List of prime ministers of the Netherlands

The office of prime ministers of the Netherlands has existed since 1945, but the term has been retroactively applied to informal leaders of cabinets or chairmen of the Council of Ministers since 1848. The role is sometimes also referred to as premier.^[1]

Until 1880, the Council of Ministers had a mostly rotating chairmanship.^[2] After 1880, ministers could refuse their term as chairman, which led to a permanent chairmanship in practice.^[2] Abraham Kuyper (1901-1905) is generally seen as the starting point of the prime ministership,^[3] because he amended the rules of the Council so he would be chairman for the entire term.^[4] This was formally reverted after his term,^[4] but the practice remained.^[1] In 1922, the rules of the Council were amended so the chairmanship was no longer formally temporary. After the Second World War in 1945, the term "Prime minister" was used in the rules of the Council to refer to the chairman and in 1983 this title was formalized in the Constitution of the Netherlands.^[1]

The prime minister is also head of the Ministry of General Affairs since its inception in 1937, with a break between 1940 and 1947.

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Name (born and died)	Portrait	Term of office			Political affiliation		Election	Cabinet	Monarch (Reign)
Name (born and died)	Portrait	Took office	Left office	Tenure	Political affiliation		Election	Cabinet	Monarch (Reign)
Gerrit Schimmelpenninck^[3]^[5] (1794–1863)		25 March 1848	17 May 1848	53 days		Independent Liberal	—	Schimmelpenninck^[6] Conservative^{[citation needed]}	Willem II (1840–1849)
Jacob de Kempenaer^[7] (1793–1870)		21 November 1848	1 November 1849	345 days		Independent Liberal	1848	De Kempenaer— Donker Curtius^[8] Liberal	Willem II (1840–1849)
Jacob de Kempenaer^[7] (1793–1870)		21 November 1848	1 November 1849	345 days		Independent Liberal	1848	De Kempenaer— Donker Curtius^[8] Liberal	Willem III (1849–1890)
Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (1798–1872)		1 November 1849	19 April 1853	3 years, 169 days		Independent Liberal	1850 1852	Thorbecke I^[9] Liberal
Floris Adriaan van Hall (1791–1866)		19 April 1853	1 July 1856	3 years, 73 days		Independent Liberal	1853 1854	Van Hall— Donker Curtius^[10] Conservative
Justinus van der Brugghen (1804–1863)		1 July 1856	18 March 1858	1 year, 260 days		Independent Antirevolutionary	1856	Van der Brugghen^[11] Conservative
Jan Jacob Rochussen (1797–1871)		18 March 1858	23 February 1860	1 year, 342 days		Independent Conservative	1858	Rochussen Liberal–Conservative
Floris Adriaan van Hall (1791–1866)		23 February 1860	14 March 1861	1 year, 19 days		Independent Liberal	1860	Van Hall—Van Heemstra Liberal–Conservative
Jacob van Zuylen van Nijevelt (1816–1890)		14 March 1861	10 November 1861	241 days		Independent Liberal	—	Van Zuylen van Nijevelt—Van Heemstra Liberal–Conservative
Schelto van Heemstra (1807–1864)		10 November 1861	1 February 1862	83 days		Independent Liberal	—	Van Zuylen van Nijevelt—Van Heemstra Liberal–Conservative
Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (1798–1872)		1 February 1862	10 February 1866	4 years, 9 days		Independent Liberal	1862 1864	Thorbecke II Liberal
Isaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte (1822–1902)		10 February 1866	1 June 1866	111 days		Independent Liberal	—	Fransen van de Putte Liberal
Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt (1819–1894)		1 June 1866	4 June 1868	2 years, 3 days		Independent Conservative	Jun. 1866 Oct. 1866	Van Zuylen van Nijevelt Conservative
Pieter Philip van Bosse (1809–1879)		4 June 1868	4 January 1871	2 years, 214 days		Independent Liberal	1868 1869	Van Bosse-Fock cabinet Liberal
Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (1798–1872)		4 January 1871	4 June 1872	1 year, 152 days		Independent Liberal	1871	Thorbecke III^[12] Liberal
Gerrit de Vries (1818–1900)		4 June 1872	27 August 1874	2 years, 84 days		Independent Liberal	1873	De Vries-Fransen van de Putte Liberal

Name (born and died)	Portrait	Term of office			Political affiliation		Election	Cabinet	Monarch (Reign)
Name (born and died)	Portrait	Took office	Left office	Tenure	Political affiliation		Election	Cabinet	Monarch (Reign)
Jan Heemskerk^[13] (1818–1897)		28 August 1874	1 November 1877	3 years, 68 days		Independent Conservative	1875	Heemskerk–Van Lynden van Sandenburg^[14] Conservative	Willem III (1849–1890)
Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello^[15] (1822–1895)		4 November 1877	19 August 1879	1 year, 290 days		Independent Liberal	1877	Kappeyne van de Coppello^[16] Liberal
Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg^[17] (1826–1885)		21 August 1879	22 April 1883	3 years, 246 days		Independent Antirevolutionary	1879 1881	Van Lynden van Sandenburg^[18] Conservative–Liberal
Jan Heemskerk^[13] (1818–1897)		24 April 1883	19 April 1888	4 years, 363 days		Independent Conservative	1883 1884 1886 1887	J. Heemskerk^[19] Conservative–Liberal
Aeneas Mackay Jr.^[20] (1838–1909)		22 April 1888	20 August 1891	3 years, 123 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	1888	Mackay^[21] Coalition
Aeneas Mackay Jr.^[20] (1838–1909)		22 April 1888	20 August 1891	3 years, 123 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	1888	Mackay^[21] Coalition	Wilhelmina (1890–1948)
Gijsbert van Tienhoven^[22] (1841–1914)		22 August 1891	20 March 1894	2 years, 261 days		Independent Liberal	1891	Van Tienhoven^[23] Liberal
Joan Röell^[24] (1844–1914)		10 May 1894	26 July 1897	3 years, 79 days		Independent Liberal	1894	Röell^[25] Liberal
Nicolaas Pierson^[26] (1839–1909)		28 July 1897	30 July 1901	4 years, 5 days		Liberal Union	1897	Pierson^[27] Liberal
Abraham Kuyper^[28] (1837–1920)		2 August 1901	15 August 1905	4 years, 16 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	1901	Kuyper^[29] Coalition
Theo de Meester^[30] (1851–1919)		18 August 1905	11 February 1908	2 years, 179 days		Liberal Union	1905	De Meester Liberal
Theo Heemskerk ^[31] (1852–1932)		13 February 1908	28 August 1913	5 years, 198 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	1909	T. Heemskerk Coalition
Pieter Cort van der Linden^[32] (1846–1935)		29 August 1913	9 September 1918	5 years, 11 days		Independent Liberal	1913 1917	Cort van der Linden Liberal
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck^[33] (1873–1936)		9 September 1918	4 August 1925	6 years, 329 days		General League of Roman Catholic Electoral Associations	1918	Ruijs de Beerenbrouck I RKSP – ARP – CHU
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck^[33] (1873–1936)		9 September 1918	4 August 1925	6 years, 329 days		General League of Roman Catholic Electoral Associations	1922	Ruijs de Beerenbrouck II RKSP – ARP – CHU
Hendrikus Colijn^[34] (1869–1944)		4 August 1925	8 March 1926	216 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	1925	Colijn I RKSP – ARP – CHU
Dirk Jan de Geer^[35] (1870–1960)		8 March 1926	10 August 1929	3 years, 155 days		Christian Historical Union	—	De Geer I RKSP – ARP – CHU
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck^[33] (1873–1936)		10 August 1929	26 May 1933	3 years, 289 days		Roman Catholic State Party	1929	Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III RKSP – ARP – CHU
Hendrikus Colijn^[34] (1869–1944)		26 May 1933	10 August 1939	6 years, 76 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	1933	Colijn II RKSP – ARP – CHU – LSP – VDB
							—	Colijn III RKSP – ARP – CHU – LSP – VDB
							1937	Colijn IV RKSP – ARP – CHU
							—	Colijn V ARP – CHU – LSP
Dirk Jan de Geer^[35] (1870–1960)		10 August 1939	3 September 1940	1 year, 24 days		Christian Historical Union	—	De Geer II RKSP – SDAP – ARP – CHU – VDB
Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy^[36] (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

Name (born and died)	Portrait	Term of office			Political affiliation		Election	Cabinet	Monarch (Reign)
Name (born and died)	Portrait	Took office	Left office	Tenure	Political affiliation		Election	Cabinet	Monarch (Reign)
Willem Schermerhorn^[37] (1894–1977)		25 June 1945	3 July 1946	1 year, 8 days		Free-thinking Democratic League until 1946	—	Schermerhorn—Drees^[38] VDB – SDAP – RKSP – CHU	Wilhelmina (1890–1948)
Willem Schermerhorn^[37] (1894–1977)		25 June 1945	3 July 1946	1 year, 8 days		Labour Party from 1946	—	Schermerhorn—Drees^[38] VDB – SDAP – RKSP – CHU
Louis Beel^[39] (1902–1977)		3 July 1946	7 August 1948	2 years, 35 days		Catholic People's Party	1946	Beel I^[40] KVP – PvdA
Willem Drees^[41] (1886–1988)		7 August 1948	22 December 1958	10 years, 137 days		Labour Party	1948	Drees—Van Schaik^[42] PvdA – KVP – CHU – VVD
							1948	Drees—Van Schaik^[42] PvdA – KVP – CHU – VVD	Juliana (1948–1980)
							—	Drees I^[43] PvdA – KVP – CHU – VVD
							1952	Drees II^[44] PvdA – KVP – ARP – CHU
							1956	Drees III^[45] PvdA – KVP – ARP – CHU
Louis Beel^[39] (1902–1977)		22 December 1958	19 May 1959	148 days		Catholic People's Party	—	Beel II^[46] KVP – ARP – CHU
Jan de Quay^[47] (1901–1985)		19 May 1959	24 July 1963	4 years, 66 days		Catholic People's Party	1959	De Quay^[48] KVP – ARP – CHU – VVD
Victor Marijnen^[49] (1917–1975)		24 July 1963	14 April 1965	1 year, 264 days		Catholic People's Party	1963	Marijnen^[50] KVP – ARP – CHU – VVD
Jo Cals^[51] (1914–1971)		14 April 1965	22 November 1966	1 year, 222 days		Catholic People's Party	—	Cals^[52] KVP – ARP – PvdA
Jelle Zijlstra^[53] (1918–2001)		22 November 1966	5 April 1967	134 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	—	Zijlstra^[54] KVP – ARP
Piet de Jong^[55] (1915–2016)		5 April 1967	6 July 1971	4 years, 92 days		Catholic People's Party	1967	De Jong^[56] KVP – ARP – CHU – VVD
Barend Biesheuvel^[57] (1920–2001)		6 July 1971	11 May 1973	1 year, 309 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	1971	Biesheuvel I^[58] ARP – KVP – CHU – VVD – DS'70
Barend Biesheuvel^[57] (1920–2001)		6 July 1971	11 May 1973	1 year, 309 days		Anti-Revolutionary Party	—	Biesheuvel II^[59] ARP – KVP – CHU – VVD
Joop den Uyl^[60] (1919–1987)		11 May 1973	19 December 1977	4 years, 222 days		Labour Party	1972	Den Uyl^[61] PvdA – KVP – ARP – D66 – PPR
Dries van Agt^[62] (1931–2024)		19 December 1977	4 November 1982	4 years, 320 days		Christian Democratic Appeal	1977	Van Agt I^[63] CDA – VVD
							1977	Van Agt I^[63] CDA – VVD	Beatrix (1980–2013)
							1981	Van Agt II^[64] CDA – PvdA – D66
							—	Van Agt III^[65] CDA – D66
Ruud Lubbers^[66] (1939–2018)		4 November 1982	22 August 1994	11 years, 291 days		Christian Democratic Appeal	1982	Lubbers I^[67] CDA – VVD
							1986	Lubbers II^[68] CDA – VVD
							1989	Lubbers III^[69] CDA – PvdA
Wim Kok^[70] (1938–2018)		22 August 1994	22 July 2002	7 years, 334 days		Labour Party	1994	Kok I^[71] PvdA – VVD – D66
Wim Kok^[70] (1938–2018)		22 August 1994	22 July 2002	7 years, 334 days		Labour Party	1998	Kok II^[72] PvdA – VVD – D66
Jan Peter Balkenende^[73] (born 1956)		22 July 2002	14 October 2010	8 years, 84 days		Christian Democratic Appeal	2002	Balkenende I^[74] CDA – LPF – VVD
							2003	Balkenende II^[75] CDA – VVD – D66
							—	Balkenende III^[76] CDA – VVD
							2006	Balkenende IV^[77] CDA – PvdA – CU
Mark Rutte^[78] (born 1967)		14 October 2010	2 July 2024	13 years, 262 days		People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	2010	Rutte I^[79] VVD – CDA
							2012	Rutte II^[80] VVD – PvdA
							2012	Rutte II^[80] VVD – PvdA	Willem-Alexander (2013–present)
							2017	Rutte III^[81] VVD – CDA – D66 – CU
							2021	Rutte IV^[82] VVD – CDA – D66 – CU
Dick Schoof^[83] (born 1957)		2 July 2024	23 February 2026	1 year, 236 days		Independent	2023	Schoof^[84] PVV – VVD – NSC – BBB
Rob Jetten^[85] (born 1987)		23 February 2026	Incumbent	161 days		Democrats 66	2025	Jetten^[86] D66 – VVD – CDA

List of prime ministers of the Netherlands

Cabinet leader (1848-1874)

Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1874-1945)

Prime ministers (1945-present)

Graphical timeline

By political party

By ideology

See also

References

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