Just three Labour ministers so far are willing to be MPs

Just three out of the 11 Labour party ministers have so far said they are prepared to become MPs after the next general election while six have said they do not want to be on the party’s list of candidates for the March 2017 vote.

Finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, junior environment minister Sharon Dijksma and trade minister Liliane Ploumen have all said they are willing to serve as MPs if Labour is not part of the next coalition government.

Social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher is not on the candidate list either, but is still deciding whether to challenge Diederik Samsom for the party leadership.

Foreign minister Bert Koenders, an MP for nine years, and junior health minister Martin van Rijn, have both said they are willing to be ministers but not MPs, broadcaster NOS reported.

Sick leave

Education minister Jet Bussemaker and agriculture minister Martijn van Dam do not plan to enter parliament and home affairs minister Ronald Plasterk, currently on sick leave, is also bowing out. Bussemaker was an MP for eight years.

Junior finance minister Eric Wiebes and junior social affairs minister Jette Klijnsma have not yet made their positions clear.

Ministers in the Netherlands do not have to be serving MPs and are often plucked from the public or private sector. Martijn van Rijn, for example, ran the health service pension fund PGGM before being appointed.