“The decisive factor for me is: do I have the ideas, the energy, the dripping corners of my mouth on Friday morning when the Council of Ministers starts: let’s get to work, solve problems!”, says Rutte. “As long as I have that, I’d like to continue.” He called the premiership of the Netherlands “the most beautiful job in the world, an incredible honour.”
“I must say that the number of puzzles on my desk now is quite large.” He cited the invasion of Ukraine as an example, which in turn has consequences for the Dutch economy, purchasing power and energy supply. He said he can accept that people in the media occasionally wonder aloud whether he is past his expiration date as the country’s leader. “I have learned to live with that question being asked every now and then.”
It looks like Rutte will equal Ruud Lubbers as longest-serving prime minister on August 1. He will not be in the Netherlands then, and says he will not celebrate. In any case, he did not want to attach too much significance to the historical significance of the record. “That means seat meat and a footnote.”