Dilan Yeşilgöz-ZegeriusMinister of Defence, Deputy Prime Minister
Born on 18 June 1977 in Ankara, Türkiye
Party: People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD)
Our own security is at stake – we can’t afford to be naive about that. If we want freedom to triumph and our way of life to endure, then the Netherlands and Europe will have to take control of their destiny. I take this task very seriously, and robust armed forces are essential to its success. In the years ahead we will be making the biggest-ever investment in our Defence organisation. This is crucial in order to protect our way of life.
National and international defence policy
Composition and structure of armed forces
National and international deployment of the armed forces
Support for Ukraine
Enhancing the Netherlands’ resilience at national level
International policy and cooperation, including NATO and EU
Strategic industry policy and contacts with major strategic suppliers
Veterans policy and care
Royal Military and Border Police
Coastguard
The Netherlands Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD)
Inspectorates and supervisory authorities
Defence Safety Inspectorate
Inspector-General of the Armed Forces
Military Healthcare Inspectorate
Military Hazardous Materials Inspection Corps
Military Aviation Authority
23 February 2026
Appointed Minister of Defence in the Jetten government
2 July 2024 – 23 February 2026
Member of the House of Representatives for the VVD and leader of the VVD parliamentary party
10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024
Minister of Justice and Security in the fourth Rutte government
25 May 2021 – 10 January 2022
State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy in the third Rutte government
23 March 2017 – 3 September 2021
Member of the House of Representatives for the VVD, party spokesperson on issues including media, foreign trade and development cooperation, equal opportunities, climate and energy, and security
2014 – 2017
Member of the municipal council of Amsterdam for the VVD, party spokesperson on security, poverty reduction and sport
2006 – 2014
Adviser to the mayor and members of the Amsterdam municipal executive on care services and security, including on the Top 600 Programme (an integrated approach to high-impact crime), Project 1012 (plan of action for Amsterdam’s red light district), Amsterdam’s policy on sex workers, tackling addiction, cannabis cafés, community shelter services and domestic violence. Also involved in diversity policy, the neighbourhood approach and youth care
2004 – 2006
Staff member at the municipality of Amersfoort’s Bureau of Research and Statistics
1997 – 2003
Culture, Organisation and Management, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
2015 – 2017
Member of the VVD’s European Affairs Committee in The Hague
2010 – 2013
Various positions as a member of the VVD, including member of the board of the VVD regional branch in Amsterdam. In this role her responsibilities included recruiting, activating and retaining members, and the ‘political café’
2008 – 2011
Member of the board of the Dutch Foundation for Audiovisual Anthropology (SAVAN)
2004 – 2010
Country specialist at Amnesty International Nederland
