The minister of social affairs and employment () 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 Mariëlle Paul of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). 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.
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) Minister of Labour, Commerce and IndustryTerm of officePartyPrime Minister (Cabinet) Piet Aalberse (1871–1948) 1 January 1923 – 4 August 1925 Roman Catholic State Party Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (Ruijs de Beerenbrouck II) Dion Koolen (1871–1945) 4 August 1925 – 8 March 1926 Roman Catholic State Party Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn I) The Reverend Jan Rudolph Slotemaker de Bruïne (1869–1941) 8 March 1926 – 10 August 1929 Christian Historical Union Dirk Jan de Geer (De Geer I) Timotheus Verschuur (1886–1945) 10 August 1929 – 1 May 1932 Roman Catholic State Party Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III) Minister of Economic Affairs and Labour Term of officePartyPrime Minister (Cabinet)Timotheus Verschuur (1886–1945)1 May 1932 – 8 June 1933 Roman Catholic State Party Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III) Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn II) Minister of Social AffairsTerm of officePartyPrime Minister (Cabinet) The Reverend Jan Rudolph Slotemaker de Bruïne (1869–1941) 8 June 1933 – 31 July 1935 Christian Historical Union Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn II) Marcus Slingenberg (1881–1941) 31 July 1935 – 24 June 1937 Free-thinking Democratic League Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn III) Carl Romme (1896–1980) 24 June 1937 – 25 July 1939 Roman Catholic State Party Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn IV) Marinus Damme (1876–1966) 25 July 1939 – 10 August 1939 Independent Liberal (Classical Liberal) Hendrikus Colijn (Colijn V) Jan van den Tempel (1877–1955)10 August 1939 – 23 February 1945Social Democratic Workers' Party Dirk Jan de Geer (De Geer II) Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy (Gerbrandy I • II) 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)
Since 1945 Minister of Social Affairs Term of office Party Prime Minister (Cabinet) Willem Drees (1886–1988) 25 June 1945 – 7 August 1948 Social Democratic Workers' Party Willem Schermerhorn (Schermerhorn–Drees) Labour Party Louis Beel (Beel I) Dolf Joekes (1884–1962) 7 August 1948 – 15 September 1951 Labour Party Willem Drees (Drees–Van Schaik • Drees I) Minister of Social Affairs and Health Term of office Party Prime Minister (Cabinet) Dolf Joekes (1884–1962) 15 September 1951 – 2 September 1952 Labour Party Willem Drees (Drees I) Ko Suurhoff (1905–1967) 2 September 1952 – 22 December 1958 Labour Party Willem Drees (Drees II • III) Louis Beel (Prime Minister) (1902–1985) 22 December 1958 – 19 May 1959 Catholic People's Party Louis Beel (Beel II) Charles van Rooy (1912–1996) 19 May 1959 – 3 July 1961 Catholic People's Party Jan de Quay (De Quay) Victor Marijnen (1917–1975) 3 July 1961 – 17 July 1961 Catholic People's Party Gerard Veldkamp (1921–1990) 17 July 1961 – 5 April 1967 Catholic People's Party Victor Marijnen (Marijnen) Jo Cals (Cals) Jelle Zijlstra (Zijlstra) Bauke Roolvink (1912–1979) 5 April 1967 – 6 July 1971 Anti-Revolutionary Party Piet de Jong (De Jong) 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) Joop den Uyl (Den Uyl) Wil Albeda (1925–2014) 19 December 1977 – 11 September 1981 Anti-Revolutionary Party Dries van Agt (Van Agt I) Christian Democratic Appeal Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Term of office Party Prime Minister (Cabinet) Joop den Uyl (1919–1987) 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 Labour Party Dries van Agt (Van Agt II) Louw de Graaf (1930–2020) 29 May 1982 – 4 November 1982 Christian Democratic Appeal Dries van Agt (Van Agt III) Jan de Koning (1926–1994) 4 November 1982 – 3 February 1987 Christian Democratic Appeal Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers I) Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers II) Louw de Graaf (1930–2020) 3 February 1987 – 6 May 1987 Christian Democratic Appeal Jan de Koning (1926–1994) 6 May 1987 – 7 November 1989 Christian Democratic Appeal Bert de Vries (born 1938) 7 November 1989 – 22 August 1994 Christian Democratic Appeal Ruud Lubbers (Lubbers III) Ad Melkert (born 1956) 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 Labour Party Wim Kok (Kok I) Klaas de Vries (born 1943) 3 August 1998 – 24 March 2000 Labour Party Wim Kok (Kok II) Willem Vermeend (born 1948) 24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002 Labour Party Aart Jan de Geus (born 1955) 22 July 2002 – 22 February 2007 Christian Democratic Appeal Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende I • II • III) Piet Hein Donner (born 1948) 22 February 2007 – 14 October 2010 Christian Democratic Appeal Jan Peter Balkenende (Balkenende IV) Henk Kamp (born 1952) 14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Mark Rutte (Rutte I) Lodewijk Asscher (born 1974) 5 November 2012 – 26 October 2017 Labour Party Mark Rutte (Rutte II) Wouter Koolmees (born 1977) 26 October 2017 – 10 January 2022 Democrats 66 Mark Rutte (Rutte III) Karien van Gennip (born 1968) 10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024 Christian Democratic Appeal Mark Rutte (Rutte IV) Eddy van Hijum (born 1972) 2 July 2024 – 22 August 2025 New Social Contract Dick Schoof (Schoof) Mona Keijzer (born 1968) 22 August 2025 – 5 September 2025 Farmer–Citizen Movement Mariëlle Paul (born 1966) 5 September 2025 – Incumbent 23 February 2026 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Hans Vijlbrief (born 1963) 23 February 2026 – Incumbent Democrats 66 Rob Jetten (Jetten)
List of ministers without portfolio Ministers without Portfolio Portfolio Term of office Party Prime Minister (Cabinet) Carola Schouten (born 1977) • Welfare • Civic Engagement • Pensions 10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024 Christian Union Mark Rutte (Rutte IV)
List of state secretaries for social affairs