Hugo de Jonge will be the new caretaker Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK). He replaces Hanke Bruins Slot, who will become the new outgoing Minister of Foreign Affairs after the departure of Wopke Hoekstra to the European Commission. De Jonge will also remain Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning.
Bruins Slot to Foreign Affairs
Last Saturday, Bruins Slot said in a interview with the Volkskrant that she also hoped to get something done on a caretaker basis. She mentioned further strengthening the democratic constitutional state and regaining citizens’ trust in the government. But she will no longer do this as Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, but of Foreign Affairs. “The cabinet is outgoing, so it is not logical to ask someone from outside,” said CDA leader Bontenbal on the party website.
Democratic values
“As an Afghanistan veteran and the minister responsible for intelligence and security, Hanke is more than qualified for this move to the State Department,” Bontenbal said. According to him, this internal shift is ‘the best solution for the remaining months’. The question, of course, is how long that period will last. ‘Today I was nominated as the new caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs,’ said Bruins Slot. on X (formerly Twitter). “I will continue unabated in this role in my commitment to democratic values.”
Great responsibility
Hugo de Jonge was Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport in the previous cabinet and became widely known during the corona crisis, but also because of the related ‘face mask scandal’. In the Rutte IV cabinet, he switched to Housing and Spatial Planning, where his work includes the introduction of the Environment and Planning Act. In addition to this portfolio, he will lead the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations until a new cabinet takes office. ‘It is characteristic of Hugo that he was immediately prepared to combine his public housing portfolio with the tasks of the Minister of the Interior,’ says Bontebal. De Jonge himself writes on X that he sees this ministry as ‘a fine assignment and a great responsibility’. ‘To work!’
2023-09-05 12:13:14
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