05.02.2026 20:19
The distribution of ministries in the minority government in the Netherlands has been announced. VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz, who has been a subject of controversy with her statements rejecting immigrant identity and targeting Turkish and Muslim politicians, announced that she will serve as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense in the government.
The distribution of ministries and undersecretaries agreed upon by the Democratic 66 (D66), Christian Democratic Party (CDA), and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) for the establishment of a minority government in the Netherlands has been announced.
DILAN YESILGOZ WILL SERVE AS DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF DEFENSE VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz announced on her social media account that she will serve as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense in the government, sharing a list showing the distribution of ministries and undersecretaries agreed upon by the parties in the minority government.
It was stated that with Rob Jetten of D66 becoming Prime Minister, only CDA leader Henri Bontenbal would not be part of the government and would continue as the head of his party's parliamentary group. In the minority government, D66 received 7, VVD 6, and CDA 5 ministries according to the number of members of parliament.
THE MINORITY GOVERNMENT IS EXPECTED TO OFFICIALLY START ON FEBRUARY 23 While it has not yet been announced who the other two parties in the cabinet will appoint to the ministries, local media reports indicate that D66's Rianne Letschert will become the Minister of Education, and in addition, D66 will also take on the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, the newly established Ministry of Climate and Green Growth, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Safety and Nature, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, and the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning.
The report noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Ministry of Asylum and Migration were assigned to CDA, while the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports, the newly established Ministry of Labor and Participation, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management would be taken over by VVD.
The minority government is expected to officially start on February 23. After 223 days from the previous general election held on November 22, 2023, the quadruple far-right-center-right coalition government established in July 2024 fell on June 3, 2025, without completing a year due to the withdrawal of Wilders' party. In the early elections held in the Netherlands, D66 became the first party by receiving the most votes in the elections held on October 29, 2025.
WHO IS DILAN YESILGOZ? Dilan Yeşilgöz, who has become one of the most prominent politicians in the Netherlands with her pro-Israel stance, anti-Islam rhetoric, and immigration policies, has gained attention. Born in Ankara, Yeşilgöz's story began with her family's forced migration after fleeing the September 12 coup. The family reached Greece by boat from Bodrum to Kos. The father, whose asylum request was accepted in the Netherlands, later brought his family to join him, and the family reunited in Amsterdam.
Growing up in the Netherlands, Yeşilgöz received her education there, worked in human rights organizations, and wrote articles about Turkey. She entered politics through leftist and socialist circles and later joined the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). Elected as a member of parliament in 2017, she later served as a state minister and Minister of Justice. When she took over the leadership of her party, she was already being discussed as a leader associated with Islamophobia rather than the possibility of being the "first female prime minister of immigrant descent."
REJECTING IMMIGRANT IDENTITY AND TARGETING TURKISH AND MUSLIM POLITICIANS During her tenure as Minister of Justice, she made changes to the dress code, prohibiting uniformed police officers from wearing religious symbols such as headscarves, crosses, or kippahs.
Yeşilgöz, who has been a subject of controversy with her statements rejecting immigrant identity, advocated for the restriction of the right to asylum. She expressed that headscarves should be banned for public officials and targeted Turkish and Muslim politicians in the Netherlands.