Former Maastricht rector to be Netherlands Minister of Education, Culture and Science

Rianne Letschert, chair of the Maastricht University Executive Board, has been nominated as Minister of Education, Culture and Science, the new Dutch government announced on 06/02/2026.

Letschert will be formally appointed and sworn in on 23/02 with the other members of the new cabinet. She has spent nine years at Maastricht University, first as rector magnificus and, from November 2021, as chair of the Executive Board.

Following the elections held in October 2025, the leading parties D66 (Democrats 66, social-liberal), VVD (People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, centre-right conservative-liberal) and CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal, conservative) formed a coalition government, with Rob Jetten (D66) being the prime minister.

The previous government, led by Prime Minister Dick Schoof (independent) from July 2024, was a coalition of right and far-right parties (the Party for Freedom, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, New Social Contract and Farmer-Citizen Movement).

Under this government, the education, higher education and research sectors saw major budget cuts: the…