List of ministers of kingdom relations of the Netherlands

State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Effective Government of the Netherlands
Staatssecretaris Koninkrijksrelaties en Slagvaardige Overheid
since 23 February 2026 (2026-02-23)
Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
StyleHis/Her Excellency
Reports toMinister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
AppointerThe monarch
on advice of the prime minister
First holderPaulus van der Heim
as Minister of Trade and Colonies
1 August 1806 (1806-08-01)
Salary€192,413 (As of 2025)[1]

The Netherlands has long appointed ministers to oversee relations with the other territories of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and, historically, the administration of its colonies. From 1959 to 1998, responsibility for kingdom relations was assigned to a cabinet member in addition to their primary ministerial role.[2] In 1998, this portfolio was formally placed under the minister of the Interior, though in practice it is often delegated to a minister without portfolio or state secretary within the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations.[3] Eric van der Burg has held this position since 23 February 2026, serving as state secretary for Kingdom Relations and Effective Government.[a]

List of ministers of kingdom relations

Cabinet Minister Term of office Title
Image Name Party Start End
Van Zuylen van Nijevelt Pieter Mijer Independent 1 June 1866 17 September 1866 Minister of Colonies
Nicolaas Trakranen Independent 17 September 1866 20 July 1867
Johannes Hasselman Independent 20 July 1867 4 June 1868
Van Bosse–Fock Engelbertus de Waal Independent 4 June 1868 16 November 1870
Lodewijk Gerard Brocx
(ad interim) 		Independent 16 November 1870 4 January 1871
Thorbecke III Pieter Philip van Bosse Independent 4 January 1871 6 July 1872
De Vries–Fransen van de Putte Isaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte Independent 6 July 1872 27 August 1874
Heemskerk–Van Lynden van Sandenburg Willem van Goltstein van Oldenaller Independent 27 August 1874 11 September 1876
Fokko Alting Mees Independent 11 September 1876 3 November 1877
Kappeyne van de Coppello Pieter Philip van Bosse Independent 3 November 1877 21 February 1879
Hendrikus Wichers
(ad interim) 		Independent 21 February 1879 12 March 1879
Otto van Rees Independent 12 March 1879 20 August 1879
Van Lynden van Sandenburg Willem van Goltstein van Oldenaller Independent 20 August 1879 1 September 1882
Willem Maurits de Brauw Independent 1 September 1882 23 February 1883
Willem van Erp Taalman Kip
(ad interim) 		Independent 23 February 1883 23 April 1883
Jan Heemskerk Gerard van Bloemen Waanders Independent 23 April 1883 25 November 1883
August Willem Philip Weitzel
(ad interim) 		Independent 25 November 1883 27 February 1884
Jacobus Sprenger van Eyk Independent 27 February 1884 21 April 1888
Mackay Levinus Keuchenius ARP 21 April 1888 24 February 1890
Æneas Mackay ARP 24 February 1890 21 August 1891
Van Tienhoven Willem Karel van Dedem LU 21 August 1891 9 May 1894
Röell Jacob Bergsma Independent 9 May 1894 27 July 1897
Pierson Jacob Theodoor Cremer LU 27 July 1897 1 August 1901
Kuyper Titus van Asch van Wijck ARP 1 August 1901 9 September 1902
Johannes Bergansius
(ad interim) 		Independent 9 September 1902 25 September 1902
Alexander Idenburg ARP 25 September 1902 17 August 1905
De Meester Dirk Fock LU 17 August 1905 12 February 1908
Theo Heemskerk Theo Heemskerk
(ad interim) 		ARP 12 February 1908 20 May 1908
Alexander Idenburg ARP 20 May 1908 16 August 1909
Jan Hendrik de Waal Malefijt ARP 16 August 1909 29 August 1913
Cort van der Linden Thomas Bastiaan Pleyte VDB 29 August 1913 8 December 1915
Jean Jacques Rambonnet
(acting) 		Independent 8 December 1915 17 January 1916
Thomas Bastiaan Pleyte VDB 17 January 1916 9 September 1918
Ruijs de Beerenbrouck I Alexander Idenburg ARP 9 September 1918 13 November 1919
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
(ad interim) 		RKSP 13 November 1919 13 November 1919
Ruijs de Beerenbrouck II Simon de Graaff Independent 13 November 1919 4 August 1925
Colijn I Hendrikus Colijn ARP 4 August 1925 1 October 1925
Charles Welter RKSP 1 October 1925 8 March 1926
De Geer I Jacob Koningsberger Independent 8 March 1926 10 August 1929
Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III Simon de Graaff Independent 10 August 1929 26 May 1933
Colijn II Hendrikus Colijn ARP 26 May 1933 24 June 1937
Colijn III
Colijn IV Charles Welter RKSP 24 June 1937 25 July 1939
Colijn V Cornelis van den Bussche Independent 25 July 1939 10 August 1939
De Geer II Charles Welter RKSP 10 August 1939 17 November 1941
Gerbrandy I
Gerbrandy II
Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy
(ad interim) 		ARP 17 November 1941 21 May 1942
Huib van Mook Independent 21 May 1942 23 February 1945
Gerbrandy III Josef Schmutzer RKSP 23 February 1945 25 June 1945
Schermerhorn–Drees Johann Logemann SDAP 25 June 1945 3 July 1946 Minister of Overseas Territories
Beel I Jan Jonkman PvdA 3 July 1946 30 August 1947
Louis Beel
(acting) 		KVP 30 August 1947 3 November 1947
Jan Jonkman PvdA 3 November 1947 7 August 1948
Drees–Van Schaik Maan Sassen KVP 7 August 1948 14 February 1949
Johan van Maarseveen KVP 14 February 1949 15 March 1951
Drees I Willem Drees
(ad interim) 		PvdA 15 March 1951 30 March 1951 Minister of Union Affairs and Overseas Territories
Leo Peters KVP 30 March 1951 2 September 1952
Drees II Willem Kernkamp CHU 2 September 1952 18 July 1956
Minister of Overseas Territories
Kees Staf
(ad interim) 		CHU 18 July 1956 13 October 1956
Drees III 13 October 1956 14 February 1957 Minister of Overseas Affairs
Gerard Helders CHU 14 February 1957 19 May 1959
Beel II
De Quay Henk Korthals VVD 19 May 1959 24 July 1963 Deputy Prime Minister
Marijnen Barend Biesheuvel ARP 24 July 1963 5 April 1967
Cals
Zijlstra
De Jong Joop Bakker ARP 5 April 1967 6 July 1971
Biesheuvel I Roelof Nelissen KVP 6 July 1971 1 February 1972
Biesheuvel II Pierre Lardinois KVP 1 February 1972 1 January 1973 Minister for Surinamese and Netherlands Antillean Affairs
Molly Geertsema VVD 1 January 1973 11 May 1973
Den Uyl Gaius de Gaay Fortman ARP 11 May 1973 19 December 1977 Minister for Netherlands Antillean Affairs
Van Agt I Fons van der Stee KVP 19 December 1977 11 September 1981
Van Agt II Joop den Uyl PvdA 11 September 1981 29 May 1982
Van Agt III Jan de Koning CDA 29 May 1982 14 July 1986
Lubbers I
Lubbers II 14 July 1986 7 November 1989 Minister for Netherlands Antillean and Aruban Affairs
Lubbers III Ruud Lubbers
(ad interim) 		CDA 7 November 1989 14 November 1989
Ernst Hirsch Ballin CDA 14 November 1989 27 May 1994
Ruud Lubbers
(ad interim) 		CDA 27 May 1994 22 August 1994
Kok I Joris Voorhoeve VVD 22 August 1994 3 August 1998
Kok II Bram Peper PvdA 3 August 1998 13 March 2000 Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations[b]
Roger van Boxtel
(ad interim) 		D66 13 March 2000 24 March 2000
Klaas de Vries PvdA 24 March 2000 22 July 2002
Balkenende I Johan Remkes VVD 22 July 2002 27 May 2003 Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
Balkenende II 27 May 2003 22 February 2007 Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations[b]
Balkenende III
Balkenende IV Guusje ter Horst PvdA 22 February 2007 23 February 2010
Ernst Hirsch Ballin CDA 23 February 2010 14 October 2010
Rutte I Piet Hein Donner CDA 14 October 2010 16 December 2011 Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
Liesbeth Spies CDA 16 December 2011 5 November 2012
Rutte II Ronald Plasterk PvdA 5 November 2012 29 June 2016
Stef Blok
(acting) 		VVD 29 June 2016 16 September 2016
Ronald Plasterk PvdA 16 September 2016 26 October 2017
Rutte III Kajsa Ollongren D66 26 October 2017 1 November 2019 Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations[b]
Raymond Knops
(acting) 		CDA 1 November 2019 14 April 2020
Kajsa Ollongren D66 14 April 2020 10 January 2022
Rutte IV Hanke Bruins Slot CDA 10 January 2022 5 September 2023
Hugo de Jonge CDA 5 September 2023 2 July 2024
Schoof Judith Uitermark NSC 2 July 2024 22 August 2025
David van Weel
(ad interim) 		VVD 22 August 2025 5 September 2025
Frank Rijkaart BBB 5 September 2025 23 February 2026
Jetten Pieter Heerma CDA 23 February 2026 Incumbent

List of ministers without portfolio

Cabinet Minister Term of office Title Ministry
Image Name Party Start End
Gerbrandy II Adipati Soejono Independent 9 June 1942 5 January 1943 Minister without portfolio Colonies
Beel I Lubbertus Götzen Independent 11 November 1947 15 March 1951 Minister without portfolio[c] Overseas Territories
Drees–Van Schaik
Balkenende II Thom de Graaf D66 27 May 2003 23 March 2005 Minister for Government Reform and Kingdom Relations Interior and Kingdom Relations
Alexander Pechtold D66 31 March 2005 3 July 2006
Balkenende III Atzo Nicolaï VVD 7 July 2006 22 February 2007

List of state secretaries for kingdom relations

Cabinet Minister Term of office Title Ministry
Image Name Party Start End
Drees I Lubbertus Götzen Independent 15 March 1951 2 September 1952 State Secretary for Union Affairs and Overseas Territories Union Affairs and Overseas Territories
De Quay Theo Bot KVP 23 November 1959 24 July 1963 State Secretary for the Interior Interior
Kok II Gijs de Vries VVD 3 August 1998 22 July 2002 State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations Interior and Kingdom Relations
Balkenende IV Ank Bijleveld CDA 22 February 2007 14 October 2010
Rutte III Raymond Knops CDA 26 October 2017 1 November 2019
14 April 2020 10 January 2022
Rutte IV Alexandra van Huffelen D66 10 January 2022 2 July 2024 State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalisation
Schoof Zsolt Szabó PVV 2 July 2024 3 June 2025 State Secretary for Digitalisation and Kingdom Relations
Eddie van Marum BBB 19 June 2025 23 February 2026 State Secretary for Digitalisation, Kingdom Relations and Reparations for Groningen
Jetten Eric van der Burg VVD 23 February 2026 Incumbent State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Effective Government

Notes

  1. ^ Dutch: staatssecretaris Koninkrijksrelaties en Slagvaardige Overheid; Papiamentu: sekretario di estado pa Relashonnan den Reino i Gobièrnu Desisivo.
  2. ^ a b c Responsibility for kingdom relations was delegated to a minister without portfolio or state secretary.
  3. ^ Charged with financial and economic affairs of the overseas territories.

References

  1. ^ "Salaris minister, staatssecretaris en bestuurders provincies en gemeenten". Rijksoverheid.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  2. ^ "Ministeries voor overzeese gebiedsdelen". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  3. ^ "Minister belast met Koninkrijksrelaties". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 March 2026.
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