New Dutch government to have record number of women

The next Dutch government will consist of a record number of women, the list of ministers published by the incoming four-party coalition revealed on Sunday. 

An impressive14 of the 29 ministers and secretaries of state will be women, including 10 of the 20 ministers, news agency AFP reported.

The new government will be sworn in on January 10 after 271 days since the elections in March. Prime Minister Mark Rutte would be commencing his fourth term in office. 

Former foreign minister Sigrid Kaag will be taking over the exchequer brief, replacing previous finance minister and centre-right leader Wopke Hoekstra. 

Hoekstra will become the foreign minister. 

Among the women, Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius will take over as the minister of justice and security. Born in Ankara, she came to the Netherlands as a little girl. The 43-year-old was nominated by the centre-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Further, Kajsa Ollongren is set to become the new defence minister. She is the current minister of interior. 

Notably, a sudden lockdown was imposed in the Netherlands on December 19. The government ordered the closure of all places except essential stores, as well as restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, museums and other public areas, until at least January 14.

“The Netherlands is going into lockdown again from tomorrow,” PM Rutte said Saturday. He said the move was “unavoidable because of the fifth wave caused by the omicron variant that is bearing down on us.”

A day later, thousands took to the streets to protest the COVID-19 vaccine measures, disregarding social distancing measures and defying the mask mandate.

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Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema issued an emergency ordinance in response, empowering police to clear the central Museum Square, reported Reuters. 

At least 30 people were detained after scuffles, during which four officers were injured, police said in a statement, according to the Reuters report.