Wilders pulls the strings from behind the scenes – new government in The Hague

With entirely untested ministers, civil servant Dick Schoof takes over as Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

The question is how – and if – Islam-critical Geert Wilders can exert influence from behind the scenes.

The 67-year-old Schoof, with experience from, among other things, the Ministry of Justice, was sworn in by King Willem-Alexander on Tuesday, along with his 15 ministers: five from Geert Wilders' PVV, four from the liberal VVD and the neo-conservative NSC, and two from the farmer-populist BBB.

"I stand for taking action on migration, holding a dialogue, making decisions, and being clear about why. You can count on me", Schoof himself says via X.

Wilders' PVV clearly became the largest party in the parliamentary election last autumn and has since also climbed even higher in national opinion polls. However, there will be no ministerial post for the controversial Wilders. In order to get a majority behind a government, he has had to agree to stay outside the government, like other party leaders.

The curiosity is simultaneously great about how Wilders will want to pull the strings from the background.

It is still an open question how he (Schoof) will react if Wilders puts pressure on him through public criticism on X, says political scientist Sarah de Lange to the AFP news agency.

The Netherlands has been governed since 2017 by a government with the right-liberal VVD, left-liberal D66, conservative CDA, and the small Christian party CU.

Now a new four-party coalition is being formed, where VVD is joined by the newly formed conservative NSC, the far-right PVV, and the farmer-populist BBB. The parties have a total of 88 out of 150 seats in parliament.

Formally non-political Prime Minister becomes former civil servant Dick Schoof. Former ambassador Casper Veldkamp from NSC becomes the new Foreign Minister, while VVD takes responsibility for, among other things, climate, finance, and defense through Sophie Hermans, Eelco Heinen, and Ruben Brekelmans. Marjolein Faber from PVV becomes the Minister for Asylum and Migration.