Former Dutch intelligence chief Dick Schoof is set to lead a right-wing government as the Netherlands’ next prime minister, Dutch media reported Tuesday.
Schoof has been tapped to lead a coalition dominated by Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party (PVV), a radical right-wing force which won a surprising victory in November’s elections. Wilders is joined by departing Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s center-right liberal VVD, the centrist New Social Contract (NSC) and the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB).
Schoof will give a press conference Tuesday at 5 p.m., with coalition negotiator Richard van Zwol.
The four parties have agreed to attempt to further curb migration, roll back a law that would distribute migrants across the country evenly and try to convince other EU nations to give The Hague an opt-out from the bloc’s migration rules.
Schoof, who is currently the highest civil servant at the Ministry of Justice and Security, has decades of policy experience. He previously led his country’s General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) and prior to that was national terrorism chief. He also steered the national authority on migration decision and services between 1999 and 2003, which likely caught the eye of radical-right, anti-Islam Wilders.
In an interview with the Dutch magazine De Groene Amsterdammer in March, Schoof said “we can handle” the possible impact of a PVV-led government on the rule of law in the Netherlands.
Dutch broadcasters NOS and RTL reported on Schoof’s imminent elevation, which was nearly two weeks in the making.
Previous prime ministerial candidate Ronald Plasterk was forced to give up his hopes of leading the coalition, stepping down as he’s being investigated over a patent row.
Schoof will now be involved in dividing ministries across the four parties and assisting Van Zwol with finding candidates for the key roles. The lower chamber of parliament gave Van Zwol until late June to complete this task, after which the Dutch king will confirm the new government. A final step is normally a debate with the parliament, where the four parties have a clear majority.
Eva Hartog contributed to this report.
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