List of ministers of social affairs of the Netherlands

The minister of social affairs and employment (Dutch: Minister van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid) is the head of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment and a member of the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers. The current minister is Eddy van Hijum of the New Social Contract (NSC) party who has been in office since 2 July 2024. Regularly, a state secretary is assigned to the ministry who is tasked with specific portfolios. The current state secretary is Jurgen Nobel of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), who has been in office since 2 July 2024 and has been responsible for labor participation and integration. In the past, there have also been ministers without portfolio assigned to the ministry.

Minister of Social Affairs and Employment of the Netherlands
Minister van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid
Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment
Flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Incumbent Eddy van Hijum since 2 July 2024; 13 months ago (2024-07-02)
Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment
Style	His/Her Excellency
Member of	Council of Ministers
Appointer	The monarch on advice of the prime minister
Formation	25 September 1918; 106 years ago (1918-09-25)
First holder	Piet Aalberse as Minister of Labour
Deputy	Jurgen Nobel as State Secretary for Participation and Integration
Salary	€205,991 (As of 2025[update])[1]
Website	Minister of Social Affairs and Employment

List of ministers of social affairs

1918–1945

Minister of Labour			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Piet Aalberse (1871–1948)	25 September 1918 – 1 January 1923	Roman Catholic State Party	Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (Ruijs de Beerenbrouck I • II) [2][3]
Minister of Labour, Commerce and Industry			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Piet Aalberse (1871–1948)	1 January 1923 – 4 August 1925	Roman Catholic State Party	Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (Ruijs de Beerenbrouck II) [3]
		Dr. Dionysius Koolen (1871–1945)	4 August 1925 – 8 March 1926	Roman Catholic State Party	Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn I) [4]
		Dr. Jan Rudolph Slotemaker de Bruïne (1869–1941)	8 March 1926 – 10 August 1929	Christian Historical Union	Dirk Jan de Geer (De Geer I) [5]
		Timotheus Verschuur (1886–1945)	10 August 1929 – 1 May 1932	Roman Catholic State Party	Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III) [6]
Minister of Economic Affairs and Labour			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Timotheus Verschuur (1886–1945)	1 May 1932 – 8 June 1933	Roman Catholic State Party	Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III) [6]
					Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn II) [7]
Minister of Social Affairs			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Dr. Jan Rudolph Slotemaker de Bruïne (1869–1941)	8 June 1933 – 31 July 1935	Christian Historical Union	Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn II) [7]
		Marcus Slingenberg (1881–1941)	31 July 1935 – 24 June 1937	Free-thinking Democratic League	Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn III) [8]
		Carl Romme (1896–1980)	24 June 1937 – 25 July 1939	Roman Catholic State Party	Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn IV) [9]
		Dr. Marinus Damme (1876–1966)	25 July 1939 – 10 August 1939	Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal)	Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn V) [10]
		Dr. Jan van den Tempel (1877–1955)	10 August 1939 – 23 February 1945	Social Democratic Workers' Party	Dirk Jan de Geer (De Geer II) [11]
					Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (Gerbrandy I • II) [12]
		Frans Wijffels (also Ministers of Water Management Feb.Apr.) (1899–1968)	23 February 1945 – 25 June 1945	Roman Catholic State Party	Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (Gerbrandy III) [13]

Since 1945

Minister of Social Affairs			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Willem Drees (1886–1988) [Deputy]	25 June 1945 – 7 August 1948	Social Democratic Workers' Party	Willem Schermerhorn (Schermerhorn– Drees) [14]
				Labour Party	Louis Beel (Beel I) [15]
		Dr. Dolf Joekes (1884–1962)	7 August 1948 – 15 September 1951	Labour Party	Willem Drees (Drees–Van Schaik • Drees I) [16][17]
Minister of Social Affairs and Health			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Dr. Dolf Joekes (1884–1962)	15 September 1951 – 2 September 1952	Labour Party	Willem Drees (Drees I) [17]
		Ko Suurhoff (1905–1967)	2 September 1952 – 22 December 1958	Labour Party	Willem Drees (Drees II • III) [18][19]
		Dr. Louis Beel (Prime Minister) (1902–1985)	22 December 1958 – 19 May 1959	Catholic People's Party	Louis Beel (Beel II) [20]
		Dr. Charles van Rooy (1912–1996)	19 May 1959 – 3 July 1961 [Res]	Catholic People's Party	Jan de Quay (De Quay) [21]
		Victor Marijnen (1917–1975)	3 July 1961 – 17 July 1961 [Ad Interim] [Minister]	Catholic People's Party
		Dr. Gerard Veldkamp (1921–1990)	17 July 1961 – 5 April 1967	Catholic People's Party
					Victor Marijnen (Marijnen) [22]
					Jo Cals (Cals) [23]
					Jelle Zijlstra (Zijlstra) [24]
		Bauke Roolvink (1912–1979)	5 April 1967 – 6 July 1971	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Piet de Jong (De Jong) [25]
Minister of Social Affairs			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Jaap Boersma (1929–2012)	6 July 1971 – 19 December 1977	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Barend Biesheuvel (Biesheuvel I • II) [26]
					Joop den Uyl (Den Uyl) [27]
		Dr. Wil Albeda (1925–2014)	19 December 1977 – 11 September 1981	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Dries van Agt (Van Agt I) [28]
				Christian Democratic Appeal
Minister of Social Affairs and Employment			Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Joop den Uyl (1919–1987) [Deputy]	11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 [Minister] [Res]	Labour Party	Dries van Agt (Van Agt II) [29]
		Louw de Graaf (1930–2020)	29 May 1982 – 4 November 1982	Christian Democratic Appeal	Dries van Agt (Van Agt III) [30]
		Jan de Koning (1926–1994)	4 November 1982 – 3 February 1987 [Minister] [App]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers I) [31]
					Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers II) [32]
		Louw de Graaf (1930–2020)	3 February 1987 – 6 May 1987 [Acting]	Christian Democratic Appeal
		Jan de Koning (1926–1994)	6 May 1987 – 7 November 1989 [Minister]	Christian Democratic Appeal
		Dr. Bert de Vries (born 1938)	7 November 1989 – 22 August 1994	Christian Democratic Appeal	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers III) [33]
		Ad Melkert (born 1956)	22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998	Labour Party	Wim Kok (Kok I) [34]
		Klaas de Vries (born 1943)	3 August 1998 – 24 March 2000 [App]	Labour Party	Wim Kok (Kok II) [35]
		Dr. Willem Vermeend (born 1948)	24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002	Labour Party
		Aart Jan de Geus (born 1955)	22 July 2002 – 22 February 2007 [Minister]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende I • II • III) [36][37][38]
		Piet Hein Donner (born 1948)	22 February 2007 – 14 October 2010	Christian Democratic Appeal	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende IV) [39]
		Henk Kamp (born 1952)	14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Mark Rutte (Rutte I) [40]
		Dr. Lodewijk Asscher (born 1974) [Deputy]	5 November 2012 – 26 October 2017	Labour Party	Mark Rutte (Rutte II) [41]
		Wouter Koolmees (born 1977) [Deputy]	26 October 2017 – 10 January 2022	Democrats 66	Mark Rutte (Rutte III) [42]
		Karien van Gennip (born 1968) [Deputy]	10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024	Christian Democratic Appeal	Mark Rutte (Rutte IV) [43]
		Eddy van Hijum (born 1972)	2 July 2024 – Incumbent	New Social Contract	Dick Schoof (Schoof) [44]

^Resigned

^Acting

^{Ad Interim}

^{Deputy Prime Minister}

^{Acting Deputy Prime Minister from 1 November 2019 until 14 May 2020}

^{Deputy Prime Minister from 5 September 2023}

^{Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries}

^{Minister for Kingdom Relations}

^{Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport from 16 October 2002 until 27 May 2003}

^{Appointed as acting Minister of the Interior}

^{Appointed as Minister of the Interior}

List of ministers without portfolio

Ministers without Portfolio			Portfolio	Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Carola Schouten (born 1977) [Deputy]	• Welfare • Civic Engagement • Pensions	10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024	Christian Union	Mark Rutte (Rutte IV) [43]

List of state secretaries for social affairs

State Secretary for Social Affairs			Portfolio(s)	Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Dr. Piet Muntendam (1901–1986)	• Primary Healthcare • Elderly Care • Disability Policy	1 April 1950 – 15 September 1951	Labour Party	Willem Drees (Drees–Van Schaik) [16][17]
		Dr. Aat van Rhijn (1892–1986)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services	15 February 1950 – 15 September 1951	Labour Party
State Secretary for Social Affairs and Health			Portfolio(s)	Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Dr. Piet Muntendam (1901–1986)	• Primary Healthcare • Elderly Care • Disability Policy	15 September 1951 – 1 October 1953 [Res]	Labour Party	Willem Drees (Drees I • II) [17][18]
		Dr. Aat van Rhijn (1892–1986)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services	15 September 1951 – 22 December 1958	Labour Party	Willem Drees (Drees I • II • III) [17][18][19]
Vacant
		Bauke Roolvink (1912–1979)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services	15 June 1959 – 24 July 1963	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Jan de Quay (De Quay) [21]
		Dr. Louis Bartels (1915–2002)	• Primary Healthcare • Elderly Care • Disability Policy • Medical Ethics	3 September 1963 – 5 April 1967	Catholic People's Party	Victor Marijnen (Marijnen) [22]
						Jo Cals (Cals) [23]
						Jelle Zijlstra (Zijlstra) [24]
		Dr. José de Meijer (1915–2000)	• Occupational Safety • Public Organisations	15 November 1963 – 5 April 1967	Catholic People's Party	Victor Marijnen (Marijnen) [22]
						Jo Cals (Cals) [23]
						Jelle Zijlstra (Zijlstra) [24]
		Dr. Roelof Kruisinga (1922–2012)	• Primary Healthcare • Elderly Care • Disability Policy • Medical Ethics	18 April 1967 – 6 July 1971	Christian Historical Union	Piet de Jong (De Jong) [25]
State Secretary for Social Affairs			Portfolio(s)	Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Koos Rietkerk (1927–1986)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety	28 July 1971 – 23 April 1973 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Barend Biesheuvel (Biesheuvel I • II) [26]
		Jan Mertens (1916–2000)	• Social Security • Occupational Safety	11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977	Catholic People's Party	Joop den Uyl (Den Uyl) [27]
		Louw de Graaf (1930–2020)	• Social Security • Occupational Safety	28 December 1977 – 11 September 1981	Anti-Revolutionary Party	Dries van Agt (Van Agt I) [28]
					Christian Democratic Appeal
State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment			Portfolio(s)	Term of office	Party	Prime Minister (Cabinet)
		Ien Dales (1931–1994)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Elderly Care • Disability Policy	11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 [Res]	Labour Party	Dries van Agt (Van Agt II) [29]
		Hedy d'Ancona (born 1937)	• Occupational Safety • Adult Education • Equality • Emancipation	11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 [Res]	Labour Party
		Piet van Zeil (1927–2012)	• Occupational Safety • Elderly Care • Disability Policy	12 June 1982 – 4 November 1982 [State Secretary]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Dries van Agt (Van Agt III) [30]
		Louw de Graaf (1930–2020)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety	5 November 1982 – 3 February 1987 [App]	Christian Democratic Appeal	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers I • II) [31][32]
				6 May 1987 – 1 October 1989 [Res]
		Annelien Kappeyne van de Coppello (1936–1990)	• Disability Policy • Family Policy • Equality • Emancipation	8 November 1982 – 14 July 1986	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers I) [31]
		Elske ter Veld (1944–2017)	• Social Services • Equality • Emancipation	7 November 1989 – 4 June 1993 [Res]	Labour Party	Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers III) [33]
		Jacques Wallage (born 1946)		9 June 1993 – 22 August 1994	Labour Party
		Robin Linschoten (born 1956)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety	22 August 1994 – 28 June 1998 [Res]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Wim Kok (Kok I) [34]
		Frank de Grave (born 1955)		2 July 1996 – 3 August 1998	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Hans Hoogervorst (born 1956)	• Social Security • Occupational Safety • Social Services	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Wim Kok (Kok II) [35]
		Annelies Verstand (born 1949)	• Unemployment • Equality • Emancipation	3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002	Democrats 66
		Mark Rutte (born 1967)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services	22 July 2002 – 17 June 2004 [App]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende I) [36]
						Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende II) [37]
		Henk van Hoof (born 1947)		17 June 2004 – 22 February 2007	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
						Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende III) [38]
		Philomena Bijlhout (born 1957)	• Family Policy • Equality • Emancipation	22 July 2002 – 24 July 2002 [Res]	Pim Fortuyn List	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende I) [36]
		Khee Liang Phoa (born 1955)		9 September 2002 – 27 May 2003	Pim Fortuyn List
		Ahmed Aboutaleb (born 1961)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services	22 February 2007 – 18 December 2008 [App]	Labour Party	Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende IV) [39]
		Jetta Klijnsma (born 1957)		18 December 2008 – 23 February 2010 [Res]	Labour Party
		Paul de Krom (born 1963)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services	14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Mark Rutte (Rutte I) [41]
		Jetta Klijnsma (born 1957)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services • Equality • Emancipation	5 November 2012 – 26 October 2017	Labour Party	Mark Rutte (Rutte II) [41]
		Tamara van Ark (born 1974)	• Social Security • Unemployment • Occupational Safety • Social Services • Youth Care • Equality • Emancipation	26 October 2017 – 9 July 2020 [App]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Mark Rutte (Rutte III) [42]
		Bas van 't Wout (born 1979)		9 July 2020 – 20 January 2021 [App]	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Dennis Wiersma (born 1986)		10 August 2021 – 10 January 2022	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
		Jurgen Nobel (born 1988)	• Participation • Integration	2 July 2024 – Incumbent	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	Dick Schoof (Schoof) [44]

^Resigned

^{Appointed as State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science}

^{Appointed as Mayor of Rotterdam}

^{Appointed as Minister without Portfolio for Health, Welfare and Sport}

^{Appointed as Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy}

^{State Secretary for Economic Affairs}

See also

• Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment