CDA celebrity Hans Hillen, himself a Hilversum resident, no longer knows exactly why the Hilversum estate came into the picture and not another place in the region.
“At that time, the minister of defense was provided by the VVD. And that party also participated in the discussions,” he reflects. Then the link is quickly made: the estate is normally the home of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces.
Apparently the choice for Hilversum was a good one fifteen years ago. The forming parties returned to the Hilversum estate twice more: Mark Rutte laid the foundation for his new cabinet there during the last two formations.