The cabinet of the Netherlands has had female members since 1953. Anna de Waal served as the first female cabinet member as State Secretary for Education, Arts and Sciences appointed on 2 February 1953. Marga Klompé was the first female cabinet minister as Minister of Social Work appointed on 13 October 1956.
First holders PositionFirst HolderAppointedNumber of Holders Prime Minister None None 0Deputy Prime Minister Annemarie Jorritsma3 August 19989 Els Borst Minister of the Interior Ien Dales 7 November 1989 7 Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigrid Kaag 25 May 2021 2 Minister of Finance Sigrid Kaag 10 January 2022 1 (1 acting) Minister of Justice Winnie Sorgdrager 22 August 1994 2 (1 acting) Minister of Economic Affairs Annemarie Jorritsma 3 August 1998 3 Minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert 5 November 2012 3 Minister of Health Irene Vorrink 11 May 1973 7 Minister of Social Affairs Karien van Gennip 10 January 2022 1 Minister of Education Maria van der Hoeven 22 July 2002 4 (1 acting) Minister of Transport Neelie Kroes 4 November 1982 8 Minister of Agriculture Gerda Verburg 22 February 2007 3 Minister of Housing Margreeth de Boer 22 August 1994 5 (1 acting) Minister of Social Work Marga Klompé 13 October 1956 3 Minister for Development Cooperation Eegje Schoo 4 November 1982 7 State Secretary for the Interior Saskia Stuiveling 11 September 1981 5 State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Agnes van Ardenne 22 July 2002 1 State Secretary for Finance Alexandra van Huffelen 29 January 2020 3 State Secretary for Justice Bert Haars 28 December 1977 7 State Secretary for Economic Affairs Yvonne van Rooy 30 October 1986 5 State Secretary for Defence Barbara Visser 26 October 2017 1 State Secretary for Health Els Veder-Smit 3 January 1978 8State Secretary for Social Affairs Ien Dales11 September 19819 Hedy d'Ancona State Secretary for Education Anna de Waal 2 February 1953 10 State Secretary for Transport Neelie Kroes 28 December 1977 8 State Secretary for Agriculture Geke Faber 3 August 1998 2 State Secretary for Housing Siepie de Jong 11 September 1981 1 State Secretary for Social Work Fia van Veenendaal-van Meggelen 28 July 1971 2
First holders in acting capacity PositionFirst HolderAppointed Minister of Education Marga Klompé 7 November 1961 Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigrid Kaag 13 February 2018
Second Drees cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Dr. Anna de Waal (1906–1981) State Secretary for Education, Arts and Sciences 2 February 1953 – 13 October 1956 Catholic People's PartySource: Kabinet-Drees II Rijksoverheid
Third Drees cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Dr. Marga Klompé (1912–1986) Minister of Social Work 13 October 1956 – 22 December 1958 Catholic People's Party Dr. Anna de Waal (1906–1981) State Secretary for Education, Arts and Sciences 13 October 1956 – 16 March 1957 Catholic People's PartySource: Kabinet-Drees III Rijksoverheid
Second Beel cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Dr. Marga Klompé (1912–1986) Minister of Social Work 22 December 1958 – 19 May 1959 Catholic People's PartySource: Kabinet-Beel II Rijksoverheid
De Quay cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officePartyDr. Marga Klompé (1912–1986)Ad interim Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences 7 November 1961 – 4 February 1962 Catholic People's Party 23 April 1963 – 24 July 1963 Minister of Social Work 19 May 1959 – 24 July 1963Source: Kabinet-De Quay Rijksoverheid
Marijnen cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Jo Schouwenaar-Franssen (1909–1995) Minister of Social Work 24 July 1963 – 14 April 1965 People's Party for Freedom and DemocracySource: Kabinet-Marijnen Rijksoverheid
Zijlstra cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Dr. Marga Klompé (1912–1986) Minister of Culture, Recreation and Social Work 22 November 1966 – 5 April 1967 Catholic People's PartySource: Kabinet-Zijlstra Rijksoverheid
De Jong cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Dr. Marga Klompé (1912–1986) Minister of Culture, Recreation and Social Work 5 April 1967 – 6 July 1971 Catholic People's PartySource: Kabinet-De Jong Rijksoverheid
First Biesheuvel cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Fia van Veenendaal-van Meggelen (1918–2005) State Secretary for Culture, Recreation and Social Work 28 July 1971 – 21 July 1972 Democratic Socialists '70Source: Kabinet-Biesheuvel Rijksoverheid
Den Uyl cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Irene Vorrink (1918–1996) Minister of Health and Environment 11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977 Labour PartySource: Kabinet-Den Uyl Rijksoverheid
First Van Agt cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officePartyTil Gardeniers-Berendsen (1925–2019)Minister of Culture, Recreation and Social Work19 December 1977 – 11 September 1981 Catholic People's Party Christian Democratic AppealBert Haars (1913–1997)State Secretary for Justice28 December 1977 – 11 September 1981 Christian Historical Union Christian Democratic Appeal Els Veder-Smit (1921–2020) State Secretary for Health and Environment 3 January 1978 – 11 September 1981 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Neelie Kroes (born 1941) State Secretary for Transport and Water Management 28 December 1977 – 11 September 1981 People's Party for Freedom and DemocracyJeltien Kraaijeveld-Wouters (1932–2025)State Secretary for Culture, Recreation and Social Work28 December 1977 – 9 September 1981 Anti-Revolutionary Party Christian Democratic AppealSource: Kabinet-Van Agt I Rijksoverheid
Second Van Agt cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Til Gardeniers-Berendsen (1925–2019) Minister of Health and Environment 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 Christian Democratic Appeal Saskia Stuiveling (1945–2017) State Secretary for the Interior 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 Labour Party Ineke Lambers-Hacquebard (1946–2014) State Secretary for Health and Environment 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 Democrats 66 Ien Dales (1931–1994) State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 Labour Party Hedy d'Ancona (born 1937) State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 Labour Party Siepie de Jong (born 1940) State Secretary for Housing and Spatial Planning 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 Labour PartySource: Kabinet-Van Agt II Rijksoverheid
Third Van Agt cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officePartyTil Gardeniers-Berendsen (1925–2019) Minister of Health and Environment 29 May 1982 – 4 November 1982Christian Democratic Appeal Ad interim Minister of Culture, Recreation and Social Work 11 October 1982 – 4 November 1982 Ineke Lambers-Hacquebard (1946–2014) State Secretary for Health and Environment 29 May 1982 – 4 November 1982 Democrats 66Source: Kabinet-Van Agt III Rijksoverheid
First Lubbers cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Neelie Kroes (born 1941) Minister of Transport and Water Management 4 November 1982 – 14 July 1986 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Eegje Schoo (born 1944) Minister for Development Cooperation 4 November 1982 – 14 July 1986 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Virginie Korte-van Hemel (1929–2014) State Secretary for Justice 8 November 1982 – 14 July 1986 Christian Democratic Appeal Annelien Kappeyne van de Coppello (1936–1990) State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment 8 November 1982 – 14 July 1986 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Nell Ginjaar-Maas (1931–2012) State Secretary for Education and Sciences 5 November 1982 – 14 July 1986 People's Party for Freedom and DemocracySource: Kabinet-Lubbers I Rijksoverheid
Second Lubbers cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Neelie Kroes (born 1941) Minister of Transport and Water Management 14 July 1986 – 7 November 1989 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Dieuwke de Graaff-Nauta (1930–2008) State Secretary for the Interior 14 July 1986 – 7 November 1989 Christian Democratic Appeal Virginie Korte-van Hemel (1929–2014) State Secretary for Justice 14 July 1986 – 7 November 1989 Christian Democratic Appeal Yvonne van Rooy (born 1951) State Secretary for Economic Affairs 30 October 1986 – 7 November 1989 Christian Democratic Appeal Nell Ginjaar-Maas (1931–2012) State Secretary for Education and Sciences 14 July 1986 – 7 November 1989 People's Party for Freedom and DemocracySource: Kabinet-Lubbers II Rijksoverheid
Third Lubbers cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Ien Dales (1931–1994) Minister of the Interior 7 November 1989 – 10 January 1994 Labour Party Dieuwke de Graaff-Nauta (1930–2008) Minister of the Interior 27 May 1994 – 22 Augustus 1994 Christian Democratic Appeal State Secretary for the Interior 7 November 1989 – 27 May 1994 Hedy d'Ancona (born 1937) Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture 7 November 1989 – 16 July 1994 Labour Party Hanja Maij-Weggen (born 1943) Minister of Transport and Water Management 7 November 1989 – 16 July 1994 Christian Democratic Appeal Yvonne van Rooy (born 1951) State Secretary for Economic Affairs 28 September 1990 – 22 August 1994 Christian Democratic Appeal Elske ter Veld (1944–2017) State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment 7 November 1989 – 4 June 1993 Labour PartySource: Kabinet-Lubbers III Rijksoverheid
First Kok cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officeParty Winnie Sorgdrager (born 1948) Minister of Justice 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 Democrats 66 Dr. Els Borst (1932–2014) Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 Democrats 66 Annemarie Jorritsma (born 1950) Minister of Transport and Water Management 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Margreeth de Boer (born 1939) Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 Labour Party Tonny van de Vondervoort (born 1950) State Secretary for the Interior 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 Labour Party Elizabeth Schmitz (born 1938) State Secretary for Justice 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 Labour Party Anneke van Dok-van Weele (born 1947) State Secretary for Economic Affairs 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 Labour Party Erica Terpstra (born 1943) State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Tineke Netelenbos (born 1944) State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 Labour PartySource: Kabinet-Kok I Rijksoverheid
Second Kok cabinet Cabinet Member(s)Position(s) Term of officePartyAnnemarie Jorritsma (born 1950) Deputy Prime Minister3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Minister of Economic AffairsDr. Els Borst (1932–2014) Deputy Prime Minister3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002Democrats 66 Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Tineke Netelenbos (born 1944) Minister of Transport and Water Management 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 Labour Party Eveline Herfkens (born 1952) Minister for Development Cooperation 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 Labour Party Ella Kalsbeek (born 1955) State Secretary for Justice 1 January 2001 – 22 July 2002 Labour Party Margo Vliegenthart (born 1958) State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 Labour Party Annelies Verstand (born 1949) State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 Democrats 66 Karin Adelmund (1949–2005) State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 Labour Party Monique de Vries (born 1947) State Secretary for Transport and Water Management 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Geke Faber (born 1952) State Secretary for Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 Labour PartySource: Kabinet-Kok II Rijksoverheid
First Balkenende cabinet