The minister of foreign affairs (Dutch: minister van Buitenlandse Zaken) is a member of the cabinet of the Netherlands and the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The officeholder is in charge of the Kingdom's foreign policy and international relations. The current minister, Tom Berendsen, has served since 23 February 2026.

Alongside the minister, a minister without portfolio is usually attached to the ministry to oversee development cooperation and trade promotion. Multiple cabinets have also included a state secretary responisble for specific sub-portfolios, such as European affairs.

List of ministers of foreign affairs

CabinetMinisterTerm of office
ImageNamePartyStartEnd
SchimmelpenninckGerrit SchimmelpenninckIndependent25 March 184817 May 1848
Arnold Adolf Bentinck van NijenhuisIndependent17 May 184821 November 1848
De Kempenaer–Donker CurtiusLeonardus Antonius LightenveltIndependent21 November 18481 November 1849
Thorbecke IHerman van SonsbeeckIndependent1 November 184916 October 1852
Jacob van Zuylen van NijeveltIndependent16 October 185219 April 1853
Van Hall–Donker CurtiusFloris Adriaan van HallIndependent19 April 18531 July 1856
Van der BrugghenDaniël Théodore Gevers van EndegeestIndependent1 July 185618 March 1858
RochussenJan Karel van GoltsteinIndependent18 March 185823 February 1860
Van Hall–Van HeemstraFloris Adriaan van Hall (ad interim)Independent23 February 18604 April 1860
Julius van Zuylen van NijeveltIndependent4 April 186014 January 1861
Louis Napoleon van der Goes van DirxlandIndependent14 January 186114 March 1861
Van Zuylen van Nijevelt–Van HeemstraJacob van Zuylen van NijeveltIndependent14 March 186110 November 1861
Martin Pascal Hubert Strens (ad interim)Independent10 November 18611 February 1862
Thorbecke IIAnthony Jan Lucas Stratenus (ad interim)Independent1 February 186212 March 1862
Paul Therèse van der Maesen de SombreffIndependent12 March 18622 January 1864
Willem Huyssen van Kattendijke (ad interim)Independent2 January 186415 March 1864
Eppo CremersIndependent15 March 18641 June 1866
Fransen van de Putte
Van Zuylen van NijeveltJulius van Zuylen van NijeveltIndependent1 June 18664 June 1868
Van Bosse–FockJoannes Josephus van Mulken (ad interim)Independent4 June 18688 June 1868
Theodorus Marinus Roest van LimburgIndependent8 June 186812 December 1870
Thorbecke IIIJoannes Josephus van Mulken (ad interim)Independent12 December 187018 January 1871
De Vries–Fransen van de PutteLouis Gericke van HerwijnenIndependent18 January 187127 August 1874
Heemskerk–Van Lynden van SandenburgJoseph van der Does de WilleboisIndependent27 August 18743 November 1877
Kappeyne van de CoppelloWillem van Heeckeren van KellIndependent3 November 187720 August 1879
Van Lynden van SandenburgTheo van Lynden van SandenburgIndependent20 August 187915 September 1881
Willem Frederik RochussenIndependent15 September 188123 April 1883
Jan HeemskerkJoseph van der Does de WilleboisIndependent23 April 188310 August 1885
Marc Willem du Tour van Bellinchave (ad interim)Independent10 August 188514 September 1885
Joseph van der Does de WilleboisIndependent14 September 18851 November 1885
Abraham van KarnebeekIndependent1 November 188521 April 1888
MackayCornelis HartsenIndependent21 April 188821 August 1891
Van TienhovenGijsbert van TienhovenIndependent21 August 189121 March 1894
Joannes Coenraad Jansen (ad interim)LU21 March 18949 May 1894
RöellJoan RöellIndependent9 May 189427 July 1897
PiersonWillem de BeaufortIndependent27 July 18971 August 1901
KuyperRobert Melvil van LyndenARP1 August 19019 March 1905
Abraham George Ellis (ad interim)Independent9 March 190522 April 1905
Willem van Weede van BerencampIndependent22 April 19057 August 1905
Abraham George Ellis (ad interim)Independent7 August 190517 August 1905
De MeesterDirk van Tets van GoudriaanIndependent17 August 190512 February 1908
Theo HeemskerkRené de Marees van SwinderenIndependent12 February 190829 August 1913
Cort van der LindenPieter Cort van der Linden (ad interim)Independent29 August 191327 September 1913
John LoudonIndependent27 September 19139 September 1918
Ruijs de Beerenbrouck IHerman van KarnebeekIndependent9 September 19181 April 1927
Ruijs de Beerenbrouck II
Colijn I
De Geer IFrans Beelaerts van BloklandCHU1 April 192720 April 1933
Ruijs de Beerenbrouck III
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck (ad interim)RKSP20 April 193326 May 1933
Colijn IIAndries Cornelis Dirk de GraeffIndependent26 May 193324 June 1937
Colijn III
Colijn IVHendrikus Colijn (ad interim)ARP24 June 19371 October 1937
Jacob Adriaan PatijnIndependent1 October 193710 August 1939
Colijn V
De Geer IIEelco van KleffensIndependent10 August 19391 March 1946
Gerbrandy I
Gerbrandy II
Gerbrandy III
Schermerhorn–DreesHerman van RoijenIndependent1 March 19463 July 1946
Beel IPim van Boetzelaer van OosterhoutIndependent3 July 19467 August 1948
Drees–Van SchaikDirk StikkerVVD7 August 19482 September 1952
Drees I
Drees IIJohan BeyenIndependent2 September 195213 October 1956
Drees IIIJoseph LunsKVP13 October 19566 July 1971
Beel II
De Quay
Marijnen
Cals
Zijlstra
De Jong
Biesheuvel INorbert SchmelzerKVP6 July 197111 May 1973
Biesheuvel II
Den UylMax van der StoelPvdA11 May 197319 December 1977
Van Agt IChris van der KlaauwVVD19 December 197711 September 1981
Van Agt IIMax van der StoelPvdA11 September 198129 May 1982
Van Agt IIIDries van AgtCDA29 May 19824 November 1982
Lubbers IHans van den BroekCDA4 November 19823 January 1993
Lubbers II
Lubbers III
Pieter KooijmansCDA3 January 199322 August 1994
Kok IHans van MierloD6622 August 19943 August 1998
Kok IIJozias van AartsenVVD3 August 199822 July 2002
Balkenende IJaap de Hoop SchefferCDA22 July 20023 December 2003
Balkenende II
Ben BotCDA3 December 200322 February 2007
Balkenende III
Balkenende IVMaxime VerhagenCDA22 February 200714 October 2010
Rutte IUri RosenthalVVD14 October 20105 November 2012
Rutte IIFrans TimmermansPvdA5 November 201217 October 2014
Bert KoendersPvdA17 October 201426 October 2017
Rutte IIIHalbe ZijlstraVVD26 October 201713 February 2018
Sigrid Kaag (ad interim)D6613 February 20187 March 2018
Stef BlokVVD7 March 201825 May 2021
Sigrid KaagD6625 May 202117 September 2021
Tom de Bruijn (ad interim)D6617 September 202124 September 2021
Ben KnapenCDA24 September 202110 January 2022
Rutte IVWopke HoekstraCDA10 January 20221 September 2023
Liesje Schreinemacher (ad interim)VVD1 September 20235 September 2023
Hanke Bruins SlotCDA5 September 20232 July 2024
SchoofCaspar VeldkampNSC2 July 202422 August 2025
Ruben Brekelmans (ad interim)VVD22 August 20255 September 2025
David van WeelVVD5 September 202523 February 2026
JettenTom BerendsenCDA23 February 2026Incumbent

List of ministers without portfolio

CabinetMinisterTerm of officeTitle or role
ImageNamePartyStartEnd
Gerbrandy IIEdgar Michiels van VerduynenIndependent1 January 194225 June 1945Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Gerbrandy III
Schermerhorn–DreesHerman van RoijenIndependent25 June 19451 March 1946
Beel IEelco van KleffensIndependent1 March 19461 July 1947Permanent Representative to the United Nations Security Council
Drees IIJoseph LunsKVP2 September 195213 October 1956Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
CalsTheo BotKVP14 April 19655 April 1967Minister for Aid to Developing Countries
Zijlstra
De JongBé UdinkCHU5 April 19676 July 1971
Biesheuvel IKees BoertienARP6 July 197111 May 1973Minister for Development Cooperation
Biesheuvel II
Den UylJan PronkPvdA11 May 197319 December 1977
Van Agt IJan de KoningARP19 December 197711 September 1981
Van Agt IIKees van DijkCDA11 September 19814 November 1982
Van Agt III
Lubbers IEegje SchooVVD4 November 198214 July 1986
Lubbers IIPiet BukmanCDA14 July 19867 November 1989
Lubbers IIIJan PronkPvdA7 November 19893 August 1998
Kok I
Kok IIEveline HerfkensPvdA3 August 199822 July 2002
Balkenende IIAgnes van ArdenneCDA27 May 200322 February 2007
Balkenende III
Balkenende IVBert KoendersPvdA22 February 200723 February 2010
Maxime VerhagenCDA23 February 201014 October 2010
Rutte IILilianne PloumenPvdA5 November 201226 October 2017Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
Rutte IIISigrid KaagD6626 October 201710 August 2021
Tom de BruijnD6610 August 202110 January 2022
Rutte IVLiesje SchreinemacherVVD10 January 20224 December 2023
Geoffrey van Leeuwen (acting)VVD4 December 202315 April 2024
Liesje SchreinemacherVVD15 April 20242 July 2024
SchoofReinette KleverReinette KleverPVV2 July 20243 June 2025Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Aid
Caspar VeldkampCaspar Veldkamp (ad interim)NSC3 June 202519 June 2025
JettenSjoerd SjoerdsmaSjoerd SjoerdsmaD6623 February 2026IncumbentMinister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation

List of state secretaries for foreign affairs

CabinetState secretaryTerm of officePortfolio
ImageNamePartyStartEnd
Drees–Van SchaikNico BlomIndependent16 February 19502 September 1952Indonesian Affairs
Drees I
Drees IIIErnst van der BeugelPvdA8 January 195722 December 1958European Affairs
De QuayHans van HoutenVVD24 August 195924 July 1963
MarijnenLeo de BlockKVP3 September 196314 April 1965
Isaäc Nicolaas DiepenhorstCHU28 September 196314 April 1965United Nations Affairs and Aid to Developing Countries
CalsLeo de BlockKVP14 April 196522 November 1966European Affairs
Max van der StoelPvdA22 July 196522 November 1966United Nations Affairs
ZijlstraLeo de BlockKVP22 November 19665 April 1967European and United Nations Affairs
De JongHans de KosterVVD12 June 19676 July 1971European Affairs
Biesheuvel ITjerk WesterterpKVP17 August 19717 March 1973
Biesheuvel II
Den UylLaurens Jan BrinkhorstD6611 May 19738 September 1977
Pieter KooijmansARP11 May 197319 December 1977United Nations Affairs
Van Agt IDurk van der MeiCHU28 December 197711 September 1981European Affairs
Van Agt IIHans van den BroekCDA11 September 19814 November 1982
Van Agt III
Lubbers IWim van EekelenVVD5 November 198214 July 1986
Lubbers IIRené van der LindenCDA14 July 19869 September 1988
Berend-Jan van Voorst tot VoorstCDA27 September 19887 November 1989
Lubbers IIIPiet DankertPvdA7 November 198916 July 1994
Kok IMichiel PatijnVVD22 August 19943 August 1998
Kok IIDick BenschopPvdA3 August 199822 July 2002
Balkenende IAgnes van ArdenneCDA22 July 200227 May 2003Development Cooperation
Atzo NicolaïVVD22 July 20027 July 2006European Affairs
Balkenende II
Balkenende IVFrans TimmermansPvdA22 February 200723 February 2010
Rutte IBen KnapenCDA14 October 20105 November 2012European Affairs and Development Cooperation
SchoofHanneke BoermaNSC19 June 202522 August 2025Foreign Trade
Aukje de VriesVVD5 September 202523 February 2026