Schools minister Dennis Wiersma resigned on Thursday evening following a spate of allegations about his temper tantrums. 

Wiersma, a minister on behalf of the VVD, said in a note on Twitter that it had not been an “easy decision” to stand down but that it was now “unavoidable”. 

Wiersma, who is on sick leave, had said on Thursday morning he would continue to speak to members of staff personally, following two new complaints about his alleged rude and intimidating behaviour.

Complaints about Wiersma flying off the handle first surfaced in April. He promised to make amends several times and apologised to the VVD parliamentary party last month. Sources around the party told NOS the minister had been given “a last chance”.

According to the Telegraaf, Wiersma had also shouted at school inspectors.

Prime minister Mark Rutte described his resignation as a real shame. “We are losing someone who had put his everything into education. And I am very grateful to him for that.”

Wiersma is the second of Mark Rutte’s fourth administration to stand down. Last year farm minister Henk Staghouwer quit, saying he was the “wrong man for the job”.