The Rutte IV cabinet is facing the longest swearing-in ceremony ever received by a new government. No fewer than 29 ministers and state secretaries will make their appearance at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague on Monday morning. Up to and including 2012, the swearing-in took place in Huis ten Bosch Palace. That was first renovated and is now too tight due to the corona measures.
Mark Rutte, the Prime Minister, reports there at half past ten. He then signs, together with King Willem-Alexander, in the Putti Room the Royal Decrees with which the ministers of Rutte III are dismissed and those of Rutte IV are appointed. Ten minutes later, at ten past ten, the ministers and state secretaries arrive by common bus. Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag will not be on board. She follows the ceremony from home, due to a corona infection. She will therefore also be missing next to Prime Minister Rutte in the traditional platform photo.
At five past eleven, the swearing-in ceremony of the ministers will begin in the Great Ballroom, who will take office in two groups. Five minutes later it’s the turn of the state secretaries. They step forward one by one and say ‘so help me God Almighty’ or ‘I declare and promise’. It is also allowed in Frisian: ‘Sa wier helpe my God Almachtich’, or ‘dat ferklearje en ünthjit ik’.
Photo opportunity with the king
Whoever calls on God is expected to hold up the right arm with a stretched index and middle finger. With the promise, the arms remain next to the body. At ten to half past eleven there is a photo opportunity of the king with the new ministers. The gentlemen are expected to wear a morning coat for all this, for the ladies a moody afternoon dress is desired.
The morning coat is exchanged for an ordinary suit for the platform photo. At twelve o’clock that photo is taken, with all the ministers but without the state secretaries. This will take place at the rear of Noordeinde Palace, because the stairs there are wide enough to accommodate all nineteen ministers, who are also expected to keep a distance of 1.5 meters. If the weather is too bad, the photo will be taken in the front vestibule of the palace. All this is broadcasted live by the NOS.
After the platform photo, the new ministers and state secretaries go to their own ministry, where the transfer with their predecessor awaits. For example, at 1.40 pm Sigrid Kaag would receive the keys to the treasury at the Ministry of Finance, from her predecessor, Wopke Hoekstra.
Chamber chairman Bergkamp wants a thorough evaluation of the formation
At four o’clock in the afternoon the cabinet will meet for the first time in its new composition. This takes place in the Rolzaal, also known as the Old Hall, which is part of the Ridderzaal complex. Then there is a meeting with the parliamentary press. The state secretaries first report at half past four. The ministers will follow at five o’clock. The new ministers will be introduced on Monday evening from 8.30 pm to 10 pm on NPO1.
With the exception of five days, it has been a year since Rutte de Koning resigned from his government. This happened in response to the report ‘Unprecedented injustice’ by the parliamentary questioning committee on Childcare Allowance. Since the head of state no longer plays a role in the formation, this is in the hands of the House of Representatives. Chamber president Vera Bergkamp was very dissatisfied with the duration of the formation on the TV program WNL on Sunday. She wants a thorough evaluation and said she was unhappy with the lack of information provided to the House of Representatives. She sees nothing in Rutte’s suggestion to involve the King in the formation again. ‘There is nothing wrong with dreaming about the past, but the House is now in charge.’