Dutchman Dicker Schoof takes over as prime minister in country with history of political stability
O The new Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof (no party), 67 years old, was officially sworn in as the country’s Prime Minister this Tuesday (2.Jul.2024) by King Willem-Alexander, at the Huis ten Bosch Palace, in The Hague.
The inauguration of the new prime minister also highlights the country’s historical political stability, which goes against the grain of Europe. Before Schoof, the Netherlands had only had four prime ministers since 1982, with Schoof being the 5th to hold the position. Romania, on the other hand, had 27 governments in the period, while changing leadership 24 times.
In addition to its stable politics, the Netherlands has favorable socioeconomic indicators. The country, with 3.6% unemployed, has an unemployment rate below the average for the countries that make up the Eurozone, which has 6%, according to the Trading Economics.
“The strengths of the Dutch economy include the Netherlands’ stable political and macroeconomic climate, a highly developed financial sector, strategic location, well-educated and productive workforce, and high-quality physical and communications infrastructure.”says the report by the US State Department, equivalent to the Itamaraty, on the political, economic and social context of the Netherlands. Here is the full of the study (PDF – 934kB).
In contrast, Romania, which leads the ranking of countries with the most changes of prime ministers, has difficulty maintaining stability, with alternating heads of government that accumulate with an inefficient judiciary that is susceptible to political interference. The economy is also affected by corruption and the high inflation of the Romanian Leu, the country’s official currency.
Italy is another country that stands out for its change in heads of government. Over the last 42 years, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was the one who held the position the longest during the same term, being the only one to remain as Prime Minister for 4 years and 10 months.
Another country that usually attracts attention due to its unstable political scenario is France, which is expected to have a new prime minister appointed by President Emmanuel Macron in the coming days. During Macron’s government, the country has already had four prime ministers, and a new head of government is expected to be appointed after the National Assembly elections are over on July 7.
New Prime Minister of the Netherlands
O new Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dicker Schoof, was chosen for the position after a victory from the right in the 2023 legislative elections. He is known for his experience in the country’s public service, including heading the anti-terrorism agency NCTV and the Dutch intelligence service, AIVD (General Intelligence and Security Service).
Schoof stood out in 2019 when he warned about Salafist indoctrination in the country, emphasizing the need for more intense monitoring of these institutions. The new prime minister is critical of religion, and says he is alert to movements that are not compatible with liberal democracy.
Salafi doctrine is a conservative internationalist branch of Sunni Islam. It is estimated that around 910,000 people, or 5.2% of the country’s population, are Muslim, with followers of Salafi doctrine being a minority.
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