(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) BRUSSELS, Oct 26 (KUNA) -- The new Dutch cabinet was sworn in by Dutch king Willem-Alexander at The Hague on Thursday, seven months after the general elections in the Netherlands.
Dutch media reported that the new line-up of 16 ministers and eight junior ministers is now ready to start work.
Rutte's new cabinet is the first in 40 years to draw its members from four different parties. The team of 24 ministers and junior ministers comprises 14 men and 10 women.
The four parties making up the new coalition, People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Democrats 66 (D66) and Christian Union (CU) have a majority of just one seat in the lower house of parliament The new foreign minister is Halbe Zijlstra (VVD), an MP since 2006.
Minister for Foreign trade and development is Sigrid Kaag (D66), UN representative in Lebanon since 2014 and defense minister is Barbara Visser (VVD).
Meanwhile in Brussels, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, sent a letter of congratulations to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
"I trust that you and your government will continue playing a dynamic and constructive role in the European Union," said the EU letter. (end) nk.gta
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