List of ministers of justice of the Netherlands

The minister of justice and security (Dutch: Minister van Justitie en Veiligheid) is the head of the Ministry of Justice and Security and a member of the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers. The current minister is David van Weel of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) who has been in office since 2 July 2024. Regularly, a state secretary is assigned to the ministry, tasked with specific portfolios. The current state secretary is Teun Struycken of New Social Contract (NSC) who also has been in office since 2 July 2024. Occasionally, there has also been a minister without portfolio assigned to the ministry who is also giving specific portfolios.

Minister of Justice and Security of the Netherlands
Minister van Justitie en Veiligheid
Ministry of Justice and Security
Flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Incumbent David van Weel[1] since 2 July 2024; 13 months ago (2024-07-02)
Ministry of Justice and Security
Style	His/Her Excellency
Member of	Council of Ministers
Appointer	The monarch on advice of the prime minister
Formation	12 March 1798; 227 years ago (1798-03-12)
First holder	Reinier Willem Tadama as Secretary for Justice
Deputy	Teun Struycken as State Secretary for Legal Protection
Salary	€170.000 (as of 2022 excluding expenses)
Website	Minister of Justice and Security

Agents of justice (1798)

Portrait		Name	Term of office		Party	Government
		Reinier Willem Tadama	12 March 1798	26 October 1798	Unitarian	Uitvoerend Bewind
		Jan Reuvens	12 March 1798	26 October 1798	Moderate

Secretaries of state of justice (1801–1802)

Portrait		Name	Term of office		Party	Government
		Jan Reuvens	18 December 1801	1 March 1802	Moderate	Staatsbewind

Directors-general of justice and police (1806)

Portrait		Name	Term of office		Party	Grand Pensionary
		Jan van Hooff	4 July 1806	29 July 1806	Moderate Unitarian	Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck

Ministers of justice and police (1806–1813)

Portrait		Name	Term of office		Party	Monarch
		Jan van Hooff	29 July 1806	22 May 1807	Moderate Unitarian	Louis I
		Jacob Jan Cambier	20 November 1807	10 December 1807	Moderate
		Alexander van Hugenpoth tot Aerdt	27 May 1809	31 December 1810	Moderate

Ministers of justice (1815–1848)

Minister of Justice			Term of office		Party	Monarch
		Cornelis Felix van Maanen	16 September 1815	3 September 1830	Independent	William I
						William II
		Floris Adriaan van Hall	1 April 1842	7 March 1844	Independent
		Marinus Willem de Jonge van Campensnieuwland	7 March 1844	19 March 1848	Independent

Ministers of justice (1848–2010)

Minister of Justice			Term of office		Party	Cabinet
		Dirk Donker Curtius	19 March 1848	4 June 1849	Independent	Schimmelpenninck
						De Kempenaer-Donker Curtius
		Hendrik Ludolf Wichers	4 June 1849	1 November 1849	Independent
		Johan Theodoor Hendrik Nedermeyer van Rosenthal	1 November 1849	15 July 1852	Independent	Thorbecke I
		Martin Pascal Hubert Strens	15 July 1852	19 April 1853	Independent
		Dirk Donker Curtius	19 April 1853	1 July 1856	Independent	Van Hall-Donker Curtius
		Justinus van der Brugghen	1 July 1856	18 March 1858	Independent	Van der Brugghen
		Cornelis Hendrik Boudewijn Boot	18 March 1858	23 February 1860	Independent	Rochussen
		Michel Henry Godefroi	23 February 1860	1 February 1862	Independent	Van Hall-Van Heemstra
						Van Zuylen van Nijevelt-Van Heemstra
		Nicolaas Olivier	1 February 1862	10 February 1866	Independent	Thorbecke II
		Carolus Joannes Pické	10 February 1866	1 June 1866	Independent	Fransen van de Putte
		Eduard Borret (1816–1867)	1 June 1866	10 November 1867 [Died]	Independent Christian Democrat (Conservative Catholic)	Van Zuylen van Nijevelt[2]
		Dr. Jan Heemskerk (Minister of the Interior) (1818–1897)	10 November 1867	4 January 1868 [Ad interim]	Independent Conservative (Liberal Conservative)
		Willem Wintgens (1818–1895)	4 January 1868	4 June 1868	Independent Conservative (Liberal Conservative)
		Franciscus van Lilaar (1823–1889)	4 June 1868	4 January 1871	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	Van Bosse–Fock[3]
		Dr. Jolle Albertus Jolles (1814–1882)	4 January 1871	6 July 1872	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	Thorbecke III[4]
		Dr. Gerrit de Vries (Prime Minister) (1818–1900)	6 July 1872	27 August 1874	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	De Vries–Fransen van de Putte[5]
		Count Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg (1826–1885)	27 August 1874	3 November 1877	Independent Christian Democrat (Protestant)	Heemskerk–Van Lynden van Sandenburg[6]
		Hendrik Jan Smidt (1831–1917)	3 November 1877	20 August 1879	Independent Liberal (Conservative Liberal)	Kappeyne van de Coppello[7]
		Dr. Anthony Modderman (1838–1885)	20 August 1879	23 April 1883	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	Van Lynden van Sandenburg[8]
		Baron Marc Willem du Tour van Bellinchave (1835–1908)	23 April 1883	21 April 1888	Independent Conservative (Liberal Conservative)	J. Heemskerk[9]
		Jonkheer Gustave Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (1842–1926)	21 April 1888	21 August 1892	Independent Christian Democrat (Conservative Catholic)	Mackay[10]
		Hendrik Jan Smidt (1831–1917)	21 August 1892	9 May 1894	Independent Liberal (Conservative Liberal)	Van Tienhoven[11]
		Willem van der Kaay (1831–1918)	9 May 1894	27 July 1897	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	Röell[12]
		Dr. Pieter Cort van der Linden (1846–1935)	27 July 1897	1 August 1901	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	Pierson[13]
		Dr. Jan Loeff (1858–1921)	1 August 1901	17 August 1905	Roman Catholic State Party	Kuyper[14]
		Eduard Ellis van Raalte (1841–1921)	17 August 1905	12 February 1908	Free-thinking Democratic League	De Meester[15]
		Anton Nelissen (1851–1921)	12 February 1908	11 May 1910 [Res]	Independent Christian Democrat (Catholic)	T. Heemskerk[16]
		Theo Heemskerk (Prime Minister) (1852–1932)	11 May 1910	7 June 1910 [Ad interim]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Robert Regout (1863–1913)	7 June 1910	18 January 1913 [Died]	Independent Christian Democrat (Catholic)
		Theo Heemskerk (Prime Minister) (1852–1932)	18 January 1913	29 August 1913 [Ad interim]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Bastiaan Ort (1854–1927)	29 August 1913	9 September 1918	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	Cort van der Linden[17]
		Theo Heemskerk (1852–1932)	9 September 1918	4 September 1925	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Ruijs de Beerenbrouck I • II[18][19]
		Jan Schokking (1864–1941)	4 September 1925	8 March 1926	Christian Historical Union	Colijn I[20]
		Dr. Jan Donner (1891–1981)	8 March 1926	26 May 1933	Anti-Revolutionary Party	De Geer I[21]
						Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III[22]
		Josef van Schaik (1882–1962)	26 May 1933	24 June 1937	Roman Catholic State Party	Colijn II • III[23][24]
		Carel Goseling (1891–1941)	24 June 1937	25 July 1939	Roman Catholic State Party	Colijn IV[25]
		Johan de Visser (1883–1950)	25 July 1939	10 August 1939	Christian Historical Union	Colijn V[26]
		Dr. Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (Prime Minister 1940–1945) (1885–1961)	10 August 1939	21 February 1942	Anti-Revolutionary Party	De Geer II[27]
						Gerbrandy I[28]
						Gerbrandy II[28]
		Dr. Jan van Angeren (1894–1959)	21 February 1942	11 July 1944 [Res]	Roman Catholic State Party
		Dr. Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart (1901–1956)	11 July 1944	23 February 1945	Independent Socialist (Social Democrat)
		Dr. Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (Prime Minister) (1885–1961)	23 February 1945	25 June 1945	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Gerbrandy III[29]
		Hans Kolfschoten (1903–1984)	25 June 1945	3 July 1946	Roman Catholic State Party	Schermerhorn–Drees[30]
					Catholic People's Party
		Johan van Maarseveen (1894–1951)	3 July 1946	7 August 1948	Catholic People's Party	Beel I[31]
		René Wijers (1891–1973)	7 August 1948	15 May 1950 [Res]	Catholic People's Party	Drees–Van Schaik[32]
		Johan van Maarseveen (1894–1951)	15 May 1950	10 July 1950 [Ad Interim] [Minister]	Catholic People's Party
		Teun Struycken (1906–1977)	10 July 1950	15 March 1951	Catholic People's Party
		Hendrik Mulderije (1896–1970)	15 March 1951	2 September 1952	Christian Historical Union	Drees I[33]
		Leendert Antonie Donker (1899–1956)	2 September 1952	4 February 1956 [Died]	Labour Party	Drees II[34]
		Dr. Louis Beel (1902–1977) [Deputy]	4 February 1956	15 February 1956 [Ad Interim] [Minister]	Catholic People's Party
		Dr. Julius Christiaan van Oven (1881–1963)	15 February 1956	13 October 1956 [Minister]	Labour Party
		Dr. Ivo Samkalden (1912–1995)	13 October 1956	22 December 1958	Labour Party	Drees III[35]
		Teun Struycken (1906–1977) [Deputy]	22 December 1958	19 May 1959 [Minister]	Catholic People's Party	Beel II[36]
		Albert Beerman (1901–1967)	19 May 1959	24 July 1963	Christian Historical Union	De Quay[37]
		Ynso Scholten (1918–1984)	24 July 1963	14 April 1965	Christian Historical Union	Marijnen[38]
		Dr. Ivo Samkalden (1912–1995)	14 April 1965	22 November 1966	Labour Party	Cals[39]
		Teun Struycken (1906–1977)	22 November 1966	5 April 1967	Catholic People's Party	Zijlstra[40]
		Carel Polak (1909–1981)	5 April 1967	6 July 1971	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	De Jong[41]
		Dries van Agt (1931–2024) [Deputy]	6 July 1971	8 September 1977 [Res]	Catholic People's Party	Biesheuvel I • II[42]
						Den Uyl[43]
		Dr. Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1911–1997) [Deputy]	8 September 1977	19 December 1977 [Acting] [Minister]	Anti-Revolutionary Party
		Dr. Job de Ruiter (1930–2015)	19 December 1977	4 November 1982	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Van Agt I • II • III[44][45][46]
					Christian Democratic Appeal
		Frits Korthals Altes (1931–2025)	4 November 1982	7 November 1989	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Lubbers I • II[47][48]
		Dr. Ernst Hirsch Ballin (born 1950)	7 November 1989	27 May 1994 [Minister] [Res]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Lubbers III[49]
		Aad Kosto (born 1938)	27 May 1994	22 August 1994	Labour Party
		Winnie Sorgdrager (born 1948)	22 August 1994	3 August 1998	Democrats 66	Kok I[50]
		Benk Korthals (born 1944)	3 August 1998	22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Kok II[51]
		Piet Hein Donner (born 1948)	22 July 2002	21 September 2006 [Res]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Balkenende I • II[52][53]
						Balkenende III[54]
		Rita Verdonk (born 1955)	21 September 2006	22 September 2006 [Ad Interim] [Minister]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Dr. Ernst Hirsch Ballin (born 1950)	22 September 2006	14 October 2010 [Minister]	Christian Democratic Appeal
						Balkenende IV[55]

Ministers of security and justice (2010–2017)

Portrait	Name	Term of office		Party		Cabinet
	Ivo Opstelten (born 1944)	14 October 2010	10 March 2015		People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Rutte I [56]
						Rutte II [57]
	Stef Blok (born 1964)	10 March 2015	20 March 2015 Ad Interim		People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
	Ard van der Steur (born 1969)	20 March 2015	27 January 2017		People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
	Stef Blok (born 1964)	27 January 2017	26 October 2017		People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

Ministers of justice and security (since 2017)

Portrait	Name	Term of office		Party		Cabinet
	Dr. Ferdinand Grapperhaus (born 1959)	26 October 2017	10 January 2022		Christian Democratic Appeal	Rutte III[58]
	Dilan Yeşilgöz (born 1977)	10 January 2022	2 July 2024		People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Rutte IV [59]
	David van Weel (born 1976)	2 July 2024	Incumbent		People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Schoof[60]

^Resigned

^Acting

^{Ad Interim}

^{Died in Office}

^{Deputy Prime Minister}

^{Deputy Prime Minister from 11 May 1973}

^{Deputy Prime Minister from 8 September 1977}

^{Minister of the Interior}

^{Minister of the Interior from 7 July 1956}

^{Minister for Kingdom Relations}

^{Minister without Portfolio for Justice}

^{Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations from 23 February 2010}

^{Minister without Portfolio for the Interior}

List of ministers without portfolio

Minister without Portfolio			Portfolio(s)	Term of office		Party	Cabinet
		Hilbrand Nawijn (born 1948)	• Immigration and Asylum • Integration • Minorities	22 July 2002	27 May 2003	Pim Fortuyn List	Balkenende I[52]
		Rita Verdonk (born 1955)	• Immigration and Asylum • Integration • Minorities	27 May 2003	7 July 2006	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Balkenende II[53]
				7 July 2006	14 December 2006		Balkenende III[54]
			• Integration • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries • Minorities	14 December 2006 – 22 February 2007
		Sander Dekker (born 1975)	• Public Prosecution • Civil Law • Property Law • Victims' Rights • Judicial Reform • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries • Debt • Gambling	26 October 2017	10 January 2022	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Rutte III[58]
		Franc Weerwind (born 1964)	• Public Prosecution • Civil Law • Property Law • Victims' Rights • Judicial Reform • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries • Debt • Gambling	10 January 2022	2 July 2024	Democrats 66	Rutte IV[59]

List of state secretaries for justice (since 1970)

State Secretary for Justice			Portfolio(s)	Term of office		Party	Cabinet
		Dr. Klaas Wiersma (1917–1993)	• Immigration and Asylum • Penitentiaries	20 April 1970	6 July 1971	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	De Jong[41]
		Hans Grosheide (1930–2022)	• Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries	28 July 1971	11 May 1973	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Biesheuvel I • II[42]
		Dr. Jan Glastra van Loon (1920–2001)	• Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Judicial Reform • Youth Justice	13 June 1973	7 May 1975 [Res]	Democrats 66	Den Uyl[43]
		Henk Zeevalking (1922–2005)		6 June 1975	8 September 1977 [Res]	Democrats 66
		Bert Haars (1913–1997)	• Immigration and Asylum • Judicial Reform • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries	28 December 1977	11 September 1981	Christian Historical Union	Van Agt I[44]
						Christian Democratic Appeal
		Dr. Michiel Scheltema (born 1939)	• Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Youth Justice	11 September 1981	4 November 1982	Democrats 66	Van Agt II • III[45][46]
		Virginie Korte-van Hemel (1929–2014)	• Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries • Gambling	8 November 1982	7 November 1989	Christian Democratic Appeal	Lubbers I • II[47][48]
		Aad Kosto (born 1938)	• Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Judicial Reform • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries	7 November 1989	27 May 1994 [App]	Labour Party	Lubbers III[49]
		Elizabeth Schmitz (1938–2024)	• Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Youth Justice	22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998	Labour Party	Wim Kok (Kok I) [50]
		Dr. Job Cohen (born 1947)	• Immigration and Asylum • Civil Law • Judicial Reform • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries • Debt • Gambling	3 August 1998	1 January 2001 [App]	Labour Party	Kok II[51]
		Ella Kalsbeek (born 1955)		1 January 2001	22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Nebahat Albayrak (born 1968)	• Immigration and Asylum • Penitentiaries	22 February 2007	23 February 2010 [Res]	Labour Party	Balkenende IV[55]

State Secretary for Justice			Portfolio(s)	Term of office		Party	Cabinet
		Fred Teeven (born 1958)	• Public Prosecution • Civil Law • Property Law • Victims' Rights • Judicial Reform • Youth Justice • Penitentiaries • Debt • Gambling [Title]	14 October 2010	10 March 2015 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Rutte I[56]
							Rutte II[57]
		Dr. Klaas Dijkhoff (born 1981)		20 March 2015	4 October 2017 [App]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

State Secretary for Justice and Security			Portfolio(s)	Term of office		Party	Cabinet
		Mark Harbers (born 1969)	• Immigration and Asylum • Integration • Minorities [Title]	26 October 2017	21 May 2019 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Rutte III[58]
		Ankie Broekers-Knol (born 1946)		11 July 2019	10 January 2022	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Eric van der Burg (born 1965)	• Immigration and Asylum • Integration • Minorities	10 January 2022	2 July 2024	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Rutte IV[59]
		Ingrid Coenradie (born 1987)		2 July 2024	3 June 2025	Party for Freedom	Schoof[60]
		Teun Struycken (born 1969)	• Legal Protection	2 July 2024	Incumbent	New Social Contract

^Resigned

^{Designated with the diplomatic rank of Minister}

^{Appointed as Minister of Justice}

^{Appointed as Mayor of Amsterdam}

^{Appointed as Minister of Defence}

See also

• Ministry of Justice and Security
• Judiciary of the Netherlands
• Criminal justice system of the Netherlands
• Public Prosecution Office
• Law enforcement in the Netherlands
• National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism
• Immigration and Naturalisation Service
• Custodial Institutions Agency