The Role of Ministerial Cabinets According to the Law
December 27, 2024
Under the "Landsverordening inrichting en organisatie landsoverheid" (Law on the Structure and Organization of the Government), each ministry has a ministerial cabinet. This cabinet serves as a formalized support structure for the minister, handling political advising and politically sensitive issues.
Article 2 Highlights:
Every ministry has a ministerial cabinet.
The cabinet is tasked with supporting the minister, managing politically sensitive matters, and providing political advice to the minister.
The minister holds ultimate responsibility for the day-to-day management of their cabinet.
Before this law was enacted, ministers often surrounded themselves informally with trusted individuals—a sister, spouse, and a jack-of-all-trades aide. The law's introduction formalized the cabinet, and at one point, a cap was set: a cabinet could consist of five members, including a chief of cabinet. However, not long ago, this number was increased to seven.
While the existence of such a cabinet isn’t inherently problematic, its composition raises concerns. The cabinet members are rarely the most qualified experts. Instead, they are often loyalists who worked hard during the minister’s campaign, close friends, or even family members. Exceptions exist, but they are rare.
Another issue is how these cabinets sideline the ministry’s broader administrative apparatus. Cabinet members and a “Christmas tree” of consultants attached to the cabinet often bypass or marginalize policy professionals within the ministry, undermining the ministry’s capacity to shape and implement effective policy.
While the law was meant to structure and professionalize ministerial support, it has also opened the door to creative ways of circumventing the ministry’s formal apparatus. The result? a system where loyalty often trumps expertise, and the ministry's core mission risks being overshadowed.
Miguel Goede
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