Hendrikus Wilhelmus Maria Schoof served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from July 2024 to February 2026. A career civil servant rather than a career politician, his tenure was defined by leading a coalition government composed of the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB, which represented a significant right-wing shift in the nation's contemporary political landscape.
Early Career and Education
Born in 1957 in Santpoort, Schoof attended Lyceum De Grundel in Hengelo. He pursued urban and regional planning at Radboud University between 1975 and 1982. His professional trajectory began at the Association of Netherlands Municipalities before he transitioned to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in 1988. During this period, he navigated complex bureaucratic reorganizations regarding school infrastructure maintenance.
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Schoof held multiple high-level security posts over two decades. As chief director of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service from 1999 to 2003, he implemented reforms to the Aliens Act. Later, at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, he managed the restructuring of the regional police forces into a singular National Police Corps. Between 2013 and 2018, he served as the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security, where he oversaw crisis responses, including the aftermath of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 disaster.
The Prime Ministership
Following the 2023 general election, the leaders of the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB agreed that none of their respective party heads would occupy the premiership. Schoof was nominated for the position on 28 May 2024. He led the cabinet as an politically unaffiliated prime minister. The coalition experienced significant instability, collapsing in June 2025. Schoof remained in office as a caretaker until February 2026.
Fast facts
- Born: 1957, Santpoort
- Education: Radboud University (1975-1982)
- Prime Minister of the Netherlands: 2024-2026
- National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security: 2013-2018
- Director General of the General Intelligence and Security Service: 2018-2020
- Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice and Security: 2020-2024
- Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland: 2025
- Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class: 2025
Questions readers ask
Was Dick Schoof a member of a political party during his time as prime minister?
No, he held the office as a politically unaffiliated civil servant.
How long did his cabinet last?
The coalition government he led collapsed in June 2025, less than a year after its formation.
Achievements
- National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (2013–2018)
- director general (2018–2020)
- secretary general (2020–2024)
- Prime Minister of the Netherlands (2024–2026)
- Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class — 2025
- Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland — 2025
- Educated at Radboud University
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