Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands

The minister of foreign affairs (Dutch: Minister van Buitenlandse Zaken) is the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a member of the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers. The incumbent minister is Caspar Veldkamp of the New Social Contract (NSC) party, who has been in office since 2 July 2024. Regularly, a state secretary is assigned to the ministry who is tasked with specific portfolios, currently the function is not in use. Additionally since 1965 there has been a minister without portfolio assigned to the ministry, the minister for foreign trade and development cooperation has traditionally development cooperation as portfolio, since 2012 the portfolio of trade and export has been assigned added to the function.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
Minister van Buitenlandse Zaken
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Incumbent Caspar Veldkamp since 2 July 2024 (2024-07-02)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Style	His/Her Excellency
Member of	Council of Ministers
Appointer	The Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister
Formation	9 March 1798 (1798-03-09)
First holder	Willem Berend Buys as Secretary for Foreign Affairs
Deputy	Reinette Klever as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development
Salary	€157,287 (As of 2017) (including €8,387 of expenses)

List of agents of foreign affairs (1798–1801)

Portrait		Name	Term of office	Party	Regime
		Willem Berend Buys (1752–1832)	9 March 1798 – 25 June 1798	Independent	Uitvoerend Bewind
		Alexander Gogel (ad interim) (1765–1821)	7 April 1798 – 2 October 1798	Independent
		Maarten van der Goes van Dirxland (1751–1826)	8 October 1798 – 1 December 1801	Independent

List of secretaries of state of foreign affairs (1801–1806)

Portrait		Name	Term of office	Party	Regime
		Maarten van der Goes van Dirxland (1751–1826)	1 December 1801 – 19 June 1806	Independent	Staatsbewind

List of ministers of foreign affairs

1806–1868

Portrait		Name	Term of office	Party	Regime
		Maarten van der Goes van Dirxland (1751–1826)	19 June 1806 – 8 January 1808	Independent	Louis Bonaparte
		Willem Frederik Röell (1767–1835)	8 January 1808 – 15 July 1810	Independent
		Johan Hendrik Mollerus (ad interim) (1750–1834)	27 November 1809 – 3 March 1810	Independent
		Paulus van der Heim (ad interim) (1753–1823)	20 June 1810 – 15 July 1810	Independent
Annexed by the First French Empire (1810–1813)
		Gijsbert Karel van Hogendorp (1762–1834)	7 December 1813 – 6 April 1814	Independent	William I
		Anne Willem Carel van Nagell (1756–1851)	6 April 1814 – 16 May 1824	Independent
		Johann Gotthard Reinhold (ad interim) (1771–1831)	1 January 1824 – 16 May 1824	Independent
		Willem Frederik van Reede (1770–1838)	16 May 1824 – 24 June 1825	Independent
		Patrice de Coninck (1770–1827)	23 June 1825 – 1 December 1825	Independent
		Johan Gijsbert Verstolk van Soelen (1776–1845)	1 December 1825 – 13 September 1841	Independent
					William II
		Hugo van Zuylen van Nijevelt (ad interim) (1781–1853)	13 September 1841 – 6 October 1841	Independent
		Johan Willem Huyssen van Kattendijke (1781–1853)	6 October 1841 – 21 September 1843	Independent
		Willem Anne Schimmelpenninck van der Oye (ad interim) (1800–1872)	21 September 1843 – 15 October 1843	Independent
		James Albert Henry de la Sarraz (1787–1877)	15 October 1843 – 1 January 1848	Independent
		Lodewijk Napoleon van Randwijck (1800–1872)	1 January 1848 – 25 March 1848	Independent
Portrait		Name	Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Gerrit Schimmelpenninck (Prime Minister) (1794–1863)	25 March 1848 – 17 May 1848 [Res]	Independent	Gerrit Schimmelpenninck (Schimmelpenninck)
		Arnold Adolf Bentinck van Nijenhuis (1798–1868)	17 May 1848 – 21 November 1848	Independent
		Leonardus Antonius Lightenvelt (1795–1873)	21 November 1848 – 1 November 1849	Independent	Jacob de Kempenaer (De Kempenaer-Donker Curtius)
		Herman van Sonsbeeck (1796–1865)	1 November 1849 – 16 October 1852 [Res]	Independent	Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (Thorbecke I)
		Jacob van Zuylen van Nijevelt (1816–1890)	16 October 1852 – 19 April 1853	Independent
		Floris Adriaan van Hall (Prime Minister) (1791–1866)	19 April 1853 – 1 July 1856	Independent	Floris Adriaan van Hall (Van Hall-Donker Curtius)
		Daniël Théodore Gevers van Endegeest (1793–1877)	1 July 1856 – 18 March 1858	Independent	Justinus van der Brugghen (Van der Brugghen)
		Jan Karel van Goltstein (1794–1872)	18 March 1858 – 23 February 1860	Independent	Jan Jacob Rochussen (Rochussen)
		Floris Adriaan van Hall (Ad interim Prime Minister) (1791–1866)	23 February 1860 – 4 April 1860	Independent	Floris Adriaan van Hall (Van Hall-Van Heemstra)
		Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt (1819–1894)	4 April 1860 – 14 January 1861 [Res]	Independent
		Louis Napoleon van der Goes van Dirxland (1806–1885)	14 January 1861 – 14 March 1861	Independent
		Jacob van Zuylen van Nijevelt (Prime Minister) (1816–1890)	14 March 1861 – 10 November 1861 [Res]	Independent	Jacob van Zuylen van Nijevelt (Van Zuylen van Nijevelt-Van Heemstra)
		Martin Pascal Hubert Strens (Ad interim) (1807–1875)	10 November 1861 – 1 February 1862	Independent	Schelto van Heemstra (Van Zuylen van Nijevelt-Van Heemstra)
		Anthony Jan Lucas Stratenus (Ad interim) (1807–1872)	1 February 1862 – 12 March 1862	Independent	Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (Thorbecke II)
		Paul Therèse van der Maesen de Sombreff (1827–1902)	12 March 1862 – 2 January 1864 [Res]	Independent
		Willem Huyssen van Kattendijke (Ad interim Minister of the Navy) (1816–1866)	2 January 1864 – 15 March 1864	Independent
		Eppo Cremers (1823–1896)	15 March 1864 – 1 June 1866	Independent	Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (Thorbecke II) Isaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte (Fransen van de Putte)
		Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt (Prime Minister) (1819–1894)	1 June 1866 – 4 June 1868	Independent	Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt (Van Zuylen van Nijevelt)

1868–1918

Minister of Foreign Affairs			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Lieutenant general Joannes Josephus van Mulken (1796–1879)	4 June 1868 – 8 June 1868 [Ad interim]	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	Pieter Philip van Bosse (Van Bosse–Fock)
		Theodorus Marinus Roest van Limburg (1806–1887)	8 June 1868 – 12 December 1870 [Res]	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)
		Lieutenant general Joannes Josephus van Mulken (1796–1879)	12 December 1870 – 18 January 1871 [Ad interim]	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)
					Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (Thorbecke III)
		Baron Louis Gericke van Herwijnen (1814–1899)	18 January 1871 – 27 August 1874	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)
					Gerrit de Vries (De Vries–Fransen van de Putte)
		Jonkheer Joseph van der Does de Willebois (1816–1892)	27 August 1873 – 3 November 1877	Independent Christian Democrat (Catholic)	Jan Heemskerk (Heemskerk–Van Lynden van Sandenburg)
		Baron Willem van Heeckeren van Kell (1815–1914)	3 November 1877 – 20 August 1879	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello (Kappeyne van de Coppello)
		Count Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg (Prime Minister) (1818–1897)	20 August 1879 – 15 September 1881 [Appt]	Independent Christian Democrat (Protestant)	Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg (Van Lynden van Sandenburg)
		Jonkheer Willem Frederik Rochussen (1832–1912)	15 September 1881 – 23 April 1883	Independent Conservative (Liberal Conservative)
		Jonkheer Joseph van der Does de Willebois (1816–1892)	23 April 1883 – 10 August 1885 [Note]	Independent Christian Democrat (Catholic)	Jan Heemskerk (J. Heemskerk)
		Baron Marc Willem du Tour van Bellinchave (1835–1908)	10 August 1885 – 14 September 1885 [Ad interim]	Independent Conservative (Liberal Conservative)
		Jonkheer Joseph van der Does de Willebois (1816–1892)	14 September 1885 – 1 November 1885 [Res]	Independent Christian Democrat (Catholic)
		Jonkheer Abraham van Karnebeek (1836–1925)	1 November 1885 – 21 April 1888	Independent Liberal (Conservative Liberal)
		Jonkheer Cornelis Hartsen (1823–1895)	21 April 1888 – 21 August 1891	Independent Conservative (Liberal Conservative)	Aeneas Mackay (Mackay)
		Gijsbert van Tienhoven (Prime Minister) (1841–1914)	21 August 1891 – 21 March 1894 [Res]	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	Gijsbert van Tienhoven (Van Tienhoven)
		Joannes Coenraad Jansen (Minister of the Navy) (1840–1925)	21 March 1894 – 9 May 1894 [Ad interim]	Liberal Union
		Jonkheer Joan Röell (Prime Minister) (1844–1914)	9 May 1894 – 27 July 1897	Independent Liberal (Conservative Liberal)	Joan Röell (Röell)
		Willem de Beaufort (1845–1918)	27 July 1897 – 1 August 1901	Independent Liberal (Conservative Liberal)	Nicolaas Pierson (Pierson)
		Baron Robert Melvil van Lynden (1843–1910)	1 August 1901 – 9 March 1905 [Res]	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Abraham Kuyper (Kuyper)
		Vice admiral Abraham George Ellis (Minister of the Navy) (1846–1916)	9 March 1905 – 22 April 1905 [Ad interim]	Independent Conservative (Liberal Conservative)
		Jonkheer Willem van Weede van Berencamp (1848–1925)	22 April 1905 – 7 August 1905 [Res]	Independent Christian Democrat (Protestant)
		Vice admiral Abraham George Ellis (Minister of the Navy) (1846–1916)	7 August 1905 – 17 August 1905 [Ad interim]	Independent Conservative (Liberal Conservative)
		Jonkheer Dirk van Tets van Goudriaan (1844–1930)	17 August 1905 – 12 February 1908	Independent Classical Liberal	Theo de Meester (De Meester)
		Dr. Jonkheer René de Marees van Swinderen (1860–1955)	12 February 1908 – 29 August 1913	Independent Christian Democratic Protestant	Theo Heemskerk (T. Heemskerk)
		Dr. Pieter Cort van der Linden (Prime Minister) (1846–1935)	29 August 1913 – 27 September 1913 [Ad interim]	Independent Classical Liberal	Pieter Cort van der Linden (Cort van der Linden)
		Dr. Jonkheer John Loudon (1866–1955)	27 September 1913 – 9 September 1918	Independent Classical Liberal

Since 1918

Minister of Foreign Affairs			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Dr. Jonkheer Herman van Karnebeek (1874–1942)	9 September 1918 – 1 April 1927 [Res]	Independent Classical Liberal	Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (Ruijs de Beerenbrouck I • II)
					Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn I)
					Dirk Jan de Geer (De Geer I)
		Jonkheer Frans Beelaerts van Blokland (1872–1956)	1 April 1927 – 20 April 1933 [App]	Christian Historical Union
					Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III)
		Jonkheer Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (Prime Minister) (1869–1944)	20 April 1933 – 26 May 1933 [Ad interim]	Roman Catholic State Party
		Jonkheer Andries Cornelis Dirk de Graeff (1872–1957)	26 May 1933 – 24 June 1937	Independent Classical Liberal	Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn II • III)
		Hendrikus Colijn (Prime Minister) (1869–1944)	24 June 1937 – 1 October 1937 [Acting]	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn IV)
		Jacob Adriaan Patijn (1873–1961)	1 October 1937 – 10 August 1939	Independent Classical Liberal
					Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn V)
		Eelco van Kleffens (1894–1983)	10 August 1939 – 1 March 1946 [App]	Independent Classical Liberal	Dirk Jan de Geer (De Geer II)
					Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (Gerbrandy I • II • III)
					Willem Schermerhorn (Schermerhorn– Drees)
		Dr. Herman van Roijen (1905–1991)	1 March 1946 – 3 July 1946	Independent Social Democrat
		Baron Pim van Boetzelaer van Oosterhout (1892–1986)	3 July 1946 – 7 August 1948	Independent Conservative Liberal	Louis Beel (Beel I)
		Dirk Stikker (1897–1979)	7 August 1948 – 2 September 1952	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Willem Drees (Drees–Van Schaik • Drees I)
		Johan Beyen (1897–1976)	2 September 1952 – 13 October 1956	Independent Conservative Liberal	Willem Drees (Drees II)
		Joseph Luns (1911–2002)	13 October 1956 – 6 July 1971	Catholic People's Party	Willem Drees (Drees III)
					Louis Beel (Beel II)
					Jan de Quay (De Quay)
					Victor Marijnen (Marijnen)
					Jo Cals (Cals)
					Jelle Zijlstra (Zijlstra)
					Piet de Jong (De Jong)
		Norbert Schmelzer (1921–2008)	6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973	Catholic People's Party	Barend Biesheuvel (Biesheuvel I • II)
		Max van der Stoel (1924–2011)	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Labour Party	Joop den Uyl (Den Uyl)
		Dr. Chris van der Klaauw (1924–2005)	19 December 1977 – 11 September 1981	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Dries van Agt (Van Agt I)
		Max van der Stoel (1924–2011)	11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 [Res]	Labour Party	Dries van Agt (Van Agt II)
		Dries van Agt (Prime Minister) (1931–2024)	29 May 1982 – 4 November 1982	Christian Democratic Appeal	Dries van Agt (Van Agt III)
		Hans van den Broek (born 1936)	4 November 1982 – 3 January 1993 [App]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers I • II)
					Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers III)
		Dr. Pieter Kooijmans (1933–2013)	3 January 1993 – 22 August 1994	Christian Democratic Appeal
		Hans van Mierlo (1931–2010) [Deputy]	22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998	Democrats 66	Wim Kok (Kok I)
		Jozias van Aartsen (born 1947)	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Wim Kok (Kok II)
		Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (born 1948)	22 July 2002 – 3 December 2003 [App]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende I)
					Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende II)
		Dr. Ben Bot (born 1937)	3 December 2003 – 22 February 2007	Christian Democratic Appeal
					Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende III)
		Maxime Verhagen (born 1956)	22 February 2007 – 14 October 2010 [Minister]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende IV)
		Dr. Uri Rosenthal (born 1945)	14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Mark Rutte (Rutte I)
		Frans Timmermans (born 1961)	5 November 2012 – 17 October 2014 [App]	Labour Party	Mark Rutte (Rutte II)
		Bert Koenders (born 1958)	17 October 2014 – 26 October 2017	Labour Party
		Halbe Zijlstra (born 1969)	26 October 2017 – 13 February 2018 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Mark Rutte (Rutte III)
		Sigrid Kaag (born 1961)	13 February 2018 – 7 March 2018 [Acting] [Minister]	Democrats 66
		Stef Blok (born 1964)	7 March 2018 – 25 May 2021 [App]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Sigrid Kaag (born 1961)	25 May 2021 – 17 September 2021 [Acting] [Minister] [Res]	Democrats 66
		Tom de Bruijn (born 1948)	17 September 2021 – 24 September 2021 [Acting] [Minister]	Democrats 66
		Dr. Ben Knapen (born 1951)	24 September 2021 – 10 January 2022	Christian Democratic Appeal
		Wopke Hoekstra (born 1975) [Deputy]	10 January 2022 – 1 September 2023 [App]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Mark Rutte (Rutte IV)
		Liesje Schreinemacher (born 1983)	1 September 2023 – 5 September 2023 [Acting] [Minister]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Hanke Bruins Slot (born 1977)	5 September 2023 – 2 July 2024	Christian Democratic Appeal
		Caspar Veldkamp (born 1964)	2 July 2024 – Incumbent	New Social Contract	Dick Schoof (Schoof)

^Resigned

^Acting

^{Acting from 25 May 2021 until 10 August 2021}

^{Ad Interim}

^{Died in office}

^{Deputy Prime Minister}

^{Minister for Development Cooperation from 23 February 2010}

^{Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation}

^{Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation until 10 August 2021}

^{Appointed as Vice-President of the Council of State}

^{Appointed as Minister without Portfolio for Foreign Affairs}

^{Appointed as European Commissioner}

^{Appointed as Secretary General of NATO}

^{Appointed as Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy}

List of ministers without portfolio

Minister without Portfolio			Portfolio(s)	Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Jonkheer Edgar Michiels van Verduynen (1885–1952)	• Foreign Policy	1 January 1942 – 25 June 1945	Independent Classical Liberal	Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (Gerbrandy II • III)
		Dr. Herman van Roijen (1905–1991)	• United Nations	25 June 1945 – 1 March 1946 [App]	Independent Social Democrat	Willem Schermerhorn (Schermerhorn– Drees)
		Eelco van Kleffens (1894–1983)		1 March 1946 – 1 July 1947 [Res]	Independent Classical Liberal
						Louis Beel (Beel I)
Not in use (1947–1952)
		Joseph Luns (1911–2002)	• United Nations • Netherlands- Indonesian Union • Netherlands New Guinea • Benelux • International Organizations	2 September 1952 – 13 October 1956	Catholic People's Party	Willem Drees (Drees II)
Not in use (since 1956)

^Resigned

^{Appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs}

List of state secretaries for foreign affairs (since 1950)

State Secretary for Foreign Affairs			Portfolio(s)	Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Nico Blom (1899–1972)	• Dutch East Indies	16 February 1950 – 2 September 1952	Independent Conservative Liberal	Willem Drees (Drees–Van Schaik • Drees I)
Vacant
		Ernst van der Beugel (1918–2004)	• European Economic Community • European Union • Benelux	8 January 1957 – 22 December 1958	Labour Party	Willem Drees (Drees III)
Vacant
		Dr. Hans van Houten (1907–1996)	• European Union • NATO • Benelux • International Organizations	24 August 1959 – 24 July 1963	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Jan de Quay (De Quay)
		Leo de Block (1904–1988)	• European Union • Benelux	3 September 1963 – 5 April 1967	Catholic People's Party	Victor Marijnen (Marijnen)
						Jo Cals (Cals)
						Jelle Zijlstra (Zijlstra)
		Dr. Isaäc Nicolaas Diepenhorst (1907–1976)	• Development Cooperation • United Nations • International Organizations	28 September 1963 – 14 April 1965	Christian Historical Union	Victor Marijnen (Marijnen)
		Max van der Stoel (1924–2011)	• United Nations • International Organizations	22 July 1965 – 22 November 1966	Labour Party	Jo Cals (Cals)
		Hans de Koster (1914–1992)	• European Union • Benelux • NATO	12 June 1967 – 6 July 1971	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Piet de Jong (De Jong)
		Tjerk Westerterp (1930–2023)	• European Union • Benelux	17 August 1971 – 7 March 1973 [Res]	Catholic People's Party	Barend Biesheuvel (Biesheuvel I • II)
		Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (born 1937)	• European Union • Benelux • NATO	11 May 1973 – 8 September 1977 [Res]	Democrats 66	Joop den Uyl (Den Uyl)
		Dr. Pieter Kooijmans (1933–2013)	• United Nations • International Organizations	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Durk van der Mei (1924–2018)	• European Union • Benelux	28 December 1977 – 11 September 1981	Christian Historical Union	Dries van Agt (Van Agt I)
					Christian Democratic Appeal
		Hans van den Broek (born 1936)	• European Union • Benelux	11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982	Christian Democratic Appeal	Dries van Agt (Van Agt II • III)
		Dr. Wim van Eekelen (born 1931)	• European Union • Benelux	5 November 1982 – 14 July 1986	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers I)
		René van der Linden (born 1943)	• European Union • Benelux	14 July 1986 – 9 September 1988 [Res]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers II)
		Baron Berend-Jan van Voorst tot Voorst (1944–2023)		27 September 1988 – 7 November 1989	Christian Democratic Appeal
		Piet Dankert (1934–2003)	• European Union • Benelux	7 November 1989 – 16 July 1994 [Res]	Labour Party	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers III)
		Michiel Patijn (born 1942)	• European Union • Benelux	22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Wim Kok (Kok I)
		Dick Benschop (born 1957)	• European Union • Benelux	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party	Wim Kok (Kok II)
		Agnes van Ardenne (born 1950)	• Development Cooperation [Title]	22 July 2002 – 27 May 2003	Christian Democratic Appeal	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende I)
		Atzo Nicolaï (1960–2020)	• European Union • Benelux [Title]	22 July 2002 – 7 July 2006	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
						Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende II)
Vacant
		Frans Timmermans (born 1961)	• European Union • Benelux [Title]	22 February 2007 – 23 February 2010 [Res]	Labour Party	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende IV)
		Dr. Ben Knapen (born 1951)	• European Union • Benelux • Development Cooperation [Title]	14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012	Christian Democratic Appeal	Mark Rutte (Rutte I)
Not in use (since 2012)

^Resigned

^{Resigned following election to the European Parliament}

^{Designated with the diplomatic rank of Minister}

See also

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation