the country should be run.

Early Leaders (1848-1900)

In the early days, many Prime Ministers were independent or liberal. They focused on setting up the new government system and making sure everyone had more say in how the country was run.

  • Gerrit Schimmelpenninck was the very first Prime Minister in 1848. He was a liberal.
  • Johan Rudolph Thorbecke was a very important liberal leader who served three times. He helped create many of the laws and systems still used today.
  • Other leaders like Floris Adriaan van Hall and Jan Heemskerk also played big roles in shaping the country.

The Rise of Political Parties (1900-1945)

As the 20th century began, political parties became much stronger. We saw the rise of Christian democratic parties, like the Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and the Roman Catholic State Party (RKSP).

  • Abraham Kuyper from the ARP was a famous Prime Minister known for his strong beliefs.
  • Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (RKSP) led the country during the years after World War I.
  • Hendrikus Colijn (ARP) was Prime Minister five times, leading the Netherlands through tough economic times in the 1930s.
  • During World War II, Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (ARP) led the Dutch government from London while the Netherlands was occupied.

Post-War Era and Modern Politics (1945-Present)

After World War II, the Netherlands saw the rise of social democratic parties like the Labour Party (PvdA) and the continued influence of Christian democratic and liberal parties.

  • Willem Drees (PvdA) was a very popular Prime Minister who helped rebuild the Netherlands after the war and set up many social welfare programs.
  • Joop den Uyl (PvdA) led a government in the 1970s that focused on social justice and equality.
  • Ruud Lubbers (Christian Democratic Appeal - CDA) was the longest-serving Prime Minister, leading the country for over 11 years from 1982 to 1994. He was known for making big changes to the economy.
  • Wim Kok (PvdA) led a unique government in the late 1990s that included both social democrats and liberals, which was a new thing for the Netherlands.
  • Jan Peter Balkenende (CDA) was Prime Minister in the 2000s, leading several different governments.
  • Mark Rutte (People's Party for Freedom and Democracy - VVD) became Prime Minister in 2010 and was the longest-serving Prime Minister in Dutch history, leading four different governments until 2024.
  • Dick Schoof (Independent) is the current Prime Minister, starting his term in July 2024.

Timeline of Prime Ministers

Dick Schoof Mark Rutte Jan Peter Balkenende Wim Kok Ruud Lubbers Dries van Agt Joop den Uyl Barend Biesheuvel Piet de Jong Jelle Zijlstra Jo Cals Victor Marijnen Jan de Quay Willem Drees Louis Beel Willem Schermerhorn Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy Dirk Jan de Geer Hendrikus Colijn Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck Pieter Cort van der Linden Theo Heemskerk Theo de Meester Abraham Kuyper Nicolaas Pierson Joan Röell Gijsbert van Tienhoven Aeneas Mackay Jr. Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello Jan Heemskerk Gerrit de Vries (politician) Pieter Philip van Bosse Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt Isaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte Schelto van Heemstra Jacob van Zuylen van Nijevelt Jan Jacob Rochussen Justinus van der Brugghen Floris Adriaan van Hall Johan Rudolph Thorbecke Jacob de Kempenaer Gerrit Schimmelpenninck

Images for kids

  • Gerrit Schimmelpenninck

    Gerrit Schimmelpenninck

  • JMdeKempenaer

    Jacob de Kempenaer

  • Johan Heinrich Neuman - Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (cropped).jpg

    Johan Rudolph Thorbecke

  • VanHall

    Floris Adriaan van Hall

  • JJLvdBrugghen

    Justinus van der Brugghen

  • Rochussen crop

    Jan Jacob Rochussen

  • JPPZuylen

    Jacob van Zuylen van Nijevelt

  • Schelto van Heemstra

    Schelto van Heemstra

  • Van der Putte

    Isaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte

  • Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt (cropped)

    Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt

  • VanBosse

    Pieter Philip van Bosse

  • Gerrit de Vries

    Gerrit de Vries

  • Jan Heemskerk Azn (1818-1897), after Heinrich Wilhelm Wollrabe

    Jan Heemskerk

  • JanKappeynevandeCoppello

    Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello

  • C.Th. Lynden van Sandenburg

    Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg

  • AeneasMackay

    Aeneas Mackay

  • GijsbertvanTienhoven

    Gijsbert van Tienhoven

  • JoanRoell

    Joan Röell

  • NicolaasPierson

    Nicolaas Pierson

  • Abraham Kuyper 1905 (1)

    Abraham Kuyper

  • Theo de Meester-2

    Theo de Meester

  • TheoHeemskerk

    Theo Heemskerk

  • Pieter Cort van der Linden

    Pieter Cort van der Linden

  • Beerenbrouck

    Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck

  • Hendrik Colijn (1925)

    Hendrikus Colijn

  • Dirk Jan de Geer

    Dirk Jan de Geer

  • Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy 1941 (1)

    Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy

  • Wim Schermerhorn 1946

    Willem Schermerhorn

  • Louis Beel 1945 (1)

    Louis Beel

  • Willem Drees 1958

    Willem Drees

  • Louis Beel 1958

    Louis Beel

  • Jan de Quay 1962 (1)

    Jan de Quay

  • Victor Marijnen 1963 (1)

    Victor Marijnen

  • Jo Cals 1966

    Jo Cals

  • Jelle Zijlstra 1966 (cropped)

    Jelle Zijlstra

  • Piet de Jong 1970

    Piet de Jong

  • Barend Biesheuvel 1971

    Barend Biesheuvel

  • Joop den Uyl 1975

    Joop den Uyl

  • Dries van Agt 1980

    Dries van Agt

  • Ruud Lubbers 1985

    Ruud Lubbers

  • Wim Kok 1994

    Wim Kok

  • Jan Peter Balkenende 2006

    Jan Peter Balkenende

  • Mark Rutte, 23.03.23 (cropped)

    Mark Rutte

  • Directeur-generaal AIVD Dick Schoof (cropped)

    Dick Schoof

  • Koning Willem II portret

    Willem II of the Netherlands

  • Willem III der Nederlanden door Pieneman crop 1849

    Willem III of the Netherlands

  • Jacob Merkelbach, Afb 010164033120 (cropped)

    Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

  • Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, 1961 studio portrait (by Max Koot) – Nationaal Archief

    Juliana of the Netherlands

  • Hare Majesteit koningin Beatrix, Bestanddeelnr 253-8758

    Beatrix of the Netherlands

  • Zijne Majesteit Koning Willem-Alexander met koningsmantel april 2013 (cropped)

    Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands

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
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