Misplaced Pages

Mark Rutte: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 21:31, 1 May 2006 view sourceC mon (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users11,576 edits VVD category← Previous edit Latest revision as of 18:44, 26 December 2024 view source Tobby72 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users37,769 edits update 
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Politics of the Netherlands}} {{short description|Secretary General of NATO since 2024 and former Prime Minister of the Netherlands}}
{{redirect|Rutte|other uses}}
]
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
'''Mark Rutte''' (born ], ], ]) is a ] ] (VVD) ] and State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the ].
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = ]
| name = Mark Rutte
| image = Mark Rutte, 23.03.23 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Rutte in 2023
| order = 14th
| office = Secretary General of NATO
| deputy = ]
| term_start = 1 October 2024
| term_end =
| predecessor = ]
| successor =
| office1 = ]
| monarch1 = {{plainlist|
* ]
* ]
}}
| 1blankname1 = {{nowrap|Deputy}}
| 1namedata1 = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|''See list''}}
| {{longitem|]<br />(2010–2012)}}
| {{longitem|]<br />(2012–2017)}}
| {{longitem|]<br />(2017–2022)}}
| {{longitem|]<br />(2017–2022)}}
| {{longitem|]<br />(2022–2023)}}
| {{longitem|]<br />(2017–2024)}}
| {{longitem|]<br />(2022–2024)}}
| {{longitem|]<br />(2023–2024)}}
| {{longitem|]<br />(2024)}}
}}
| term_start1 = 14 October 2010
| term_end1 = 2 July 2024
| predecessor1 = ]
| successor1 = ]
| office2 = ]
| term_start2 = 31 May 2006
| term_end2 = 14 August 2023
| predecessor2 = ]
| successor2 = ]
| office3 = ]
| primeminister3 = Jan Peter Balkenende
| term_start3 = 17 June 2004
| term_end3 = 27 June 2006
| predecessor3 = ]
| successor3 = ]
| office4 = ]
| primeminister4 = Jan Peter Balkenende
| term_start4 = 22 July 2002
| term_end4 = 17 June 2004
| predecessor4 = ]
| successor4 = ]
| office5 = Member of the ]
| term_start5 = 31 March 2021
| term_end5 = 10 January 2022
| term_start6 = 23 March 2017
| term_end6 = 26 October 2017
| term_start7 = 20 September 2012
| term_end7 = 5 November 2012
| term_start8 = 28 June 2006
| term_end8 = 14 October 2010
| term_start9 = 30 January 2003
| term_end9 = 27 May 2003
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|2|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = ], Netherlands
| party = ]
| education = ] (], ])
| signature = Accession Treaty 2011 Mark Rutte signature.svg
}}
{{Mark Rutte sidebar}}
'''Mark Rutte''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈmɑr(ə)k ˈrʏtə|lang|Mark Rutte.ogg}}; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who since October 2024<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=1 October 2024 |title=Mark Rutte takes office as NATO Secretary General |url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_229142.htm |access-date=1 October 2024 |website=NATO |language=en}}</ref> serves as the 14th ]. He previously served as the ] from 2010 to 2024, and as the ] of the ] (VVD) from 2006 to 2023. Serving a total of almost 14 years, Rutte is the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history.


After originally embarking on a business management career working for ], Rutte entered national politics in 2002 as a member of ]'s cabinets. Rutte won the ] and led the party to victory in the ]. After lengthy ], he became prime minister of the Netherlands. He was the first self-described ] to be appointed prime minister in 92 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eenvandaag.nl/binnenland/36482/mark_rutte_eerste_liberale_premier_sinds_1918 |title=Mark Rutte: eerste liberale premier sinds 1918 |publisher=eenvandaag.nl |date=7 October 2010 |access-date=23 April 2012 |language=nl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526045836/http://www.eenvandaag.nl/binnenland/36482/mark_rutte_eerste_liberale_premier_sinds_1918 |archive-date=26 May 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
He started his career in the ] as the national chair of its youth organisation ] from ] until ], and a member of the VVD party executive from ] until ].


An impasse on budget negotiations led to his government's early collapse in April 2012, but the VVD's victory in the ] allowed Rutte to return as prime minister to lead ] between the VVD and the ] (PvdA), which became the first cabinet to complete a full four-year term since 1998. Though the VVD lost seats in the ], it remained the largest party. After a record-length formation period, Rutte was appointed to lead ] between the VVD, ] (CDA), ] (D66) and ] (CU).
Rutte obtained a ] in ] from ] in ], after which he went to work for ].


Though Rutte and his cabinet resigned in response to the ],<ref>{{cite web |title=Dutch PM Rutte and his government quit over child welfare scandal |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/15/dutch-pm-rutte-and-his-government-quit-over-child-welfare-scandal |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=15 January 2021 |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The buck stops here: Dutch govt quits over welfare scandal |url=https://apnews.com/article/europe-mark-rutte-cabinets-estonia-general-elections-b4532458837e77737908ab756fecd45d |publisher=] |date=15 January 2021 |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his entire Cabinet resign over child welfare scandal |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dutch-government-cabinet-mark-rutte-resign-child-welfare-scandal/ |publisher=] |date=15 January 2021 |access-date=16 January 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> the VVD would go on to win the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Netherlands election: Mark Rutte claims fourth term with 'overwhelming' victory |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/17/netherlands-election-mark-rutte-on-course-to-win-fourth-term |website=] |date=18 March 2021 |access-date=15 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his entire Cabinet resign over child welfare scandal |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dutch-government-cabinet-mark-rutte-resign-child-welfare-scandal/ |publisher=CBS News |date=15 January 2021 |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref> Rutte began his fourth term in 2022 after another record-length formation period. On 7 July 2023, he announced his government's resignation after the cabinet failed to agree on how to handle ].<ref>{{citation |title=Mark Rutte resigns as Dutch PM amid migration dispute – National {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9818417/mark-rutte-resigns-dutch-pm-migration/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Corder |first=Mike |title=Dutch premier resigns because of deadlock on thorny issue of migration, paving way for new elections |url=https://apnews.com/article/netherlands-migration-rutte-government-0a52333c06947d689eb38a43a13ff7b1 |publisher=Associated Press |date=7 July 2023 |access-date=7 July 2023}}</ref> Rutte IV would continue on as an outgoing cabinet, fulfilling a caretaker function and keeping the nation running until the ] was sworn in on 2 July 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moses |first1=Claire |last2=Bilefsky |first2=Dan |title=Dutch Government Collapses Over Plan to Further Limit Immigration |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/07/world/europe/dutch-government-collapses.html |website=] |date=7 July 2023 |access-date=7 July 2023}}</ref>
In the ], Rutte was appointed ] for Social Affairs and Employment, a function he continued in the ] until ], ], when he became ] for Education, Culture and Science. Since the resignation of ] after the VVD loss in the ] he is currently candidate to become ] for the VVD in the ] national elections, along with current minister of immigration and integration ] and backbencher ]. Veenendaal is not considered as a serious candidate. The competition for the leadership is between Mark Rutte (representing the left wing of the VVD) and ] (representing the right wing of the VVD).
The ] for who is to become lijsttrekker is currently scheduled for the 31 May ].


Due to his ability to come out of political scandals with an untarnished reputation, Rutte has been referred to as ''Teflon Mark''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Henley |first=Jon |title='Teflon' Mark Rutte set for fourth Dutch term after record-breaking talks |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/14/teflon-mark-rutte-fourth-dutch-term-record-breaking-talks-government-coalition |website=The Guardian |date=14 December 2021 |access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref> He has been described as ideologically flexible and pragmatic, willing to accommodate a broad range of political factions in order to address issues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=de Gruyter |first=Caroline |date=28 June 2024 |title=NATO's New Leader Was Planning This the Whole Time |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/06/20/mark-rutte-nato-new-chief-netherlands/ |access-date=23 June 2024 |website=Foreign Policy |language=en-US}}</ref>
On accepting the role of candidate-lijsttrekker, Rutte has made clear that he wishes to change the face of the VVD, into one where everyone, not just the "happy few" feels comfortable. He has also stated that with the current social security ideas of the ] (PvdA), which he called too conservative, it is very unlikely that they will cooperate or form a coalition after the elections.


==Early life==
]
Rutte was born in ], in the ] of ],<ref name="parlement">{{Cite web|url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vg9fgoprkxw3/m_mark_rutte|title=Drs. M. (Mark) Rutte|work=]|access-date=18 October 2024|language=nl}}</ref> to a ] family. He is the youngest child of Izaäk Rutte (5 October 1909 – 22 April 1988), a merchant, and his second wife Hermina Cornelia Dilling (13 November 1923 – 13 May 2020), a secretary. Izaäk Rutte worked for a ]; first as an importer in the ]; he later ran a car dealership.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Couglin |first=Con |date=2024-06-26 |title=Mark Rutte: Meet NATO's new secretary-general |url=https://en.majalla.com/node/319781/profiles/mark-rutte-meet-natos-new-secretary-general |website=Al Majalla}}</ref> His second wife was a sister of his first wife, Petronella Hermanna Dilling (17 March 1910 – 20 July 1945), who died while they were interned together in ], a prisoner-of-war camp in ] (]), during ].<ref>{{cite web |title=El primer ministro holandés respeta el confinamiento y no se despide de su madre enferma |url=https://www.abc.es/internacional/abci-primer-ministro-holandes-respeta-confinamiento-y-no-despide-madre-enferma-202005261030_noticia.html |website=Diario ABC |date=26 May 2020 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{dead link |date=July 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Rutte has seven siblings as a result of his father's two marriages. One of his elder brothers died from AIDS in the 1980s. Rutte later described the deaths of his brother and his father as events that changed the course of his life.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2016/09/rutte-on-zomergasten-wilders-multiculturalism-and-the-last-taboo/ |title=Rutte on Zomergasten: Wilders, multiculturalism and the 'last taboo'|work=Dutch News|date=5 September 2016|access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/mark-rutte-quiet-rebel-of-the-north-eu-netherlands/ |title=Mark Rutte: North's quiet rebel|work=Politico|first=Naomi|last=O'Leary|date=8 June 2018|access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref>
]


Rutte attended the Maerlant Lyceum from 1979 until 1985,<ref>{{cite web |date=16 February 2011 |title=Rutte opent Maerlant-Lyceum Den Haag |url=https://www.hartvannederland.nl/top-nieuws/2011/rutte-opent-maerlant-lyceum-den-haag/ |access-date=10 June 2020 |website=Hart van Nederland |language=en-US |archive-date=10 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610140512/https://www.hartvannederland.nl/top-nieuws/2011/rutte-opent-maerlant-lyceum-den-haag/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> specialising in the arts. Although his original ambition was to attend a conservatory and become a concert pianist,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.depers.nl/binnenland/515537/Rutte-had-pianoleraar-kunnen-zijn.html |title=Rutte had pianoleraar kunnen zijn |work=De Pers |access-date=23 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311230152/http://www.depers.nl/binnenland/515537/Rutte-had-pianoleraar-kunnen-zijn.html |archive-date=11 March 2012}}</ref> he instead went to study history at ], where he obtained an ] degree in 1992.<ref name=CV>{{cite web |url=http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/regering/het-kabinet/bewindspersonen/mark-rutte/cv |title=CV &#124; Mark Rutte |publisher=rijksoverheid.nl |access-date=23 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320055239/http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/regering/het-kabinet/bewindspersonen/mark-rutte/cv |archive-date=20 March 2012}}</ref> Rutte combined his studies with a position on the board of the ], the youth organisation of the VVD, and served as chair of the organisation from 1988 to 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vvd.nl/mensen/7/mark-rutte |title=Mark Rutte |publisher=VVD |language=nl |access-date=22 July 2014 |archive-date=26 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726120308/http://www.vvd.nl/mensen/7/mark-rutte |url-status=dead}}</ref>
]

After his studies Rutte entered the business world, working as a manager for ] and its food subsidiary Calvé. Until 1997, Rutte was part of the ] department of Unilever, and played a leading role in several reorganisations. Between 1997 and 2000, Rutte was staff manager of the subsidiary Van den Bergh Nederland. In 2000, Rutte became a member of the Corporate Human Resources Group, and in 2002, he became human resource manager for IgloMora Groep, another subsidiary of Unilever.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elsevier.nl/web/10148524/Artikel/Mark-Rutte.htm |title=Biografie – Mark Rutte |publisher=elsevier.nl |access-date=23 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524121956/http://www.elsevier.nl/web/10148524/Artikel/Mark-Rutte.htm |archive-date=24 May 2012}}</ref>

==Political career==
Between 1993 and 1997, Rutte was a member of the national board of the VVD.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-06-10 |title=Who is Mark Rutte? A short biography |url=https://www.dutchnews.nl/2010/06/who_is_mark_rutte_a_short_biog/ |website=DutchNews}}</ref> Rutte served as State Secretary (i.e. Deputy Minister) at the ] from 22 July 2002 to 17 June 2004 in the ] and ]s and was responsible for fields including ''bijstand'' (]) and ''arbeidsomstandigheden'' (]). After the ] Rutte was briefly also a member of the ], from 30 January to 27 May 2003.<ref name="parlement"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-01 |title=Mark Rutte |url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/who_is_who_229125.htm |access-date=2024-10-03 |publisher=NATO}}</ref>

In 2003, Rutte supported the US-led ].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Huijzer |first1=Jouke |title=To Become NATO Chief, Mark Rutte Denied Israeli War Crimes |url=https://jacobin.com/2024/06/nato-mark-rutte-israel-war-crimes |work=] |date=19 June 2024}}</ref>

During his time as State Secretary in 2003, Rutte advised municipalities to check Somali residents for social assistance fraud, after a number of Somalis who were working in England were found to be receiving social assistance benefits in the Netherlands as well. A Somali man entitled to benefits was stopped by social investigators and checked for fraud on the basis of his external characteristics, after which he refused the investigators access to his home. The Municipal Executive (]) of ] decided to withdraw his right to social benefits. He disagreed with this and his appeal was upheld by the administrative judge. The court ruled that "an investigation aimed exclusively at persons of Somali descent is discriminatory" and contrary to the Constitution because this distinction is "discrimination based on race". Rutte rejected the criticism, stating that a change in the law would then be necessary to be able to combat targeted fraud.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rutte: Veroordeling discriminatie onterecht|url=http://www.elsevier.nl/web/10124079/Nieuws/Politiek/Rutte-Veroordeling-discriminatie-onterecht.htm|publisher=Elsevier|date=19 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Rutte zette aan tot discriminatie|newspaper=NRC |date=21 May 2007 |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2007/05/21/rutte-zette-aan-tot-discriminatie-11326918-a609570|publisher=NRC Handelsblad}}</ref><ref>{{ECLI|ECLI:NL:RBHAA:2007:BA5410}}</ref>

Rutte later served as State Secretary for Higher Education and Science within the ] in the Second Balkenende Cabinet from 17 June 2004 to 27 June 2006, replacing ]. In office, Rutte showed particular interest in making the ] more competitive internationally, by trying to make it more market oriented (improving the position of students as consumers in the market for education). Rutte resigned from his position in government in June 2006 to return to the ], and he soon became the ] of the VVD.<ref name="parlement"/>

===Party leadership election===
After the resignation of ] and a loss in the 2006 Dutch municipal election, the VVD held an ] for a new Lead Candidate, in which Rutte competed against ] and ]. On 31 May 2006, it was announced that Mark Rutte would be the next '']'' of the VVD. He was elected by 51.5% of party members. Rutte's candidacy was backed by the VVD leadership, including the party board, and many prominent politicians such as ], former minister of Defence, ], the mayor of ] and ], the ] of ]. The ], the VVD's youth wing of which Rutte had previously been chair, also backed him. During the elections he promised "to make the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy a party for everyone and not just of the elite".

===2006 general election===
For the ], the VVD campaign with Rutte as leader did not get off to a good start; he received criticism from within his own party.<ref name="kritiekrutte">{{in lang|nl}} ''Algemeen Dagblad'' (31 October 2006). Retrieved 14 May 2014.</ref> Rutte was said to be overshadowed by his own party members ] and ], as well as being unable to penetrate between ] and ], who were generally seen as the prime candidates to become the next prime minister. On 27 November, it became known that Rita Verdonk, who generally held a more populist view on politics, managed to obtain more votes than Mark Rutte; he obtained 553,200 votes against Verdonk's 620,555.<ref name="kritiekrutte"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2006/11/tension_mounts_as_vvd_waits_fo.php |title=Tension mounts as VVD waits for Verdonk's reaction to voters' support |date=28 November 2006 |publisher=dutchnews.nl}}</ref> After repeated criticisms by Verdonk on VVD policy, Rutte expelled her from the party's parliamentary faction on 13 September 2007.<ref>{{in lang|nl}} Oranje, Joost and Guus Valk, {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515020325/http://vorige.nrc.nl/binnenland/article1838911.ece |date=15 May 2014 }} ''NRC Handelsblad'' (15 September 2007). Retrieved 14 May 2014. Literal English translation: "Verdonk was yesterday by Mark Rutte formally expelled from the VVD's parliamentary party in the House of Representatives after she had again voiced criticism of the party in the press." Dutch original: "Verdonk werd gisteren formeel door Mark Rutte uit de Tweede Kamerfractie van de VVD gezet, nadat zij in de pers opnieuw kritiek had geuit op de fractie."</ref>

===2010 general election===
In the ], Rutte was once again the lead candidate for the VVD. It won 31 seats and, for the first time ever, became the largest party in the House of Representatives.<ref name="nrc.nl"/> The lengthy ] followed, with several personalities succeeding each other, being appointed by ] in order to find out what coalition could be formed. Efforts to form a broad spectrum coalition between the VVD, CDA and PvdA failed. Instead, the only possibility appeared to be a centre-right coalition of liberals and ] (CDA), with the outside support of the ] (PVV), led by ].<ref>{{cite book|last=Van Kessel
|first=Alexander|chapter='Doe dit onze partij niet aan, doe dit ons land niet aan'|trans-chapter='Don't do this to our party, don't do this to our country'|title=Kabinetsformaties 1977-2012|trans-title=Cabinet formations 1977-2012|editor-first=Carla|editor-last=Van Baalen|editor-first2=Alexander|editor-last2=Van Kessel|publisher=Boom|isbn=9789461054661|pages=319–348|language=nl|date=2016}}</ref>

==Prime Minister of the Netherlands==
{{Infobox administration
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| name = Premiership of Mark Rutte
| term_start = 14 October 2010
| term_end = 2 July 2024
| premier = Mark Rutte
| premier_link = Prime Minister of the Netherlands
| cabinet = {{unbulleted list|]|]|]|]}}
| party = ]
| election = ], ], ], ]
| appointer = Beatrix of the Netherlands<br/>Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
| seat = ]
| predecessor = ]
| successor = ]
| seal =
| seal_size =
| seal_caption =
| official_url =
}}

===First term===
] (CDA) and coalition partner ] (PVV)]]
After securing support for a coalition between the VVD and CDA, Rutte was appointed as ] on 8 October 2010; Rutte announced his prospective cabinet, including ] from the CDA as deputy prime minister. On 14 October, Queen Beatrix formally invited Rutte to form a government, and later that day, Rutte presented his ] to Parliament. The government was confirmed in office by a majority of one, and Rutte was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, becoming the first Liberal to serve in the role since ] in 1918.<ref name="nrc.nl">{{cite web |url=http://www.nrc.nl/international/election2010/article2561211.ece/The_Netherlands_shifts_to_the_right |title=Election 2010 – The Netherlands shifts to the right |work=] |date=10 June 2010 |access-date=10 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613040242/http://www.nrc.nl/international/election2010/article2561211.ece/The_Netherlands_shifts_to_the_right |archive-date=13 June 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> At 43 years old, he also became the second-youngest prime minister in Dutch history, after ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/178084-rutte-wordt-niet-jongste-premier|title=Rutte wordt niet jongste premier|language=nl|date=13 August 2010}}</ref>

] opening ceremony on 8 November 2011 with Rutte, German Chancellor ], Russian president ] and French prime minister ].]]
After a victory in the ], the VVD secured its status as the lead party within the government. In March 2012, seeking to comply with requirements from the ] to reduce the nation's deficit, Rutte began talks with his coalition partners on a budget which would cut 16 billion euros of government spending. However, PVV leader ] withdrew his party's informal support from the government on 21 April, stating that the proposed budget would hurt economic growth.<ref name=BBC234>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17811509 |title=Dutch government falls in budget crisis |date=23 April 2012 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=24 April 2012}}</ref> This led to the early collapse of the government and Rutte submitting his resignation to ] on the afternoon of 23 April.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-dutch-politics-idUSBRE83M0PB20120423 |title=Dutch Prime Minister resigns in budget cuts row |date=23 April 2012 |author=Gilbert Kreijger and Thomas Escritt |work=Reuters |access-date=24 April 2012}}</ref> His government had lasted for 558 days, making it one of the shortest Dutch cabinets since World War II.<ref name=BBC234 />

===Second term===
Ahead of the ], Rutte was named the VVD's ] for the third time. At the election in September, the VVD won an additional 10 seats, remaining the largest party in the House of Representatives; the CDA and PVV saw their number of seats fall significantly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://verkiezingen.volkskrant.nl/uitslag/resultaten.html|title=Volg de verkiezingen 2014 live|work=De Volkskrant|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915030821/http://verkiezingen.volkskrant.nl/uitslag/resultaten.html|archive-date=15 September 2012}}</ref> The VVD quickly negotiated a coalition agreement with the ] and Rutte returned as prime minister of the ] on 5 November 2012.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Kabinetsformaties 1977-2012 |date=2016 |publisher=Boom |isbn=978-94-6105-466-1 |editor-last=Baalen |editor-first=C. C. van |location=Amsterdam |pages=511–523 |language=NL |trans-title=Cabinet Formations 1977-2012 |editor-last2=Kessel |editor-first2=Alexander van}}</ref>

In 2014, ] hosted a ] special meeting after the ] was shot down in Ukraine with 193 Dutch nationals aboard.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

], 8 December 2013]]
In April 2016, Rutte was appointed by ] ] and ] ] to the High-Level Panel on Water. Co-chaired by Mauritius President ] and Mexican president ], the joint UN-WBG panel was set up to accelerate the implementation of ].<ref> United Nations, a press release of 21 April 2016.</ref> That month also saw the ], which resulted in a rejection. In November 2016 the House of Representatives approved a ban on the Islamic ] in some public spaces including schools and hospitals by 132 votes against 18, which the VVD supported.<ref>, independent.co.uk, 29 November 2016.</ref>

Rutte's second cabinet completed its full four-year term without collapsing or losing a vote of no confidence, becoming the first cabinet to do so since the ], which lasted from 1994 to 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2188954-kabinet-rutte-ii-verslaat-lubbers-iii-langstzittende-kabinet.html |title=Kabinet-Rutte II verslaat Lubbers III: langstzittende kabinet |website=NOS |date=20 August 2017 |language=nl |access-date=17 October 2017}}</ref>

===Third term===
The VVD went into the ] with a small lead over the PVV in most opinion polls. Rutte was judged to have managed the ] well according to similar polling. While the VVD lost 8 seats in the general election, the PvdA lost 29, and these seats were split between a number of other parties, leaving the VVD as the largest party in parliament for the third successive election. After holding coalition discussions, Rutte negotiated a grand coalition with the ], ] and ]; he presented his ] on 26 October 2017 and was sworn in as prime minister for a third term. The 225 days between the general election and the installation of the third Rutte cabinet was the longest such period in Dutch history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vkckrowfidhn/kabinetsformatie_2017|title=Kabinetsformatie 2017|work=]|access-date=18 October 2024|language=nl}}</ref>

], 24 May 2018]]
The coalition agreement contained a plan to abolish the 15% ] (providing the state €1.4 billion per year), which proved highly unpopular as it had not been mentioned in any of the coalition party's programs, and it later appeared that major Dutch companies like ] and ] had secretly been lobbying for the inclusion of this measure.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042904/https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/geld-en-werk/rutte-effect-afschaffen-dividendbelasting-op-bedrijven-niet-bekend |date=1 December 2017 }} (in Dutch), rtlnieuws.nl.</ref>

On 21 March 2018, the ] was held, which resulted in a rejection. In July of that same year, Rutte became a topic in international news by interrupting and explicitly contradicting the American president ] during a meeting with the press at the ] in the ], which was considered to be "typical Dutch bluntness".<ref>{{cite news |title=Trump got a dose of Dutch bluntness from visiting prime minister |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/07/03/trump-got-a-dose-of-dutch-bluntness-from-visiting-prime-minister/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=29 January 2021 |newspaper=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=3 July 2018 |title=Rutte interrupts Trump! 4 Things that happened at the Rutte – Trump meeting &#124; DutchReview |url=https://dutchreview.com/news/rutte-interrupts-trump-4-things-that-happened-at-the-rutte-trump-meeting/}}</ref> At the ], Rutte's VVD suffered a blow following the victory of right-wing populist newcomer ] (FvD).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parlement.com/id/vky6ajhc7wpl/provinciale_statenverkiezingen_2019|title=Provinciale Statenverkiezingen 2019|language=nl|access-date=18 October 2024}}</ref>

] in the Oval Office of the White House on 18 July 2019]]
During the negotiations for the ] in 2020, Rutte was considered the unofficial leader of the ],<ref name="Dodman">{{cite news |last1=Dodman |first1=Benjamin |title=Dutch PM Mark Rutte, the thrifty europhile holding Europe hostage |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20200720-dutch-pm-mark-rutte-the-thrifty-europhile-holding-europe-hostage |access-date=21 July 2020 |agency=Reuters, AFP |publisher=France 24 |date=20 July 2020}}</ref> demanding loans instead of grants and more conditions on them.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}} In September of that year, Rutte suggested that the EU could be dissolved and re-formed without ] and ], as he perceived these countries' governments to be dismantling the ].<ref>{{cite news |title= Could we found a new EU without Hungary and Poland? |url=https://euobserver.com/opinion/149470 |access-date=25 September 2020 |work=EUobserver}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The frugal blues: An underappreciated threat to the European project |url=https://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_the_frugal_blues_an_underappreciated_threat_to_the_european_proj |website=ECFR |date=15 September 2020 |access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Plenaire verslagen |url=https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/plenaire_verslagen/detail/7225f470-7ca6-42a0-8c84-bd2534dbb5a3 |website=www.tweedekamer.nl |access-date=25 September 2020 |language=nl |date=9 September 2020 |quote=Je moet gaan nadenken: kun je een begroting maken via een intergouvernementeel verdrag of kun je nu een Europese Unie oprichten zonder Hongarije en Polen? |archive-date=21 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121212952/https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/plenaire_verslagen/detail/7225f470-7ca6-42a0-8c84-bd2534dbb5a3 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 15 January 2021, the third Rutte cabinet collectively resigned after the publication of research centered around the ].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Erdbrink|first=Thomas|date=15 January 2021|title=Government in Netherlands Resigns After Benefit Scandal|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/15/world/europe/dutch-government-resignation-rutte-netherlands.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/15/world/europe/dutch-government-resignation-rutte-netherlands.html |archive-date=28 December 2021 |url-access=limited|access-date=16 January 2021|issn=0362-4331}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Rutte offered his resignation to ], accepting responsibility for the scandal.<ref>{{cite news |last=van den Berg |first=Stephanie |title=Dutch government resigns over childcare subsidies scandal |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-netherlands-politics-resignation/dutch-government-resigns-over-childcare-subsidies-scandal-idUSKBN29K1IO |access-date=15 January 2021 |publisher=Reuters |date=15 January 2021}}</ref>

===Fourth term===
] at the ], 31 October 2021]]
], 11 July 2022]]
], 19 January 2023]]
], Italian prime minister ] and Tunisian president ], 16 July 2023]]
Following the ], Rutte's VVD party held 34 of 150 seats and was expected to form a new coalition government.<ref name="BBC 2021">{{cite web |title=Dutch election: PM Mark Rutte claims victory and fourth term |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56436297 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=17 April 2021 |date=18 March 2021}}</ref> After remaining as outgoing prime minister for the duration of the longest formation process in Dutch history he presented a coalition agreement with ], ] and ], the same combination as his previous government, on 15 December 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=Coalition agreement presented today after record long formation process |url=https://nltimes.nl/2021/12/15/coalition-agreement-presented-today-record-long-formation-process |access-date=15 December 2021 |work=NL Times |agency=ANP |date=15 December 2021}}</ref>

In October 2022, Rutte said that alleged ] and human rights violations committed during the ] in ] should be investigated.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mark Rutte: Azerbaijani war crimes must be investigated |url=https://news.am/eng/news/723820.html |work=NEWS.am |date=6 October 2022}}</ref>

] showing off their ] phones in 2019]]
Rutte suffered a ] ('']'') during his fourth term, when it was found that he had been deleting the majority of the SMS text messages on his archaic ] mobile phone for years, personally judging which messages were to be archived and which messages were to be deleted in direct violation of the archival law.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 May 2022 |title=Premier Rutte wiste jarenlang iedere dag zijn sms'jes |url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/premier-rutte-wiste-jarenlang-iedere-dag-zijn-sms-jes~b47ba005/ |access-date=10 July 2023 |website=de Volkskrant |language=nl-NL}}</ref> He explained that this was necessary due to his phone memory filling up too quickly, which was not considered a plausible excuse by other ministers.<ref name="auto">{{cite news |date=18 May 2022 |title=Rutte bepaalde zélf welke sms'jes belangrijk waren en welke niet – en dat wringt |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2022/05/18/rutte-en-zijn-smsjes-deed-de-premier-iets-verkeerd-a4124837 |access-date=10 July 2023 |website=NRC |language=nl |last1=Valk |first1=Guus }}</ref> The scandal also damaged his campaign promises and the coalition accords, which stated that the cabinet wished to restore peoples faith in politics, create a new governance culture and "improve the information provided to the House". The latter of these concerned measures including a modernisation of the archival law and faster information availability.<ref name="auto"/>

In January 2023, the U.S., Japan, and the Netherlands reached an agreement to limit certain ].<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=27 January 2023 |title=U.S. secures deal with Netherlands, Japan on China chip export limit – Bloomberg |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-secures-deal-with-netherlands-japan-china-chip-export-limit-bloomberg-2023-01-27/ }}</ref> Accordingly, the Dutch government placed restrictions on chip exports in March 2023 in order to protect national security. This measure affected the Dutch multinational ], one of the most important companies in the global microchip supply chain.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64897794 | title=US-China chip war: Netherlands moves to restrict some exports | date=9 March 2023 | work=BBC News | archive-date=9 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309050626/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64897794 | url-status=live }}</ref> In January 2024, the Dutch government placed further restrictions on the shipment of some advanced chip-making equipment to China,<ref>{{cite web |last=Madhok |first=Diksha |date=2 January 2024 |title=ASML forced to suspend some China exports after US escalates tech battle {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/02/tech/asml-china-exports-suspension-intl-hnk/index.html |website=CNN }}</ref> though on 27 March 2024, Chinese president ] told Rutte that "no force can stop the pace of China’s scientific and technological progress".<ref>{{cite news |title=Xi tells Dutch prime minister: No force can stop China's tech advance |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/28/xi-to-dutch-pm-no-force-can-stop-the-pace-of-chinas-tech-advance.html |work=CNBC |date=28 March 2024}}</ref>

Different stances on ] within his four-party coalition had existed since the coalition government was formed. VVD and CDA supported restrictions on immigration, while D66 and CU opposed them. On 7 July 2023, the parties failed to reach an agreement and unanimously decided that they could not continue working together within the coalition. Following this, Rutte immediately offered the resignation of his government.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dutch PM Mark Rutte resigns after collapse of coalition government |url=https://news.sky.com/story/dutch-pm-mark-rutte-resigns-after-collapse-of-coalition-government-12917179 |access-date=3 December 2023 |work=Sky News |date=8 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231203034134/https://news.sky.com/story/dutch-pm-mark-rutte-resigns-after-collapse-of-coalition-government-12917179 |archive-date=3 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Mark Rutte hands in resignation to the king after coalition collapse |url=https://www.euronews.com/2023/07/07/dutch-government-reportedly-collapses-after-failure-to-reach-agreement-on-asylum-measures |access-date=3 December 2023 |work=Euronews |date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231203041306/https://www.euronews.com/2023/07/07/dutch-government-reportedly-collapses-after-failure-to-reach-agreement-on-asylum-measures |archive-date=3 December 2023}}</ref> The king asked that the prime minister and his government "continue to carry out the duties they consider necessary to the interests of the Kingdom in a caretaker capacity".<ref>{{cite web |title=Prime Minister Rutte tenders government's resignation |url=https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2023/07/07/prime-minister-rutte-tenders-governments-resignation |website=Government of the Netherlands |access-date=3 December 2023 |date=8 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231203043841/https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2023/07/07/prime-minister-rutte-tenders-governments-resignation |archive-date=3 December 2023}}</ref> Three days later, Rutte announced his departure both as political leader of the VVD and from national politics in general, after the installation of the next government.<ref>{{cite web |date=10 July 2023 |title=VVD-leider Mark Rutte stopt, kondigt vertrek uit politiek aan |url=https://nos.nl/liveblog/2482232-vvd-leider-mark-rutte-stopt-kondigt-vertrek-uit-politiek-aan#UPDATE-container-70594340 |access-date=10 July 2023 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Boztas |first1=Senay |title=Dutch PM Mark Rutte to leave politics after collapse of government |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/10/dutch-pm-mark-rutte-to-leave-politics-after-collapse-of-government |access-date=3 December 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=10 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231203042509/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/10/dutch-pm-mark-rutte-to-leave-politics-after-collapse-of-government |archive-date=3 December 2023}}</ref>

While serving as outgoing prime minister, Rutte he condemned the ] on 7 October 2023 and expressed his support to ] and its right to self-defense.<ref>{{cite news |title="Israel has every right to defend itself," says Dutch PM |url=https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/10/israel-has-every-right-to-defend-itself-says-dutch-pm/ |work=Dutch News |date=8 October 2023}}</ref> He would go on to visit Israel later that same month to express solidarity with the country, meeting Israeli prime minister ] in Jerusalem.<ref>{{cite news |date=23 October 2023 |title=Netanyahu to Dutch leader: This war is civilization vs. barbarism |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/netanyahu-to-dutch-leader-this-war-is-civilization-vs-barbarism/ |work=The Times of Israel|first=Lazar|last=Berman|access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref> He rejected calls for a ceasefire in the ] but supported "humanitarian pauses" to provide aid to civilians in the ].<ref>{{cite news |title=Western countries oppose cease-fire in Gaza as humanitarian crisis unfolds |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/western-countries-oppose-cease-fire-in-gaza-as-humanitarian-crisis-unfolds/3034047 |work=] |date=27 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rutte covering up negative info about Israel to protect future NATO job, officials say |url=https://nltimes.nl/2024/01/22/rutte-covering-negative-info-israel-protect-future-nato-job-officials-say |work=NL Times |date=22 January 2024}}</ref> Though the Netherlands provided military aid to Israel, in February 2024 a court in the Netherlands ordered the Dutch government to stop exporting parts for ] fighter jets to the country.<ref>{{cite news |title=Netherlands to challenge court ruling blocking F-35 spare part exports to Israel |url=https://nltimes.nl/2024/02/12/netherlands-challenge-court-ruling-blocking-f-35-spare-part-exports-israel |work=NL Times |date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

Due to the resignation of the cabinet general elections were held early, on ], with the VVD now under the leadership of ].

In February 2024, Rutte visited ] and spoke with the Saudi crown prince ] about "broad cooperation".<ref>{{cite news |title=The Tweede Kamer urges members of the Cabinet not to travel to World Cup in Saudi Arabia |url=https://nltimes.nl/2024/02/16/tweede-kamer-urges-members-cabinet-travel-world-cup-saudi-arabia |work=NL Times |date=16 February 2024}}</ref> He would travel to Paris on the 26th of February, where ] was hosting an emergency summit concerning the situation in ], which had suffered the loss of ] due to a lack of available ammunition. Czech PM ] proposed to purchase 500,000 rounds of artillery ammunition for ]'s forces. This was the second time in one month the Czech government had aired the matter. The French had previously vetoed the idea to purchase the ammunition from foreign sources.<ref name="luxt1">{{cite news |url=https://www.luxtimes.lu/europeanunion/eu-seeks-more-ammunition-for-ukraine-to-reverse-putin-s-advance/8742102.html |title=EU seeks more ammunition for Ukraine to reverse Putin's advance|work=Luxembourg Times|date=26 February 2024|access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref> On behalf of his government, Rutte announced that they would provide €100 million for this purpose.<ref name="rut1">{{cite news |title=France's Macron does not rule out Europeans sending troops to Ukraine |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/paris-conference-belie-doom-gloom-ukraine-elysee-says-2024-02-25/|work=Reuters|first1=Michel|last1=Rose|first2=John|last2=Irish|date=27 February 2024 |access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref> On 1 March Rutte increased the commitment to €250 million for Fiala's venture, as he went to ] to tour an underground metro station that had been repurposed into a primary school together with Zelensky. During this same tour, they signed the Netherlands-Ukraine bilateral security agreement.<ref name="dnl1">{{cite news |title=Rutte pledges more cash for Ukrainian ammunition during visit |url=https://www.dutchnews.nl/2024/03/rutte-pledges-more-cash-for-ukrainian-ammunition-during-visit/|work=Dutch News|date=1 March 2024 |access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref><ref name="usn1">{{cite news |title=Netherlands' Rutte Signs Security Deal in Ukraine, Promising Artillery Funding |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-03-01/ukraine-netherlands-sign-security-guarantee-deal|work=U.S. News & World Report|agency=Reuters|date=1 March 2024 |access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref>] and King ] on 10 March 2024]]
Later that month, Rutte threatened Israel with ] if the Israeli military launched a large-scale ], saying the attack would be a "game changer" and have "political consequences".<ref>{{cite news |title="Sanctions not excluded" if Israel opens large-scale attack on Rafah: Dutch PM Rutte |url=https://nltimes.nl/2024/03/20/sanctions-excluded-israel-opens-large-scale-attack-rafah-dutch-pm-rutte |work=NL Times |date=20 March 2024}}</ref> He also met with Chinese president Xi Jinping, where Rutte discussed the ] and tried to persuade ], which provided Russia with diplomatic cover and ], to exert its influence on Russia. Rutte said that "this is a direct security threat for us, because if Russia will be successful in Ukraine, it will be a threat to the whole of Europe. It will not end with Ukraine."<ref>{{cite news |title=Chinese Leader to Dutch PM: Restricting Technology Access Won't Stop China's Advance |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/chinese-leader-to-dutch-pm-restricting-technology-access-won-t-stop-china-s-advance-/7545647.html |work=VOA News |date=27 March 2024}}</ref>

On 14 April 2024, Rutte condemned the ] and reiterated the necessity for ].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Netherlands condemns Iran's attack on Israel, PM Rutte says |url=https://nltimes.nl/2024/04/14/netherlands-condemns-irans-attack-israel-pm-rutte-says |work=NL Times |date=14 April 2024}}</ref><ref name="rutte-iran">{{cite news |title=EU plans sanctions, urges calm after Iran strikes Israel |url=https://www.dw.com/en/eu-plans-sanctions-urges-calm-after-iran-strikes-israel/a-68852793 |work=] |date=18 April 2024}}</ref> Rutte stated that Iran's ] (IRGC) should be added to the EU's ].<ref name="rutte-iran" />

Rutte's government authorized Ukraine to use Dutch-supplied ] fighters to ] in May.<ref>{{cite news |title=NATO chief reiterates Ukraine's right to strike 'legitimate military targets' inside Russia |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/nato-chief-reiterates-ukraines-right-to-strike-legitimate-military-targets-inside-russia/3236097 |work=Anadolu Agency |date=31 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine can strike Russian targets with Dutch F-16s |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-can-strike-russian-targets-dutch-f-16s-fighter/ |work=Politico |date=3 June 2024}}</ref> Rutte attended the ], interpreting Putin's ] near the end of this summit as a sign of panic.<ref>{{cite Q|Q126689515|url-status=live|archive-date=16 June 2024|archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fenglish.nv.ua%2Fnation%2Fdutch-pm-putin-s-statement-on-peace-talks-shows-he-is-panicking-50427550.html}}</ref>

Rutte's fourth term as prime minister came to an end with the swearing in of the ], which ] following the general election. This new cabinet is led by ], the former secretary-general of the ].<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/collectie/13962/artikel/2527025-ministers-en-staatssecretarissen-kabinet-schoof-beedigd |date = 2 July 2024 |access-date = 2 July 2024 |language = nl |website = ] |title = Ministers en staatssecretarissen kabinet-Schoof beëdigd |trans-title = Ministers and state secretaries of Schoof cabinet sworn in }}</ref>

== Secretary General of NATO ==
<!--]-->
] and Mark Rutte at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on 17 October 2024]]
] on 29 October 2024]]
Following his departure from national politics, Rutte succeeded ] as ] on 1 October 2024 during a ceremonial handover at the ] in ].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 October 2024 |title=Mark Rutte takes over as NATO chief |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/10/01/mark-rutte-takes-over-as-nato-chief_6727844_4.html |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=Le Monde |language=en}}</ref> Despite having previously stated that he wanted to focus on high school teaching after his prime ministership, he announced his candidacy for the position in October 2023. His bid received public support from the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France in February 2024.<ref name="nrc2465" /><ref>{{cite news |title=UK backs outgoing Dutch PM as next Nato chief |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-68349957 |work=BBC |date=22 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/5436609/rutte-de-race-navo-baas-ooste-europese-landen |date = 23 February 2024 |access-date = 23 February 2024 |language = nl |website = ] |last = Lange |first = Laurens |title = Rutte heeft unanieme steun nodig – sommige NAVO-landen zien liever andere baas |trans-title = Rutte needs unanimous support – some NATO members would rather have another boss }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.nu.nl/politiek/6318305/mark-rutte-weigerde-in-januari-2023-nog-om-navo-baas-te-worden.html |date = 25 June 2024 |access-date = 25 June 2024 |language = nl |website = ] |title = Mark Rutte weigerde in januari 2023 nog om NAVO-baas te worden |trans-title = Mark Rutte refused to become NATO leader in January 2023 }}</ref> Rutte managed to overcome opposition from the last holdouts of Turkey, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania in the months thereafter, with his only opponent, Romanian president ], dropping out a week before his official appointment on 26 June 2024.<ref name="nrc2465">{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/06/05/navo-secretaris-generaal-stoltenberg-naar-boedapest-om-rutte-te-helpen-a4855404 |url-access = subscription |date = 5 June 2024 |last1 = De Koning |first1 = Petra |last2 = Aharouay |first2 = Lamyae |access-date = 6 June 2024 |language = nl |website = ] |title = NAVO-secretaris-generaal Stoltenberg gaat naar Boedapest om Rutte te helpen |trans-title = NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg will visit Budapest to help Rutte }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/artikel/2525437-rutte-over-nieuwe-baan-drie-maanden-vrij-en-dan-hard-werken |date = 20 June 2024 |access-date = 20 June 2024 |language = nl |website = ] |title = Rutte over nieuwe baan: 'Drie maanden vrij en dan hard werken' |trans-title = Rutte about new job: 'Three months of vacation and hard work thereafter' }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.rtl.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/5457431/mark-rutte-navo-secretaris-generaal-officieel |date = 26 June 2024 |access-date = 26 June 2024 |language = nl |website = ] |title = Mark Rutte officieel benoemd tot nieuwe secretaris-generaal NAVO |trans-title = Mark Rutte officially appoint new Secretary General of NATO }}</ref>

In October 2024, Rutte said that more than 600,000 Russian ] had been ] during the war with Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |title=Russia has suffered 600,000 casualties in Ukraine war, says Nato |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/russia-ukraine-war/article/more-than-600000-russian-casualties-ukraine-war-says-nato-jxz96z95h |work=The Telegraph |date=28 October 2024}}</ref>

As secretary-general, Rutte called on member nations to ramp up their defense spending and production, stating that a wartime mentality was required. He said that the additional spending would be necessary to guarantee a collective defense and to avert a Russian attack following its invasion of Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/rutte-roept-navolanden-op-tot-veel-snellere-verhoging-van-defensiebudget-de-turbo-moet-erop~bf4432b4/ |url-access = subscription |date = 12 December 2024 |last = Brouwers |first = Arnout |access-date = 15 December 2024 |language = nl |website = ] |title = Rutte roept Navolanden op tot veel snellere verhoging van defensiebudget: 'De turbo moet erop' |trans-title = Rutte calls on NATO member nations to quickly raise defense budgets: 'We should turbo charge' }}</ref>

Rutte has repeatedly urged sending more weapons to Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rutte Urges More NATO Arms as Ukraine Spending Goal in Sight |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-16/rutte-says-nato-must-do-more-as-ukraine-spending-goal-in-reach |work=Bloomberg |date=16 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Nato’s Rutte says Ukraine needs more weapons, not new ideas |url=https://www.ft.com/content/157b6700-0672-4398-8955-b121512597da |work=Financial Times |date=3 December 2024}}</ref> He said that any future ] should be led by Ukraine from a position of strength.<ref>{{cite news |title=NATO wants to put Ukraine in a position of strength for any Russia peace talks |url=https://www.euronews.com/2024/12/18/nato-wants-to-put-ukraine-in-a-position-of-strength-for-any-russia-peace-talks |work=Euronews |date=18 December 2024}}</ref>

Rutte criticized ]'s stance towards ], saying that "China is bullying Taiwan, and pursuing access to our critical infrastructure in ways that could cripple our societies." He added, "Russia, China, but also North Korea and Iran, are hard at work to try to weaken North America and Europe. To chip away at our freedom, they want to reshape the ], not to create a fairer one, but to secure their own spheres of influence."<ref>{{cite news |title=China is bullying Taiwan: NATO Secy General Mark Rutte, condemns lack of transparency in nuclear expansion |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/china-is-bullying-taiwan-nato-secy-general-mark-rutte-condemns-lack-of-transparency-in-nuclear-expansion/articleshow/116335525.cms?from=mdr |work=The Economic Times |date=15 December 2024}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Rutte is single.<ref name="parlement" /><ref>{{cite news |date=3 November 2015 |title=Ten things you didn't know about prime minister Mark Rutte |url=http://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2015/11/ten-things-you-didnt-know-about-prime-minister-mark-rutte/ |access-date=14 March 2017 |work=Dutch News}}</ref> He is a member of the ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rutte: Het geloof blijft een worsteling voor mij |url=https://www.rd.nl/vandaag/politiek/rutte-het-geloof-blijft-een-worsteling-voor-mij-1.247996 |access-date=30 October 2019 |website=RD.nl |language=nl}}</ref> While he was prime minister, Rutte taught ] on Thursday mornings at the Johan de Witt College, a secondary school in The Hague.<ref name="CV" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=8 October 2016 |title=Mark Rutte als leraar: 'Hij is grappig, beetje streng en neemt nooit zijn telefoon op' |url=https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/390286/mark-rutte-als-leraar-hij-grappig-beetje-streng-en-neemt-nooit-zijn |access-date=10 June 2020 |website=RTL Nieuws |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Den Hartog |first1=Tobias |last2=Van Soest |first2=Tobias |date=9 June 2024 |title=Mark Rutte is al begonnen om zichzelf in Nederland uit te gummen: 'Hij wil echt de schaduw in' |trans-title=Mark Rutte has already started to erase himself in the Netherlands: 'He really wants to enter the shadows' |url=https://www.ad.nl/politiek/mark-rutte-is-al-begonnen-om-zichzelf-in-nederland-uit-te-gummen-hij-wil-echt-de-schaduw-in~a8b534b9/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=9 June 2024 |website=] |language=nl}}</ref> Rutte is known to be a big fan of the writing of ], especially his 1974 book about ], '']''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Leland |first=John |date=13 May 2016 |title=The Dutch Prime Minister Is a Big Fan of Robert Caro |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/nyregion/mark-rutte-robert-caro-robert-moses.html |access-date=31 March 2017 |work=]}}</ref> He drives a ] ].<ref>{{cite news |date=1 June 2020 |title=Mark Rutte (the prime minister of the Netherlands) Continues to Drive Saab |url=https://www.saabplanet.com/mark-rutte-continues-to-drive-saab/ |access-date=1 June 2020 |work=Saab Planet}}</ref> Before moving to Brussels in 2024 following his appointment as Secretary General of NATO, he lived in an apartment in ], a neighbourhood of The Hague, for several decades.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rubio |first1=Ilah |date=10 July 2023 |title=Gemengde gevoelens over vertrek Mark Rutte in zijn eigen buurt: 'Op wie moet ik nu stemmen?' |trans-title=Mixed feelings about Mark Rutte's departure in his own neighbourhood: 'Who should I vote for now?' |url=https://www.ad.nl/den-haag/gemengde-gevoelens-over-vertrek-mark-rutte-in-zijn-eigen-buurt-op-wie-moet-ik-nu-stemmen~af0dcbb2 |access-date=20 July 2023 |work=] |language=Dutch}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Conradi |first1=Peter |date=26 July 2020 |title=Holland's 'Mr No' Mark Rutte sees off EU but risks putting Eurosceptics in saddle |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hollands-mr-no-mark-rutte-sees-off-eu-but-risks-putting-eurosceptics-in-saddle-fj5n6wn23 |access-date=20 July 2023 |work=]}}</ref>

== Honours ==
*{{flag|Australia}}: Honorary Companion of the ] (9 October 2019)<ref name=2019-S8> – Honorary Companion (AC) in General Division (9 October 2019)</ref>
*{{flag|France}}: Grand Officer of the ] (11 April 2023)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ppe-agency.com/preview.php?zoektype=2&id=332477&start=0&search=11-04-2023+Gala|title= Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto|website=www.ppe-agency.com}}</ref>
*{{flag|Italy}}: Knight Grand Cross of the ] (20 December 2022)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/1578301|title=Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana}}</ref>
*{{flag|Luxembourg}}: Grand Cross of the ] (7 June 2024)<ref>{{cite tweet |user=LucFrieden |number=1799123618993152131 |title=Very happy to welcome my friend, Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Luxembourg... }}</ref>
*{{flag|Netherlands}}: Knight Grand Cross of the ] (2 July 2024)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stcrt-2024-22525.html|title=Besluit van 2 juli 2024, nr. 2024001724, houdende verlening van een onderscheiding aan oud-Minister-President Mark Rutte|website= ]|date=4 July 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2527485-oud-premier-rutte-krijgt-hoge-onderscheiding-van-koning|title=Oud-premier Rutte krijgt hoge onderscheiding van koning|website= ]|date=5 July 2024 }}</ref>
*{{flag|Ukraine}}: Recipient of the ], 1st degree (27 January 2023)<ref> – official website of the ]</ref>
*]: Honorary member (30 November 2024)<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/11/30/op-het-vvd-congres-worden-de-critici-vakkundig-doodgeknuffeld-a4875024 |url-access = subscription |date = 30 November 2024 |last = Van de Ven |first = Liam |access-date = 1 December 2024 |language = nl |website = ] |title = Op het VVD-congres worden de critici vakkundig doodgeknuffeld |trans-title = At the VVD convention, critics are expertly hugged to death }}</ref>

==Electoral history==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" border=2 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="border: 1px #aaa solid; font-size: 90%; text-align:center;"
|+ {{sronly|Electoral history of Mark Rutte}}
! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Year
! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Body
! scope="col" colspan=2 rowspan=2 |Party
! scope="col" rowspan=2 |{{abbr|2=Position on the party list|Pos.}}
! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Votes
! scope="colgroup" colspan=2 |Result
! scope="col" rowspan=2 class="unsortable" |{{abbr|2=References|Ref}}.
|-
! scope="col" |Party seats
! scope="col" |Individual
|-
! scope="row" | ]
| rowspan="6" | ]
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:{{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}};"|
| rowspan="6" | ]
| style=text-align:right | ]
| style=text-align:right | 4,297
| style=text-align:right | 28
| {{yes2|Won}}
|
|-
! scope="row" | ]
| style=text-align:right | ]
| style=text-align:right | 553,200
| style=text-align:right | 22
| {{yes2|Won}}
|
|-
! scope="row" | ]
| style=text-align:right | ]
| style=text-align:right | 1,617,636
| style=text-align:right | 31
| {{yes2|Won}}
|
|-
! scope="row" | ]
| style=text-align:right | ]
| style=text-align:right | 2,129,000
| style=text-align:right | 41
| {{yes2|Won}}
|
|-
! scope="row" | ]
| style=text-align:right | ]
| style=text-align:right | 1,760,117
| style=text-align:right | 33
| {{yes2|Won}}
|
|-
! scope="row" | ]
| style=text-align:right | ]
| style=text-align:right | 1,977,651
| style=text-align:right | 34
| {{yes2|Won}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2021/03/26/uitslag-tweede-kamerverkiezing-17-maart-2021 |website = Dutch Electoral Council |language = nl |format = PDF |date = 29 March 2021 |title = Proces-verbaal verkiezingsuitslag Tweede Kamer 2021 |trans-title = Report of the election results House of Representatives 2021}}</ref>
|}

==See also==
* ]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* , official NATO profile
* {{C-SPAN|64055}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book|title=Mark Rutte|first=Petra de|last=Koning|isbn= 9789492754424|date=2022|language=nl|publisher=Brooklyn}}
* {{Cite book|title=Het raadsel Rutte|first=Ron|last=Fresen|first2=Wilma|last2=Borgman|isbn=9789463823302|date=2024|language=nl|publisher=Balans}}
* {{Cite book|title=De laatste dagen|first= Leonard |last=Ornstein|first2=Mattias|last2=Schut|isbn= 9789048875887|date=2024|language=nl|publisher=Hollands Diep}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-dip}}
{{s-bef|before=]}}
{{s-ttl|title=]|years=2024–present}}
{{s-inc}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=]}}
{{s-ttl|title=]|years=2002–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=]}}
{{s-ttl|title=]|years=2004–2006}}
{{s-aft|after=]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=]}}
{{s-ttl|title=]|years=2010–2024}}
{{s-aft|after=]}}
|-
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=]}}
{{s-ttl|title=]|years=2006–2023}}
{{s-aft|after=]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Mark Rutte}}
{{Navboxes
|list1=
{{Secretaries General of NATO}}
{{Prime Ministers of the Netherlands}}
{{Fourth Rutte cabinet}}
{{Third Rutte cabinet}}
{{Second Rutte cabinet}}
{{First Rutte cabinet}}
{{State Secretaries for Education of the Netherlands}}
{{State Secretaries for Social Affairs of the Netherlands}}
{{Second Balkenende cabinet}}
{{First Balkenende cabinet}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2021–present}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2017–2021}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2012–2017}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2010–2012}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2006–2010}}
{{People's Party for Freedom and Democracy}}}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rutte, Mark}}
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 18:44, 26 December 2024

Secretary General of NATO since 2024 and former Prime Minister of the Netherlands "Rutte" redirects here. For other uses, see Rutte (disambiguation).

His ExcellencyMark Rutte
Rutte in 2023
14th Secretary General of NATO
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 October 2024
DeputyRadmila Šekerinska
Preceded byJens Stoltenberg
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office
14 October 2010 – 2 July 2024
Monarchs
Deputy See list
Preceded byJan Peter Balkenende
Succeeded byDick Schoof
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
In office
31 May 2006 – 14 August 2023
Preceded byJozias van Aartsen
Succeeded byDilan Yeşilgöz
State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science
In office
17 June 2004 – 27 June 2006
Prime MinisterJan Peter Balkenende
Preceded byAnnette Nijs
Succeeded byBruno Bruins
State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment
In office
22 July 2002 – 17 June 2004
Prime MinisterJan Peter Balkenende
Preceded byHans Hoogervorst
Succeeded byHenk van Hoof
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
31 March 2021 – 10 January 2022
In office
23 March 2017 – 26 October 2017
In office
20 September 2012 – 5 November 2012
In office
28 June 2006 – 14 October 2010
In office
30 January 2003 – 27 May 2003
Personal details
Born (1967-02-14) 14 February 1967 (age 57)
The Hague, Netherlands
Political partyPeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy
EducationLeiden University (BA, MA)
Signature
This article is part of
a series aboutMark Rutte

Political career


Prime Minister of the Netherlands

First Ministry and term

Second Ministry and term

Third Ministry and term

Fourth Ministry and term


Affiliations


Media gallery

Mark Rutte (Dutch: [ˈmɑr(ə)k ˈrʏtə] ; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who since October 2024 serves as the 14th secretary-general of NATO. He previously served as the prime minister of the Netherlands from 2010 to 2024, and as the leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from 2006 to 2023. Serving a total of almost 14 years, Rutte is the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history.

After originally embarking on a business management career working for Unilever, Rutte entered national politics in 2002 as a member of Jan Peter Balkenende's cabinets. Rutte won the 2006 VVD leadership election and led the party to victory in the 2010 general election. After lengthy coalition negotiations, he became prime minister of the Netherlands. He was the first self-described liberal to be appointed prime minister in 92 years.

An impasse on budget negotiations led to his government's early collapse in April 2012, but the VVD's victory in the subsequent election allowed Rutte to return as prime minister to lead his second cabinet between the VVD and the Labour Party (PvdA), which became the first cabinet to complete a full four-year term since 1998. Though the VVD lost seats in the 2017 general election, it remained the largest party. After a record-length formation period, Rutte was appointed to lead his third cabinet between the VVD, Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Democrats 66 (D66) and Christian Union (CU).

Though Rutte and his cabinet resigned in response to the Dutch childcare benefits scandal, the VVD would go on to win the 2021 general election. Rutte began his fourth term in 2022 after another record-length formation period. On 7 July 2023, he announced his government's resignation after the cabinet failed to agree on how to handle migration. Rutte IV would continue on as an outgoing cabinet, fulfilling a caretaker function and keeping the nation running until the Schoof cabinet was sworn in on 2 July 2024.

Due to his ability to come out of political scandals with an untarnished reputation, Rutte has been referred to as Teflon Mark. He has been described as ideologically flexible and pragmatic, willing to accommodate a broad range of political factions in order to address issues.

Early life

Rutte was born in The Hague, in the province of South Holland, to a Dutch Reformed family. He is the youngest child of Izaäk Rutte (5 October 1909 – 22 April 1988), a merchant, and his second wife Hermina Cornelia Dilling (13 November 1923 – 13 May 2020), a secretary. Izaäk Rutte worked for a trading company; first as an importer in the Dutch East Indies; he later ran a car dealership. His second wife was a sister of his first wife, Petronella Hermanna Dilling (17 March 1910 – 20 July 1945), who died while they were interned together in Tjideng, a prisoner-of-war camp in Batavia (Jakarta), during World War II. Rutte has seven siblings as a result of his father's two marriages. One of his elder brothers died from AIDS in the 1980s. Rutte later described the deaths of his brother and his father as events that changed the course of his life.

Rutte attended the Maerlant Lyceum from 1979 until 1985, specialising in the arts. Although his original ambition was to attend a conservatory and become a concert pianist, he instead went to study history at Leiden University, where he obtained an MA degree in 1992. Rutte combined his studies with a position on the board of the Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy, the youth organisation of the VVD, and served as chair of the organisation from 1988 to 1991.

After his studies Rutte entered the business world, working as a manager for Unilever and its food subsidiary Calvé. Until 1997, Rutte was part of the human resource department of Unilever, and played a leading role in several reorganisations. Between 1997 and 2000, Rutte was staff manager of the subsidiary Van den Bergh Nederland. In 2000, Rutte became a member of the Corporate Human Resources Group, and in 2002, he became human resource manager for IgloMora Groep, another subsidiary of Unilever.

Political career

Between 1993 and 1997, Rutte was a member of the national board of the VVD. Rutte served as State Secretary (i.e. Deputy Minister) at the Social Affairs and Employment Ministry from 22 July 2002 to 17 June 2004 in the First and Second Balkenende cabinets and was responsible for fields including bijstand (municipal welfare) and arbeidsomstandigheden (Occupational safety and health). After the 2003 elections Rutte was briefly also a member of the House of Representatives, from 30 January to 27 May 2003.

In 2003, Rutte supported the US-led invasion of Iraq.

During his time as State Secretary in 2003, Rutte advised municipalities to check Somali residents for social assistance fraud, after a number of Somalis who were working in England were found to be receiving social assistance benefits in the Netherlands as well. A Somali man entitled to benefits was stopped by social investigators and checked for fraud on the basis of his external characteristics, after which he refused the investigators access to his home. The Municipal Executive (College van burgemeester en wethouders) of Haarlem decided to withdraw his right to social benefits. He disagreed with this and his appeal was upheld by the administrative judge. The court ruled that "an investigation aimed exclusively at persons of Somali descent is discriminatory" and contrary to the Constitution because this distinction is "discrimination based on race". Rutte rejected the criticism, stating that a change in the law would then be necessary to be able to combat targeted fraud.

Rutte later served as State Secretary for Higher Education and Science within the Education, Culture and Science Ministry in the Second Balkenende Cabinet from 17 June 2004 to 27 June 2006, replacing Annette Nijs. In office, Rutte showed particular interest in making the Dutch higher education system more competitive internationally, by trying to make it more market oriented (improving the position of students as consumers in the market for education). Rutte resigned from his position in government in June 2006 to return to the House of Representatives, and he soon became the parliamentary leader of the VVD.

Party leadership election

After the resignation of Jozias van Aartsen and a loss in the 2006 Dutch municipal election, the VVD held an internal election for a new Lead Candidate, in which Rutte competed against Rita Verdonk and Jelleke Veenendaal. On 31 May 2006, it was announced that Mark Rutte would be the next lijsttrekker of the VVD. He was elected by 51.5% of party members. Rutte's candidacy was backed by the VVD leadership, including the party board, and many prominent politicians such as Frank de Grave, former minister of Defence, Ivo Opstelten, the mayor of Rotterdam and Ed Nijpels, the Queen's Commissioner of Friesland. The Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy, the VVD's youth wing of which Rutte had previously been chair, also backed him. During the elections he promised "to make the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy a party for everyone and not just of the elite".

2006 general election

For the 2006 general election, the VVD campaign with Rutte as leader did not get off to a good start; he received criticism from within his own party. Rutte was said to be overshadowed by his own party members Rita Verdonk and Gerrit Zalm, as well as being unable to penetrate between Wouter Bos and Jan Peter Balkenende, who were generally seen as the prime candidates to become the next prime minister. On 27 November, it became known that Rita Verdonk, who generally held a more populist view on politics, managed to obtain more votes than Mark Rutte; he obtained 553,200 votes against Verdonk's 620,555. After repeated criticisms by Verdonk on VVD policy, Rutte expelled her from the party's parliamentary faction on 13 September 2007.

2010 general election

In the 2010 general election, Rutte was once again the lead candidate for the VVD. It won 31 seats and, for the first time ever, became the largest party in the House of Representatives. The lengthy 2010 cabinet formation followed, with several personalities succeeding each other, being appointed by Queen Beatrix in order to find out what coalition could be formed. Efforts to form a broad spectrum coalition between the VVD, CDA and PvdA failed. Instead, the only possibility appeared to be a centre-right coalition of liberals and Christian Democrats (CDA), with the outside support of the Party for Freedom (PVV), led by Geert Wilders.

Prime Minister of the Netherlands

Premiership of Mark Rutte
14 October 2010 – 2 July 2024
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Cabinet
PartyPeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Election2010, 2012, 2017, 2021
Appointed byBeatrix of the Netherlands
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
SeatTorentje
← Jan Peter BalkenendeDick Schoof →

First term

Rutte presenting his first cabinet together with Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Verhagen (CDA) and coalition partner Geert Wilders (PVV)

After securing support for a coalition between the VVD and CDA, Rutte was appointed as formateur on 8 October 2010; Rutte announced his prospective cabinet, including Maxime Verhagen from the CDA as deputy prime minister. On 14 October, Queen Beatrix formally invited Rutte to form a government, and later that day, Rutte presented his first cabinet to Parliament. The government was confirmed in office by a majority of one, and Rutte was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, becoming the first Liberal to serve in the role since Pieter Cort van der Linden in 1918. At 43 years old, he also became the second-youngest prime minister in Dutch history, after Ruud Lubbers.

Nord Stream 1 opening ceremony on 8 November 2011 with Rutte, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and French prime minister François Fillon.

After a victory in the 2011 provincial elections, the VVD secured its status as the lead party within the government. In March 2012, seeking to comply with requirements from the European Union to reduce the nation's deficit, Rutte began talks with his coalition partners on a budget which would cut 16 billion euros of government spending. However, PVV leader Geert Wilders withdrew his party's informal support from the government on 21 April, stating that the proposed budget would hurt economic growth. This led to the early collapse of the government and Rutte submitting his resignation to Queen Beatrix on the afternoon of 23 April. His government had lasted for 558 days, making it one of the shortest Dutch cabinets since World War II.

Second term

Ahead of the 2012 general election, Rutte was named the VVD's lead candidate for the third time. At the election in September, the VVD won an additional 10 seats, remaining the largest party in the House of Representatives; the CDA and PVV saw their number of seats fall significantly. The VVD quickly negotiated a coalition agreement with the Labour Party and Rutte returned as prime minister of the Second Rutte cabinet on 5 November 2012.

In 2014, The Hague hosted a Group of Seven special meeting after the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down in Ukraine with 193 Dutch nationals aboard.

Rutte with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 8 December 2013

In April 2016, Rutte was appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President of the World Bank Group Jim Yong Kim to the High-Level Panel on Water. Co-chaired by Mauritius President Ameenah Gurib and Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto, the joint UN-WBG panel was set up to accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6). That month also saw the 2016 Dutch Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement referendum, which resulted in a rejection. In November 2016 the House of Representatives approved a ban on the Islamic burqa in some public spaces including schools and hospitals by 132 votes against 18, which the VVD supported.

Rutte's second cabinet completed its full four-year term without collapsing or losing a vote of no confidence, becoming the first cabinet to do so since the First Kok cabinet, which lasted from 1994 to 1998.

Third term

The VVD went into the 2017 general election with a small lead over the PVV in most opinion polls. Rutte was judged to have managed the 2017 Dutch–Turkish diplomatic incident well according to similar polling. While the VVD lost 8 seats in the general election, the PvdA lost 29, and these seats were split between a number of other parties, leaving the VVD as the largest party in parliament for the third successive election. After holding coalition discussions, Rutte negotiated a grand coalition with the CDA, D66 and CU; he presented his third cabinet on 26 October 2017 and was sworn in as prime minister for a third term. The 225 days between the general election and the installation of the third Rutte cabinet was the longest such period in Dutch history.

Rutte with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, 24 May 2018

The coalition agreement contained a plan to abolish the 15% dividend tax (providing the state €1.4 billion per year), which proved highly unpopular as it had not been mentioned in any of the coalition party's programs, and it later appeared that major Dutch companies like Shell and Unilever had secretly been lobbying for the inclusion of this measure.

On 21 March 2018, the Dutch Intelligence and Security Services Act referendum was held, which resulted in a rejection. In July of that same year, Rutte became a topic in international news by interrupting and explicitly contradicting the American president Donald Trump during a meeting with the press at the Oval Office in the White House, which was considered to be "typical Dutch bluntness". At the 2019 provincial elections, Rutte's VVD suffered a blow following the victory of right-wing populist newcomer Forum for Democracy (FvD).

Rutte with U.S. president Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on 18 July 2019

During the negotiations for the COVID-19 recovery fund in the European Union in 2020, Rutte was considered the unofficial leader of the Frugal Four, demanding loans instead of grants and more conditions on them. In September of that year, Rutte suggested that the EU could be dissolved and re-formed without Poland and Hungary, as he perceived these countries' governments to be dismantling the rule of law.

On 15 January 2021, the third Rutte cabinet collectively resigned after the publication of research centered around the childcare subsidies scandal in the Netherlands. Rutte offered his resignation to King Willem-Alexander, accepting responsibility for the scandal.

Fourth term

Rutte and U.S. president Joe Biden at the G20 Rome summit, 31 October 2021
Rutte with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 11 July 2022
Rutte with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, 19 January 2023
Rutte with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and Tunisian president Kais Saied, 16 July 2023

Following the 2021 Dutch general election, Rutte's VVD party held 34 of 150 seats and was expected to form a new coalition government. After remaining as outgoing prime minister for the duration of the longest formation process in Dutch history he presented a coalition agreement with D66, CDA and CU, the same combination as his previous government, on 15 December 2021.

In October 2022, Rutte said that alleged war crimes and human rights violations committed during the Armenian-Azerbaijani war in Nagorno-Karabakh should be investigated.

Rutte with Indonesian Minister of Public Works Basuki Hadimuljono showing off their Nokia phones in 2019

Rutte suffered a political scandal (Nokiagate) during his fourth term, when it was found that he had been deleting the majority of the SMS text messages on his archaic Nokia mobile phone for years, personally judging which messages were to be archived and which messages were to be deleted in direct violation of the archival law. He explained that this was necessary due to his phone memory filling up too quickly, which was not considered a plausible excuse by other ministers. The scandal also damaged his campaign promises and the coalition accords, which stated that the cabinet wished to restore peoples faith in politics, create a new governance culture and "improve the information provided to the House". The latter of these concerned measures including a modernisation of the archival law and faster information availability.

In January 2023, the U.S., Japan, and the Netherlands reached an agreement to limit certain advanced chip exports to China. Accordingly, the Dutch government placed restrictions on chip exports in March 2023 in order to protect national security. This measure affected the Dutch multinational ASML, one of the most important companies in the global microchip supply chain. In January 2024, the Dutch government placed further restrictions on the shipment of some advanced chip-making equipment to China, though on 27 March 2024, Chinese president Xi Jinping told Rutte that "no force can stop the pace of China’s scientific and technological progress".

Different stances on immigration policy within his four-party coalition had existed since the coalition government was formed. VVD and CDA supported restrictions on immigration, while D66 and CU opposed them. On 7 July 2023, the parties failed to reach an agreement and unanimously decided that they could not continue working together within the coalition. Following this, Rutte immediately offered the resignation of his government. The king asked that the prime minister and his government "continue to carry out the duties they consider necessary to the interests of the Kingdom in a caretaker capacity". Three days later, Rutte announced his departure both as political leader of the VVD and from national politics in general, after the installation of the next government.

While serving as outgoing prime minister, Rutte he condemned the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and expressed his support to Israel and its right to self-defense. He would go on to visit Israel later that same month to express solidarity with the country, meeting Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. He rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war but supported "humanitarian pauses" to provide aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip. Though the Netherlands provided military aid to Israel, in February 2024 a court in the Netherlands ordered the Dutch government to stop exporting parts for F-35 fighter jets to the country.

Due to the resignation of the cabinet general elections were held early, on 22 November 2023, with the VVD now under the leadership of Dilan Yeşilgöz.

In February 2024, Rutte visited Saudi Arabia and spoke with the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman about "broad cooperation". He would travel to Paris on the 26th of February, where Emmanuel Macron was hosting an emergency summit concerning the situation in Ukraine, which had suffered the loss of Avdiivka due to a lack of available ammunition. Czech PM Petr Fiala proposed to purchase 500,000 rounds of artillery ammunition for Volodymyr Zelensky's forces. This was the second time in one month the Czech government had aired the matter. The French had previously vetoed the idea to purchase the ammunition from foreign sources. On behalf of his government, Rutte announced that they would provide €100 million for this purpose. On 1 March Rutte increased the commitment to €250 million for Fiala's venture, as he went to Kharkiv to tour an underground metro station that had been repurposed into a primary school together with Zelensky. During this same tour, they signed the Netherlands-Ukraine bilateral security agreement.

Rutte with Israeli president Isaac Herzog and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands on 10 March 2024

Later that month, Rutte threatened Israel with sanctions if the Israeli military launched a large-scale invasion of Rafah, saying the attack would be a "game changer" and have "political consequences". He also met with Chinese president Xi Jinping, where Rutte discussed the Russian invasion of Ukraine and tried to persuade China, which provided Russia with diplomatic cover and economic support through trade, to exert its influence on Russia. Rutte said that "this is a direct security threat for us, because if Russia will be successful in Ukraine, it will be a threat to the whole of Europe. It will not end with Ukraine."

On 14 April 2024, Rutte condemned the Iranian strikes against Israel and reiterated the necessity for sanctions against Iran. Rutte stated that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) should be added to the EU's terrorism blacklist.

Rutte's government authorized Ukraine to use Dutch-supplied F-16 fighters to strike targets inside Russia in May. Rutte attended the June 2024 Ukraine peace summit, interpreting Putin's proposal for peace talks near the end of this summit as a sign of panic.

Rutte's fourth term as prime minister came to an end with the swearing in of the Schoof cabinet, which had been formed following the general election. This new cabinet is led by Dick Schoof, the former secretary-general of the Ministry of Justice and Security.

Secretary General of NATO

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Mark Rutte at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on 17 October 2024
Rutte with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 29 October 2024

Following his departure from national politics, Rutte succeeded Jens Stoltenberg as Secretary General of NATO on 1 October 2024 during a ceremonial handover at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. Despite having previously stated that he wanted to focus on high school teaching after his prime ministership, he announced his candidacy for the position in October 2023. His bid received public support from the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France in February 2024. Rutte managed to overcome opposition from the last holdouts of Turkey, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania in the months thereafter, with his only opponent, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, dropping out a week before his official appointment on 26 June 2024.

In October 2024, Rutte said that more than 600,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded during the war with Ukraine.

As secretary-general, Rutte called on member nations to ramp up their defense spending and production, stating that a wartime mentality was required. He said that the additional spending would be necessary to guarantee a collective defense and to avert a Russian attack following its invasion of Ukraine.

Rutte has repeatedly urged sending more weapons to Ukraine. He said that any future peace talks with Russia should be led by Ukraine from a position of strength.

Rutte criticized China's stance towards Taiwan, saying that "China is bullying Taiwan, and pursuing access to our critical infrastructure in ways that could cripple our societies." He added, "Russia, China, but also North Korea and Iran, are hard at work to try to weaken North America and Europe. To chip away at our freedom, they want to reshape the global order, not to create a fairer one, but to secure their own spheres of influence."

Personal life

Rutte is single. He is a member of the Dutch Protestant Church. While he was prime minister, Rutte taught social studies on Thursday mornings at the Johan de Witt College, a secondary school in The Hague. Rutte is known to be a big fan of the writing of Robert Caro, especially his 1974 book about Robert Moses, The Power Broker. He drives a Saab 9-3 estate. Before moving to Brussels in 2024 following his appointment as Secretary General of NATO, he lived in an apartment in Benoordenhout, a neighbourhood of The Hague, for several decades.

Honours

Electoral history

Electoral history of Mark Rutte
Year Body Party Pos. Votes Result Ref.
Party seats Individual
2003 House of Representatives People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 11 4,297 28 Won
2006 1 553,200 22 Won
2010 1 1,617,636 31 Won
2012 1 2,129,000 41 Won
2017 1 1,760,117 33 Won
2021 1 1,977,651 34 Won

See also

References

  1. "Mark Rutte takes office as NATO Secretary General". NATO. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  2. "Mark Rutte: eerste liberale premier sinds 1918" (in Dutch). eenvandaag.nl. 7 October 2010. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  3. "Dutch PM Rutte and his government quit over child welfare scandal". Al Jazeera. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  4. "The buck stops here: Dutch govt quits over welfare scandal". Associated Press. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  5. "Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his entire Cabinet resign over child welfare scandal". CBS News. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  6. "Netherlands election: Mark Rutte claims fourth term with 'overwhelming' victory". The Guardian. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  7. "Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his entire Cabinet resign over child welfare scandal". CBS News. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  8. "Mark Rutte resigns as Dutch PM amid migration dispute – National | Globalnews.ca", Global News, retrieved 7 July 2023
  9. Corder, Mike (7 July 2023). "Dutch premier resigns because of deadlock on thorny issue of migration, paving way for new elections". Associated Press. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  10. Moses, Claire; Bilefsky, Dan (7 July 2023). "Dutch Government Collapses Over Plan to Further Limit Immigration". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  11. Henley, Jon (14 December 2021). "'Teflon' Mark Rutte set for fourth Dutch term after record-breaking talks". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  12. de Gruyter, Caroline (28 June 2024). "NATO's New Leader Was Planning This the Whole Time". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Drs. M. (Mark) Rutte". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  14. Couglin, Con (26 June 2024). "Mark Rutte: Meet NATO's new secretary-general". Al Majalla.
  15. "El primer ministro holandés respeta el confinamiento y no se despide de su madre enferma". Diario ABC (in Spanish). 26 May 2020.
  16. Pedigree
  17. "Rutte on Zomergasten: Wilders, multiculturalism and the 'last taboo'". Dutch News. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  18. O'Leary, Naomi (8 June 2018). "Mark Rutte: North's quiet rebel". Politico. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  19. "Rutte opent Maerlant-Lyceum Den Haag". Hart van Nederland. 16 February 2011. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  20. "Rutte had pianoleraar kunnen zijn". De Pers. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  21. ^ "CV | Mark Rutte". rijksoverheid.nl. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  22. "Mark Rutte" (in Dutch). VVD. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  23. "Biografie – Mark Rutte". elsevier.nl. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  24. "Who is Mark Rutte? A short biography". DutchNews. 10 June 2010.
  25. "Mark Rutte". NATO. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  26. Huijzer, Jouke (19 June 2024). "To Become NATO Chief, Mark Rutte Denied Israeli War Crimes". Jacobin.
  27. "Rutte: Veroordeling discriminatie onterecht". Elsevier. 19 May 2007.
  28. "Rutte zette aan tot discriminatie". NRC. NRC Handelsblad. 21 May 2007.
  29. ECLI:NL:RBHAA:2007:BA5410
  30. ^ (in Dutch) "Onvrede binnen VVD over Rutte," Algemeen Dagblad (31 October 2006). Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  31. "Tension mounts as VVD waits for Verdonk's reaction to voters' support". dutchnews.nl. 28 November 2006.
  32. (in Dutch) Oranje, Joost and Guus Valk, "Kamp: VVD moet Rutte nu steunen," Archived 15 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine NRC Handelsblad (15 September 2007). Retrieved 14 May 2014. Literal English translation: "Verdonk was yesterday by Mark Rutte formally expelled from the VVD's parliamentary party in the House of Representatives after she had again voiced criticism of the party in the press." Dutch original: "Verdonk werd gisteren formeel door Mark Rutte uit de Tweede Kamerfractie van de VVD gezet, nadat zij in de pers opnieuw kritiek had geuit op de fractie."
  33. ^ "Election 2010 – The Netherlands shifts to the right". NRC Handelsblad. 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  34. Van Kessel, Alexander (2016). "'Doe dit onze partij niet aan, doe dit ons land niet aan'" ['Don't do this to our party, don't do this to our country']. In Van Baalen, Carla; Van Kessel, Alexander (eds.). Kabinetsformaties 1977-2012 [Cabinet formations 1977-2012] (in Dutch). Boom. pp. 319–348. ISBN 9789461054661.
  35. "Rutte wordt niet jongste premier" (in Dutch). 13 August 2010.
  36. ^ "Dutch government falls in budget crisis". BBC News. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  37. Gilbert Kreijger and Thomas Escritt (23 April 2012). "Dutch Prime Minister resigns in budget cuts row". Reuters. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  38. "Volg de verkiezingen 2014 live". De Volkskrant. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012.
  39. Baalen, C. C. van; Kessel, Alexander van, eds. (2016). Kabinetsformaties 1977-2012 [Cabinet Formations 1977-2012] (in Dutch). Amsterdam: Boom. pp. 511–523. ISBN 978-94-6105-466-1.
  40. United Nations Secretary-General, World Bank Group President Appoint High-Level Panel on Water United Nations, a press release of 21 April 2016.
  41. The Netherlands votes for partial restrictions of the burqa in public space, independent.co.uk, 29 November 2016.
  42. "Kabinet-Rutte II verslaat Lubbers III: langstzittende kabinet". NOS (in Dutch). 20 August 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  43. "Kabinetsformatie 2017". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  44. Rutte: effect afschaffen dividendbelasting op bedridden niet bekend Archived 1 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch), rtlnieuws.nl.
  45. "Trump got a dose of Dutch bluntness from visiting prime minister". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  46. "Rutte interrupts Trump! 4 Things that happened at the Rutte – Trump meeting | DutchReview". 3 July 2018.
  47. "Provinciale Statenverkiezingen 2019" (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  48. Dodman, Benjamin (20 July 2020). "Dutch PM Mark Rutte, the thrifty europhile holding Europe hostage". France 24. Reuters, AFP. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  49. "[Opinion] Could we found a new EU without Hungary and Poland?". EUobserver. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  50. "The frugal blues: An underappreciated threat to the European project". ECFR. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  51. "Plenaire verslagen". www.tweedekamer.nl (in Dutch). 9 September 2020. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2020. Je moet gaan nadenken: kun je een begroting maken via een intergouvernementeel verdrag of kun je nu een Europese Unie oprichten zonder Hongarije en Polen?
  52. Erdbrink, Thomas (15 January 2021). "Government in Netherlands Resigns After Benefit Scandal". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  53. van den Berg, Stephanie (15 January 2021). "Dutch government resigns over childcare subsidies scandal". Reuters. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  54. "Dutch election: PM Mark Rutte claims victory and fourth term". BBC News. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  55. "Coalition agreement presented today after record long formation process". NL Times. ANP. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  56. "Mark Rutte: Azerbaijani war crimes must be investigated". NEWS.am. 6 October 2022.
  57. "Premier Rutte wiste jarenlang iedere dag zijn sms'jes". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 18 May 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  58. ^ Valk, Guus (18 May 2022). "Rutte bepaalde zélf welke sms'jes belangrijk waren en welke niet – en dat wringt". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  59. "U.S. secures deal with Netherlands, Japan on China chip export limit – Bloomberg". Reuters. 27 January 2023.
  60. "US-China chip war: Netherlands moves to restrict some exports". BBC News. 9 March 2023. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023.
  61. Madhok, Diksha (2 January 2024). "ASML forced to suspend some China exports after US escalates tech battle | CNN Business". CNN.
  62. "Xi tells Dutch prime minister: No force can stop China's tech advance". CNBC. 28 March 2024.
  63. "Dutch PM Mark Rutte resigns after collapse of coalition government". Sky News. 8 July 2023. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  64. "Mark Rutte hands in resignation to the king after coalition collapse". Euronews. 7 July 2023. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  65. "Prime Minister Rutte tenders government's resignation". Government of the Netherlands. 8 July 2023. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  66. "VVD-leider Mark Rutte stopt, kondigt vertrek uit politiek aan". nos.nl (in Dutch). 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  67. Boztas, Senay (10 July 2023). "Dutch PM Mark Rutte to leave politics after collapse of government". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  68. ""Israel has every right to defend itself," says Dutch PM". Dutch News. 8 October 2023.
  69. Berman, Lazar (23 October 2023). "Netanyahu to Dutch leader: This war is civilization vs. barbarism". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  70. "Western countries oppose cease-fire in Gaza as humanitarian crisis unfolds". Anadolu Agency. 27 October 2023.
  71. "Rutte covering up negative info about Israel to protect future NATO job, officials say". NL Times. 22 January 2024.
  72. "Netherlands to challenge court ruling blocking F-35 spare part exports to Israel". NL Times. 12 February 2024.
  73. "The Tweede Kamer urges members of the Cabinet not to travel to World Cup in Saudi Arabia". NL Times. 16 February 2024.
  74. "EU seeks more ammunition for Ukraine to reverse Putin's advance". Luxembourg Times. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  75. Rose, Michel; Irish, John (27 February 2024). "France's Macron does not rule out Europeans sending troops to Ukraine". Reuters. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  76. "Rutte pledges more cash for Ukrainian ammunition during visit". Dutch News. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  77. "Netherlands' Rutte Signs Security Deal in Ukraine, Promising Artillery Funding". U.S. News & World Report. Reuters. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  78. ""Sanctions not excluded" if Israel opens large-scale attack on Rafah: Dutch PM Rutte". NL Times. 20 March 2024.
  79. "Chinese Leader to Dutch PM: Restricting Technology Access Won't Stop China's Advance". VOA News. 27 March 2024.
  80. "The Netherlands condemns Iran's attack on Israel, PM Rutte says". NL Times. 14 April 2024.
  81. ^ "EU plans sanctions, urges calm after Iran strikes Israel". Deutsche Welle. 18 April 2024.
  82. "NATO chief reiterates Ukraine's right to strike 'legitimate military targets' inside Russia". Anadolu Agency. 31 May 2024.
  83. "Ukraine can strike Russian targets with Dutch F-16s". Politico. 3 June 2024.
  84. "Putin's 'peace talks' statement shows panic – Dutch PM Mark Rutte". The New Voice of Ukraine. 16 June 2024. Wikidata Q126689515. Archived from the original on 16 June 2024.
  85. "Ministers en staatssecretarissen kabinet-Schoof beëdigd" [Ministers and state secretaries of Schoof cabinet sworn in]. NOS (in Dutch). 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  86. "Mark Rutte takes over as NATO chief". Le Monde. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  87. ^ De Koning, Petra; Aharouay, Lamyae (5 June 2024). "NAVO-secretaris-generaal Stoltenberg gaat naar Boedapest om Rutte te helpen" [NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg will visit Budapest to help Rutte]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  88. "UK backs outgoing Dutch PM as next Nato chief". BBC. 22 February 2024.
  89. Lange, Laurens (23 February 2024). "Rutte heeft unanieme steun nodig – sommige NAVO-landen zien liever andere baas" [Rutte needs unanimous support – some NATO members would rather have another boss]. RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  90. "Mark Rutte weigerde in januari 2023 nog om NAVO-baas te worden" [Mark Rutte refused to become NATO leader in January 2023]. NU.nl (in Dutch). 25 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  91. "Rutte over nieuwe baan: 'Drie maanden vrij en dan hard werken'" [Rutte about new job: 'Three months of vacation and hard work thereafter']. NOS (in Dutch). 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  92. "Mark Rutte officieel benoemd tot nieuwe secretaris-generaal NAVO" [Mark Rutte officially appoint new Secretary General of NATO]. RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  93. "Russia has suffered 600,000 casualties in Ukraine war, says Nato". The Telegraph. 28 October 2024.
  94. Brouwers, Arnout (12 December 2024). "Rutte roept Navolanden op tot veel snellere verhoging van defensiebudget: 'De turbo moet erop'" [Rutte calls on NATO member nations to quickly raise defense budgets: 'We should turbo charge']. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  95. "Rutte Urges More NATO Arms as Ukraine Spending Goal in Sight". Bloomberg. 16 October 2024.
  96. "Nato's Rutte says Ukraine needs more weapons, not new ideas". Financial Times. 3 December 2024.
  97. "NATO wants to put Ukraine in a position of strength for any Russia peace talks". Euronews. 18 December 2024.
  98. "China is bullying Taiwan: NATO Secy General Mark Rutte, condemns lack of transparency in nuclear expansion". The Economic Times. 15 December 2024.
  99. "Ten things you didn't know about prime minister Mark Rutte". Dutch News. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  100. "Rutte: Het geloof blijft een worsteling voor mij". RD.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  101. "Mark Rutte als leraar: 'Hij is grappig, beetje streng en neemt nooit zijn telefoon op'". RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 8 October 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  102. Den Hartog, Tobias; Van Soest, Tobias (9 June 2024). "Mark Rutte is al begonnen om zichzelf in Nederland uit te gummen: 'Hij wil echt de schaduw in'" [Mark Rutte has already started to erase himself in the Netherlands: 'He really wants to enter the shadows']. Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  103. Leland, John (13 May 2016). "The Dutch Prime Minister Is a Big Fan of Robert Caro". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  104. "Mark Rutte (the prime minister of the Netherlands) Continues to Drive Saab". Saab Planet. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  105. Rubio, Ilah (10 July 2023). "Gemengde gevoelens over vertrek Mark Rutte in zijn eigen buurt: 'Op wie moet ik nu stemmen?'" [Mixed feelings about Mark Rutte's departure in his own neighbourhood: 'Who should I vote for now?']. Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  106. Conradi, Peter (26 July 2020). "Holland's 'Mr No' Mark Rutte sees off EU but risks putting Eurosceptics in saddle". The Times. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  107. 2019-S8 – Honorary Companion (AC) in General Division (9 October 2019)
  108. "[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto". www.ppe-agency.com.
  109. "Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana".
  110. @LucFrieden (7 June 2024). "Very happy to welcome my friend, Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Luxembourg..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  111. "Besluit van 2 juli 2024, nr. 2024001724, houdende verlening van een onderscheiding aan oud-Minister-President Mark Rutte". Staatscourant. 4 July 2024.
  112. "Oud-premier Rutte krijgt hoge onderscheiding van koning". Nederlandse Omroep Stichting. 5 July 2024.
  113. Про відзначення державними нагородами України – official website of the Parliament of Ukraine
  114. Van de Ven, Liam (30 November 2024). "Op het VVD-congres worden de critici vakkundig doodgeknuffeld" [At the VVD convention, critics are expertly hugged to death]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  115. "Proces-verbaal verkiezingsuitslag Tweede Kamer 2021" [Report of the election results House of Representatives 2021] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 29 March 2021.

External links

Further reading

  • Koning, Petra de (2022). Mark Rutte (in Dutch). Brooklyn. ISBN 9789492754424.
  • Fresen, Ron; Borgman, Wilma (2024). Het raadsel Rutte (in Dutch). Balans. ISBN 9789463823302.
  • Ornstein, Leonard; Schut, Mattias (2024). De laatste dagen (in Dutch). Hollands Diep. ISBN 9789048875887.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded byJens Stoltenberg Secretary General of NATO
2024–present
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded byHans Hoogervorst State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment
2002–2004
Succeeded byHenk van Hoof
Preceded byAnnette Nijs State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science
2004–2006
Succeeded byBruno Bruins
Preceded byJan Peter Balkenende Prime Minister of the Netherlands
2010–2024
Succeeded byDick Schoof
Party political offices
Preceded byJozias van Aartsen Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
2006–2023
Succeeded byDilan Yeşilgöz
Mark Rutte
Premiership
Elections
Events
Affiliations
Links to related articles
Secretaries general of NATO
*Acting
Prime ministers of the Netherlands
List (education ◌ religion)
Fourth Rutte cabinet (2022–2024)
Ministers
General Affairs
Interior and Kingdom Relations
Foreign Affairs
Finance
Justice and Security
Economic Affairs and Climate Policy
Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Defence
Health, Welfare and Sport
Education, Culture and Science
Infrastructure and Water Management
Social Affairs and Employment
Ministers without portfolio
Housing and Spatial Planning
Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
Legal Protection
Climate and Energy Policy
Nature and Nitrogen Policy
Long-term Care and Sport
Medical Care
Primary and Secondary Education
Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions
State Secretaries
Kingdom Relations and Digitalisation
Tax Affairs
Benefits and Customs
Asylum and Migration Policy
Extractive Industries
Defence
Culture and Media
Infrastructure and Water Management
Health, Welfare and Sport
Third Rutte cabinet (2017–2022)
Ministers
General Affairs
Interior and Kingdom Relations
Foreign Affairs
Finance
Justice and Security
Economic Affairs and Climate Policy
Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Defence
Health, Welfare and Sport
Education, Culture and Science
Infrastructure and Water Management
Social Affairs and Employment
Ministers without portfolio
Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
Legal Protection
Medical Care
Primary and Secondary Education and Media
Environment and Housing
State Secretaries
Interior and Kingdom Relations
Finance
Justice and Security
Economic Affairs and Climate Policy
Defence
Health, Welfare and Sport
Infrastructure and Water Management
Social Affairs and Employment
Second Rutte cabinet (2012–2017)
Ministers
General Affairs
Interior and Kingdom Relations
Foreign Affairs
Finance
Security and Justice
Economic Affairs
Defence
Health, Welfare and Sport
Education, Culture and Science
Infrastructure and the Environment
Social Affairs and Employment
Ministers without portfolio
Housing and the Central Government Sector
Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
State Secretaries
Finance
Security and Justice
Economic Affairs
Health, Welfare and Sport
Education, Culture and Science
Infrastructure and the Environment
Social Affairs and Employment
First Rutte cabinet (2010–2012)
Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
Ministers
Minister without portfolio
State secretaries
Netherlands state secretaries for education
Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
State secretaries for social affairs of the Netherlands
Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment
Second Balkenende cabinet (2003–2006)
Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Ministers
Ministers
Ministers without portfolio
State secretaries
First Balkenende cabinet (2002–2003)
Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Ministers
Ministers
Minister without portfolio
State secretaries
Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands (2021–2023)
House of Representatives
31 March 2021 – 5 December 2023
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(VVD – 34)
Democrats 66
(D66 – 24)
Party for Freedom
(PVV – 16)
Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA – 14)
Socialist Party
(SP – 9)
Labour Party
(PvdA – 9)
GroenLinks
(GL – 8)
Party for the Animals
(PvdD – 6)
Forum for Democracy
(FVD – 5)
Christian Union
(CU – 5)
Farmer–Citizen Movement
(BBB – 4)
Reformed Political Party
(SGP – 3)
DENK
(DENK – 3)
Volt Netherlands
(Volt – 2)
JA21
(JA21 – 1)
Den Haan Group
(FDH – 1)
BIJ1
(BIJ1 – 1)
Van Haga Group
(Indep. – 3)
Member Ephraim
(Indep. – 1)
Member Gündoğan
(Indep. – 1)
Member Omtzigt
(Indep. – 1)
 Bold  indicates the parliamentary leader (first mentioned) and the Speaker;  (Brackets)  indicate a temporarily absent member;
 Italics  indicate a temporary member;  ‹Guillemets›  indicate a member who has left the House of Representatives
See also: Members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2019–2023 · Members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2023–2027
Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands (2017–2021)
House of Representatives
23 March 2017 – 31 March 2021
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(VVD – 32)
Party for Freedom
(PVV – 20)
Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA – 19)
Democrats 66
(D66 – 19)
GroenLinks
(GL – 14)
Socialist Party
(SP – 14)
Labour Party
(PvdA – 9)
Christian Union
(CU – 5)
Party for the Animals
(PvdD – 4)
50PLUS
(50+ – 3)
Reformed Political Party
(SGP – 3)
DENK
(DENK – 3)
Forum for Democracy
(FVD – 2)
Member Krol
(Indep. – 1)
Member Van Kooten-Arissen
(Indep. – 1)
 Bold  indicates the parliamentary leader (first mentioned) and the Speaker;  (Brackets)  indicate a temporarily absent member;
 Italics  indicate a temporary member;  ‹Guillemets›  indicate a member who has left the House of Representatives
See also: Members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2015–2019 · 2019–2023
Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands (2012–2017)
House of Representatives
20 September 2012 – 23 March 2017
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(VVD – 40)
Labour Party
(PvdA – 35)
Socialist Party
(SP – 15)
Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA – 13)
Party for Freedom
(PVV – 12)
Democrats 66
(D66 – 12)
Christian Union
(CU – 5)
GroenLinks
(GL – 4)
Reformed Political Party
(SGP – 3)
Party for the Animals
(PvdD – 2)
50PLUS
(50+ – 1)
Bontes/Van Klaveren Group
(Indep. – 2)
Kuzu/Öztürk Group
(Indep. – 2)
Member Van Vliet
(Indep. – 1)
Member Klein
(Indep. – 1)
Member Houwers
(Indep. – 1)
Member Monasch
(Indep. – 1)
 Abc  signifies the parliamentary leader (first mentioned) and the Speaker;  (Abc)  signifies a temporarily absent member;
 Abc  signifies a temporary member;  ‹Abc›  signifies a member who prematurely left the House of Representatives
See also: Members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2011–2015 · 2015–2019
Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands (2010–2012)
House of Representatives, 17 June 2010 – 19 September 2012
People's Party for Freedom
and Democracy
(31)
Labour Party (30)
Christian Democratic
Appeal
(21)
Party for Freedom (20)
Socialist Party (15)
Democrats 66 (10)
GroenLinks (10)
Christian Union (5)
Reformed Political Party (2)
Party for the Animals (2)
Independents (4)
See also: Members of the House of Representatives, 2006–2010, Members of the House of Representatives, 2012–2017, Members of the Senate, 2011–2015
Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands (2006–2010)
House of Representatives, 30 November 2006 – 16 June 2010
Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA – 41)
Labour Party
(PvdA – 33)
Socialist Party
(SP – 25)
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(VVD – 21)
Party for Freedom
(PVV – 9)
GroenLinks
(GL – 7)
Christian Union
(CU – 6)
Democrats 66
(D66 – 3)
Party for the Animals
(PvdD – 2)
Reformed Political Party
(SGP – 2)
Independent
(Lid-Verdonk – 1)
Underline signifies the parliamentary leader (first mentioned) and the Speaker
Angle brackets signify a replacement member or a member who prematurely left this House of Representatives

See also: Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2010–2012
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Leaders
Chairs
Parliamentary leaders in
the Senate
Parliamentary leaders in
the House of Representatives
Party organisations
Leadership elections
Categories: