List of ministers of defence of the Netherlands

The minister of defence () is the head of the Ministry of Defence and a member of the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers. The incumbent minister is Dilan Yeşilgöz of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) party who has been in office since 23 February 2026. Regularly, a state secretary is assigned to the ministry who is tasked with specific portfolios. The current state secretary is Derk Boswijk of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) who also has been in office since 23 February 2026.

List of ministers Ministers of Defence (1928–1941) Portrait Name Term of officeParty Cabinet Major Johan Lambooij (1874–1942) 1 September 1928 – 10 August 1929 Roman Catholic State Party De Geer I Dr. Laurent Deckers (1883–1978)10 August 1929 – 2 September 1935 Roman Catholic State Party De Beerenbrouck III Colijn II Colijn III Major Dr. Hendrikus Colijn (1869–1944) 2 September 1935 – 24 June 1937 Anti-Revolutionary Party Captain Dr. Jannes van Dijk (1871–1954) 24 June 1937 – 10 August 1939 Anti-Revolutionary Party Colijn IV • V Major general Adriaan Dijxhoorn (1889–1953)10 August 1939 – 12 June 1941Independent De Geer II Gerbrandy I Hendrik van Boeijen (1889–1947) 12 June 1941 – 27 July 1941 Ad interim Christian Historical Union

Ministers of War and the Navy (1948–1956) Portrait Name Term of officeParty Cabinet Captain Wim Schokking (1900–1960) 7 August 1948 – 16 October 1950 Christian Historical Union Drees–Van Schaik Hans s'Jacob (1906–1967) 16 October 1950 – 15 March 1951 Independent Kees Staf (1905–1973) 15 March 1951 – 13 October 1956 Christian Historical Union Drees I • II

Ministers of Defence (since 1956) Portrait Name Term of officeParty Cabinet Kees Staf (1905–1973) 13 October 1956 – 19 May 1959 Christian Historical Union Drees III Beel II Major general Sidney J. van den Bergh (1898–1977) 19 May 1959 – 1 August 1959 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy De Quay Major Jan de Quay (1901–1985) 1 August 1959 – 4 September 1959 Acting Catholic People's Party Sim Visser (1908–1983) 4 September 1959 – 24 July 1963 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Captain Piet de Jong (1915–2016) 24 July 1963 – 5 April 1967 Catholic People's Party Marijnen Cals Zijlstra Lieutenant general Willem den Toom (1911–1998) 5 April 1967 – 6 July 1971 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy De Jong Hans de Koster (1914–1992) 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Biesheuvel I • II Henk Vredeling (1924–2007) 11 May 1973 – 31 december 1976 Labour Party Den Uyl Captain Bram Stemerdink (born 1936) 31 december 1976 – 19 December 1977 Labour Party Roelof Kruisinga (1922–2012) 19 December 1977 – 4 March 1978 Christian Historical Union Van Agt I Jan de Koning (1926–1994) 4 March 1978 – 8 March 1978 Ad Interim Anti-Revolutionary Party Willem Scholten (1927–2005) 8 March 1978 – 25 August 1980 Christian Historical Union Captain Pieter de Geus (1929–2004) 25 August 1980 – 11 September 1981 Christian Historical Union Christian Democratic Appeal Hans van Mierlo (1931–2010) 11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982 Democrats 66 Van Agt II • III Job de Ruiter (1930–2015) 4 November 1982 – 14 July 1986 Christian Democratic Appeal Lubbers I Wim van Eekelen (1931–2025) 14 July 1986 – 6 September 1988 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Lubbers II Piet Bukman (1934–2022) 6 September 1988 – 24 September 1988 Ad Interim Christian Democratic Appeal Frits Bolkestein (1933–2025) 24 September 1988 – 7 November 1989 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Relus ter Beek (1944–2008) 7 November 1989 – 6 February 1991 Labour Party Lubbers III Jan Pronk (born 1940) 6 February 1991 – 3 March 1991 Acting Labour Party Relus ter Beek (1944–2008) 3 March 1991 – 22 August 1994 Labour Party Joris Voorhoeve (born 1945) 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Kok I Frank de Grave (born 1955) 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Kok II Benk Korthals (born 1944) 22 July 2002 – 12 December 2002 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Balkenende I Henk Kamp (born 1952) 12 December 2002 – 22 February 2007 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Balkenende II • III Eimert van Middelkoop (born 1949) 22 February 2007 – 14 October 2010 Christian Union Balkenende IV Hans Hillen (born 1947) 14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012 Christian Democratic Appeal Rutte I Commander Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (born 1973) 5 November 2012 – 4 October 2017 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Rutte II Klaas Dijkhoff (born 1981) 4 October 2017 – 26 October 2017 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Ank Bijleveld (born 1962) 26 October 2017 – 17 September 2021 Christian Democratic Appeal Rutte III Ferdinand Grapperhaus (born 1959) 17 September 2021 – 24 September 2021 Acting Christian Democratic Appeal Henk Kamp (born 1952) 24 September 2021 – 10 January 2022 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Jonkvrouw Kajsa Ollongren (born 1967) 10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024 Democrats 66 Rutte IV Ruben Brekelmans (born 1986) 2 July 2024 – 23 February 2026 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Schoof Dilan Yeşilgöz (born 1977) 23 February 2026 – Incumbent People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Jetten

List of state secretaries for defence Portrait Name Portfolio(s) Term of office Party Cabinet Vice admiral Harry Moorman (1899–1971) • Navy 1 May 1949 – 27 November 1950 Catholic People's Party Drees–Van Schaik • Drees I • Army • Navy • Air Force 27 November 1950 – 1 June 1951 • Navy 1 June 1951 – 19 May 1959 Drees II • III Beel II Wim Fockema Andreae (1909–1996) • Army • Air Force 1 May 1949 – 27 November 1950 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Drees–Van Schaik Ferdinand Kranenburg (1911–1994) • Army • Air Force 1 June 1951 – 1 June 1958 Labour Party Drees I • II Drees III Meine van Veen (1893–1970) 25 October 1958 – 22 December 1958 Labour Party Lieutenant general Michael Calmeyer (1895–1990) • Army • Air Force 19 June 1959 – 24 July 1963 Christian Historical Union De Quay Captain Piet de Jong (1915–2016) • Navy 25 June 1959 – 24 July 1963 Catholic People's Party Vice admiral Adri van Es (1913–1994) • Navy 14 August 1963 – 6 July 1971 Anti-Revolutionary Party Marijnen Cals Zijlstra De Jong • Human Resources • Equipment 6 July 1971 – 16 September 1972 Biesheuvel I • II Brigadier general Joop Haex (1911–2002) • Army 14 August 1963 – 14 April 1965 Christian Historical Union Marijnen Major general Willem den Toom (1911–1998) • Air Force 25 November 1963 – 14 April 1965 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Gerard Peijnenburg (1919–2000) • Army 13 May 1965 – 5 April 1967 Independent Cals Zijlstra Colonel Jan Borghouts (1910–1966) • Air Force 12 July 1965 – 5 February 1966 Catholic People's Party Cals Lieutenant general Heije Schaper (1906–1996) 22 June 1966 – 5 April 1967 Independent Zijlstra Major general Joop Haex (1911–2002) • Army 18 April 1967 – 6 July 1971 Christian Historical Union De Jong Bob Duynstee (1920–2014) • Air Force 28 April 1967 – 6 July 1971 Catholic People's Party Joep Mommersteeg (1917–1991) • Human Resources 11 May 1973 – 1 March 1974 Catholic People's Party Den Uyl Brigadier general Cees van Lent (1922–2000) 11 March 1974 – 11 September 1981 Catholic People's Party Christian Democratic Appeal Van Agt I Captain Bram Stemerdink (born 1936) • Equipment • Justice 11 May 1973 – 1 January 1977 Labour Party Den Uyl Wim van Eekelen (1931–2025) • Equipment • Justice 20 January 1978 – 11 September 1981 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Van Agt I Captain Bram Stemerdink (born 1936) • Equipment • Justice 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 Labour Party Van Agt II Jan van Houwelingen (1937–2013) • Human Resources 14 September 1981 – 7 November 1989 Christian Democratic Appeal • Human Resources • Equipment Van Agt III • Equipment Lubbers I • Human Resources • Equipment Lubbers II Charl Schwietert (born 1943) • Human Resources 8 November 1982 – 11 November 1982 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Lubbers I Willem Hoekzema (born 1939) 19 November 1982 – 14 July 1986 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Baron Berend-Jan van Voorst tot Voorst (1944–2023) • Human Resources • Equipment • Justice 7 November 1989 – 1 June 1993 Christian Democratic Appeal Lubbers III Lieutenant colonel Ton Frinking (1931–2022) 1 June 1993 – 22 August 1994 Christian Democratic Appeal Lieutenant commander Jan Gmelich Meijling (1936–2012) • Human Resources • Equipment 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Kok I Commander Henk van Hoof (born 1947) • Human Resources • Equipment 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Kok II Cees van der Knaap (born 1951) • Human Resources • Military Administration • Equipment 22 July 2002 – 18 December 2007 Christian Democratic Appeal Balkenende I • II • III Balkenende IV Lieutenant Jack de Vries (born 1968) 18 December 2007 – 18 May 2010 Christian Democratic Appeal Vacant Barbara Visser (born 1977) • Human Resources • Military Administration • Equipment 26 October 2017 – 31 August 2021 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Rutte III Christophe van der Maat (born 1980) • Human Resources • Military Administration • Equipment 10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Rutte IV Lieutenant Colonel Gijs Tuinman (born 1979) • Human Resources • Military Administration • Equipment 2 July 2024 – 23 February 2026 Farmer–Citizen Movement Schoof Derk Boswijk (born 1989)• Human Resources • Military Administration • Equipment23 February 2026 – IncumbentChristian Democratic AppealJetten

See also Ministry of Defence Chief of Defence

References