Several ministers in the Dutch government are taking on double portfolios following the walkout of foreign affairs minister Caspar Veldkamp and the entire NSC contingent last week.

Just two parties, the right-wing liberal VVD and the farmers’ party BBB, are left from the four that formed the coalition 14 months ago. Geert Wilders triggered the collapse of the government when he pulled the far-right PVV’s ministers out in June.

Prime minister Dick Schoof is temporarily redistributing the nine vacancies – five ministers and four junior ministers – among the remaining cabinet members, but in the long term he may need to bring in new faces.

The cabinet will stay in office until the elections on October 29 and during the process to form the next government, which could take six months or longer. The two parties in the rump coalition hold just 32 of the 150 seats in parliament.

Defence minister Ruben Brekelmans (VVD) is taking over Veldkamp’s brief, while justice minister David van Weel (VVD) adds the duties of home affairs minister, a post previously held by Judith Uitermark. Van Weel had already taken over part of the asylum and immigration ministry when Marjolein Faber of the PVV left the cabinet in June.

Housing minister Mona Keijzer (BBB), who also took on a share of the asylum ministry, is assuming the duties of social affairs minister Eddy van Hijum, while climate minister Sophie Hermans (VVD) will become responsible for education.

New minister gets health

The public health ministry will be overseen by Robert Tiemann (BBB), who only joined the cabinet in June as minister for infrastructure to replace the PVV’s Barry Madlener.

The departure of Nieuw Sociaal Contract’s five ministers and four junior ministers began on Friday evening when Veldkamp quit in a row over whether the government should impose sanctions on Israel.

He said VVD and BBB had given him no room to take further measures against Israel, such as a ban on weapons sales and a trade boycott, following its invasion of Gaza City and the decision to build more settlements on the West Bank.

The other parties accused Veldkamp of walking out in the middle of the negotiations and leaving the Netherlands in chaos.

Van Hijum, the leader of NSC, is going back into parliament to claim the seat vacated by Diederik Boomsma, who defected to JA21 two weeks ago.