The Covid-sceptic, far-right politician Thierry Baudet has seized on an issue that has sparked violent rioting last year, and saw an anti-vaccination activist arrested for brandishing a burning torch outside Sigrid Kaag's house last week. Rutte is set to become the Netherlands' longest-serving prime minister later this year but he faces a number of political challenges, particularly over the Netherlands' partial coronavirus lockdown. Kaag, 60, a former diplomat, is also tipped to smooth ties with debt-hit southern European states that have previously been lectured by the Dutch to cut deficits.Īnother key pledge of the coalition is to tackle a chronic housing shortage in one of the world's most densely populated countries. The Netherlands will allow shops, gyms and hairdressers to reopen as it eases its strict COVID-19 measures, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Friday, despite record-high infections. The spending promises will however see Kaag leading the Dutch towards abandoning their traditional role as leader of the EU's austerity-obsessed "frugals". In addition to the 35-billion-euro climate fund over the next 10 years, the government will get its first climate and energy minister, Rob Jetten, 34, and has promised to make the Netherlands climate neutral by 2050.
The bike-riding premier said the coalition also wanted to "lay the foundation for the next generation", especially on climate as around a third of the Netherlands lies below sea-level and it is heavily reliant on gas. The Dutch have set another unwelcome record by being under a caretaker government for nearly a year, after the previous coalition resigned in January 2021 over a child benefits scandal.ĭubbed the "Teflon" prime minister for his ability to dodge scandals and stay in power, Rutte said in December he wanted his new government to "restore trust". Rutte, 54, has vowed a fresh start despite the fact that he has been premier since 2010, making him the European Union's second longest-serving leader after Hungary's Viktor Orban.ĭespite a record 271 days of negotiations after elections in March, the coalition also comprises the same four parties as the last government - Rutte's centre-right VVD, Kaag's progressive D66, Hoekstra's centre-right CDA, and the conservative Christen Unie. Coronavirus restrictions in the Netherlands will be eased from Saturday despite a wave of new infections due to the Omicron variant, Dutch media reported on Thursday.
Top jobs in the new government include Sigrid Kaag as finance minister, one of a record number of women in the cabinet, and her predecessor Wopke Hoekstra moving to foreign minister.ĭutch King Willem-Alexander will swear in the new cabinet from 10:30 am (0930 GMT) in the grand ballroom of the royal Noordeinde Palace in The Hague.
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