Nearly a year after the fall of the previous cabinet, the new ministers for the Rutte IV Cabinet were sworn in on Monday the 10 January. The new Minister of Defence is Kajsa Ollongren from the progressive liberal party D66, and she will be supported by Secretary of State Christophe van der Maat from the VVD. The minister of defence, Ollongren, is responsible for general defence policy. This entails, among other things, the future composition and equipment of the armed forces and their deployment. International affairs, such as NATO and EU policy, will also fall under her responsibilities. While Ollongren has no previous experience with defence, she has a relevant background in foreign relations since she was the former minister of Internal Affairs. The AIVD (the Dutch intelligence agency) fell under her responsibility during this position.

The new Minister of Defence states that she is very excited to be working together with the proud men and women in the Dutch defence. In addition, Ollongren mentions that there will be a challenge in the following years for the Ministry of Defence to cooperate more closely with NATO and Europe: “We as Europe must be better able to solve our own problems. In my previous position, I witnessed how vulnerable we are to, for example, cyber-attacks and social disruption. I am also fascinated by the geopolitical situation because of my international relations study, so this is where my heart lies.”

During the next period, the budget for defence will increase as the Dutch defence can expect to receive an extra 10.7 billion euros. A large portion of this money will be used for the structural strengthening of the armed forces. For example, education and training will be improved, more ammunition will be provided, veterans’ care will be improved, and real estate at Defence locations will be more sustainable. Moreover, IT backlogs will be caught up and eliminated, and more money will be made available to modernise the wage structure and working conditions.

The new Secretary of State Christophe van der Maat states that the defence forces play a key role in society, as they are always available in times of need. This is not only the case in the Netherlands but also abroad, where defence forces can play a pivotal role during crises. For example, they can give support regarding the COVID-19 crises or provide emergency aid during natural disasters. He notes that to achieve all of this, you need well-trained people. These people have to be able to count on good working conditions, training opportunities, sound equipment, and modern housing. By doing this, Van Der Maat wants to make sure defence will be an attractive employer in the upcoming years.

Written by Berber Bijlsma

Ministerie van Defensie, (2022). ‘Ollongren en Van der Maat nemen intrek in ministerie’. [online] Available at: https://www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieuws/2022/01/10/ollongren-en-van-der-maat-nemen-intrek-in-ministerie [Accessed: 12 January, 2022].