The new Dutch cabinet may have three more ministers: Telegraaf

The next government is likely to have a bigger cabinet team with 16 ministers, the Telegraaf said on Thursday.

The VVD will have six ministers, CDA and D66 will each supply four and ChristenUnie will have two, the paper said, quoting sources close to the talks. The outgoing cabinet has 13 ministers plus six junior ministers (known as staatssecretaris in Dutch), who are not members of the cabinet.

One new ministerial post is likely to be that of minister for climate while responsibility for food and farming is likely to become a separate job, the paper said. The food and agriculture rolls are currently divided between the economic affairs and health ministries.

The paper said its sources indicate that the two Christian parties are not pressing ahead with demands for a ‘minister for the family’.

Talks on forming a new government will still take another two or three weeks and that filling the ministerial rolls is likely to be the final step in the process, the paper says.

Sources have told the paper that agreement has been reached on 90% of asylum policy but there is still no deal on what do to about the amnesty for child refugees, the provision of emergency shelters for refugees who have lost their claim for asylum but don’t leave, and on further deals with other countries to limit refugee numbers.