# List of Dutch scouts, informateurs and formateurs

Scouts, informateurs and formateurs facilitate specific phases in a Dutch cabinet formation. Since 2012, the scout explores the possibilities for a coalition government in the scouting phase, which can later be done again by an informateur. Since 1951, the main responsibility of an informateur is facilitating the negotiations between political parties in the information phase. The formateur was until 1951 responsible for the entire formation, but its role has been limited since 1982 to finding the ministers and state secretaries of the cabinet in the formation phase. The roles are often filled by members of the largest party in the House of Representatives.

## Historical development

The roles have changed throughout the years. The role of formateur has existed since the first cabinet formation in 1848. Formateurs were in general responsible for the entire formation, simply being instructed to form a cabinet. The (final) formateur is often the intended prime minister. However, some formateurs were instructed to do preliminary work (exploring coalition options and/or facilitating negotiations).
In 1951, a separate role was created for the preliminary work: the informateur. Since that year, there has not been a formation without an informateur, although this has been attempted five times. Since 1989, the initial informateur is tasked with exploring the possibilities for a coalition. The first exploratory round became the responsibility of a separate role, the scout, in 2012. Since that year, the monarch no longer has a role in the formation and thus no longer does the consultations at the start of the formation. The (in)formateurs and scouts have since then been appointed by the House of Representatives.

## List

List of Dutch formateurs, informateurs and scouts :
| Name | Starting date | Days | Role | Political affiliation | Formation |
| Gerrit Schimmelpenninck | 23 March 1848 | 1 | Formateur | liberal | 1848 |
| Leonardus Antonius Lightenvelt | 20 September 1849 | 37 | Formateur | conservative | 1849 |
| Dirk Donker Curtius | 20 September 1849 | 37 | Formateur | liberal | 1849 |
| Johan Rudolph Thorbecke | 27 October 1849 | 3 | Formateur | liberal | 1849 |
| Jan Nedermeijer van Rosenthal | 27 October 1849 | 3 | Formateur | liberal | 1849 |
| Floris Adriaan van Hall | 16 April 1853 | 3 | Formateur | liberal | 1853 |
| Justinus van der Brugghen | 1 June 1856 | 30 | Formateur | anti-revolutionary | 1856 |
| Jan Jacob Rochussen | 3 March 1858 | 16 | Formateur | conservative | 1858 |
| Floris Adriaan van Hall | 17 February 1860 | 4 | Formateur | liberal | 1860 |
| Schelto van Heemstra | 21 February 1860 | 3 | Formateur | conservative | 1860 |
| Jan Jacob Rochussen | 16 February 1861 | 24 | Formateur | conservative | 1861 |
| Schelto van Heemstra | 16 February 1861 | 24 | Formateur | conservative | 1861 |
| Jules van Zuylen van Nijevelt | 12 March 1861 | 3 | Formateur | anti-revolutionary | 1861 |
| Johan Rudolph Thorbecke | 18 January 1862 | 13 | Formateur | liberal | 1861–1862 |
| Isaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte | 29 January 1866 | 7 | Formateur | liberal | Jan–Feb 1866 |
| Jules van Zuylen van Nijevelt | 24 May 1866 | 7 | Formateur | anti-revolutionary | May–Jun 1866 |
| Æneas Mackay Sr. | 17 April 1868 | 2 | Formateur | anti-revolutionary | 1868 |
| Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg | 29 April 1868 | 4 | Formateur | conservative | 1868 |
| Gerlach Cornelis Joannes van Reenen | 4 May 1868 | 5 | Formateur | conservative | 1868 |
| Æneas Mackay Sr. | 17 May 1868 | 5 | Formateur | anti-revolutionary | 1868 |
| Johan Rudolph Thorbecke | 23 May 1868 | 11 | Formateur | liberal | 1868 |
| Cornelis Fock | 24 November 1870 | 5 | Formateur | liberal | 1870–1871 |
| Lodewijk Gerard Brocx | 24 November 1870 | 5 | Formateur | liberal | 1870–1871 |
| Johan Rudolph Thorbecke | 1 December 1870 | 33 | Formateur | liberal | 1870–1871 |
| Gerrit de Vries | 25 June 1872 | 10 | Formateur | liberal | 1872 |
| Jan Heemskerk | 14 July 1874 | 43 | Formateur | liberal | 1874 |
| Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello | 16 October 1877 | 17 | Formateur | liberal | 1877 |
| Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg | 24 July 1879 | 9 | Formateur | conservative | 1879 |
| Eppo Cremers | 12 July 1879 | 11 | Formateur | conservative | 1879 |
| Isaäc Dignus Fransen van de Putte | 12 July 1879 | 11 | Formateur | liberal | 1879 |
| Gerrit de Vries | 12 July 1879 | 11 | Formateur | liberal | 1879 |
| Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg | 8 August 1882 | 5 | Formateur | conservative | 1882 |
| Johannes Tak van Poortvliet | 31 July 1882 | 9 | Formateur | liberal | 1882 |
| Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg | 3 July 1882 | 5 | Formateur | conservative | 1882 |
| Jan Heemskerk | 4 March 1883 | 9 | Formateur | liberal | 1883 |
| Otto van Rees | 12 March 1883 | 7 | Formateur | liberal | 1883 |
| Johan George Gleichman | 19 March 1883 | 5 | Formateur | liberal | 1883 |
| Jan Heemskerk | 29 March 1883 | 23 | Formateur | liberal | 1883 |
| Æneas Mackay Jr. | 30 March 1888 | 20 | Formateur | ARP | 1888 |
| Gijsbert van Tienhoven | 26 July 1891 | 22 | Formateur | liberal | 1891 |
| Joan Röell | 4 May 1894 | 4 | Formateur | liberal | 1894 |
| Nicolaas Pierson | 13 July 1897 | 10 | Formateur | LU | 1897 |
| Abraham Kuyper | 11 July 1901 | 15 | Formateur | ARP | 1901 |
| Hendrik Goeman Borgesius | 14 July 1905 | 34 | Formateur | LU | 1905 |
| Jan Elias Nicolaas Schimmelpenninck van der Oye | 27 February 1907 | 3 | Formateur | CHP | 1907 |
| Pieter Cort van der Linden | 17 March 1907 | 5 | Formateur | liberal | 1907 |
| Theo Heemskerk | 16 January 1908 | 27 | Formateur | ARP | 1907–1908 |
| Dirk Bos | 11 July 1913 | 15 | Formateur | VDB | 1913 |
| Pieter Cort van der Linden | 2 August 1913 | 27 | Formateur | liberal | 1913 |
| Willem Hubert Nolens | 13 July 1918 | 38 | Formateur | RKSP | 1918 |
| Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck | 29 August 1918 | 9 | Formateur | RKSP | 1918 |
| Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck | 22 June 1921 | 35 | Formateur | RKSP | 1921 |
| Dirk Jan de Geer | 19 July 1922 | 4 | Formateur | CHU | 1922 |
| Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck | 22 July 1922 | 49 | Formateur | RKSP | 1922 |
| Dionysius Koolen | 15 November 1923 | 10 | Formateur | RKSP | 1923-1924 |
| Frans Beelaerts van Blokland | 24 November 1923 | 12 | Formateur | CHU | 1923-1924 |
| Herman Adriaan van Karnebeek | 4 January 1924 | 3 | Formateur | liberal | 1923-1924 |
| Hendrik Colijn | 15 July 1925 | 18 | Formateur | ARP | 1925 |
| Henri Marchant | 24 November 1925 | 8 | Formateur | VDB | 1925-1926 |
| Johannes Theodoor de Visser | 8 December 1925 | 4 | Formateur | CHU | 1925-1926 |
| Johannes Theodoor de Visser | 12 December 1925 | 42 | Formateur | CHU | 1925-1926 |
| Joseph Limburg | 23 January 1926 | 35 | Formateur | VDB | 1925-1926 |
| Dirk Jan de Geer | 1 March 1926 | 4 | Formateur | CHU | 1925-1926 |
| Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck | 12 July 1929 | 18 | Formateur | RKSP | 1929 |
| Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck | 3 August 1929 | 7 | Formateur | RKSP | 1929 |
| Hendrik Colijn | 2 May 1933 | 15 | Formateur | ARP | 1933 |
| Hendrik Colijn | 16 May 1933 | 11 | Formateur | ARP | 1933 |
| Piet Aalberse | 26 July 1935 | 2 | Formateur | RKSP | 1935 |
| Hendrik Colijn | 29 July 1935 | 2 | Formateur | ARP | 1935 |
| Hendrik Colijn | 30 May 1937 | 25 | Formateur | ARP | 1937 |
| Hendrik Colijn | 30 June 1939 | 10 | Formateur | ARP | Jun–Jul 1939 |
| Dionysius Koolen | 9 July 1939 | 6 | Formateur | RKSP | Jun–Jul 1939 |
| Hendrik Colijn | 14 July 1939 | 12 | Formateur | ARP | Jun–Jul 1939 |
| Dirk Jan de Geer | 4 August 1939 | 6 | Formateur | CHU | Aug 1939 |
| Pieter Gerbrandy | 28 August 1940 | 3 | Formateur | ARP | 1940 |
| Pieter Gerbrandy | 1 July 1941 | 26 | Formateur | ARP | 1941 |
| Pieter Gerbrandy | 8 February 1945 | 15 | Formateur | ARP | Feb 1945 |
| Willem Drees | 28 May 1945 | 27 | Formateur | SDAP | May–Jun 1945 |
| Willem Schermerhorn | 28 May 1945 | 27 | Formateur | VDB | May–Jun 1945 |
| Louis Beel | 27 May 1946 | 36 | Formateur | KVP | 1946 |
| Louis Beel | 13 July 1948 | 10 | Formateur | KVP | 1948 |
| Louis Beel | 22 July 1948 | 8 | Formateur | KVP | 1948 |
| Josef van Schaik | 30 July 1948 | 8 | Formateur | KVP | 1948 |
| Dirk Stikker | 28 January 1951 | 5 | Informateur | VVD | 1951 |
| Willem Drees | 1 February 1951 | 16 | Formateur | PvdA | 1951 |
| Josef van Schaik | 1 February 1951 | 16 | Formateur | KVP | 1951 |
| Max Steenberghe | 18 February 1951 | 7 | Formateur | KVP | 1951 |
| Carl Romme | 13 March 1951 | 2 | Formateur | KVP | 1951 |
| Carl Romme | 27 February 1951 | 15 | Informateur | KVP | 1951 |
| Willem Drees | 27 June 1952 | 26 | Formateur | PvdA | 1952 |
| Louis Beel | 23 July 1952 | 13 | Informateur | KVP | 1952 |
| Leendert Antonie Donker | 5 August 1952 | 17 | Formateur | PvdA | 1952 |
| Cornelis Staf | 22 August 1952 | 5 | Formateur | CHU | 1952 |
| Willem Drees | 29 August 1952 | 4 | Formateur | PvdA | 1952 |
| Jaap Burger | 25 May 1955 | 9 | Formateur | PvdA | 1955 |
| Willem Drees | 16 June 1956 | 38 | Formateur | PvdA | 1956 |
| Carl Romme | 24 June 1956 | 9 | Formateur | KVP | 1956 |
| Piet Lieftinck | 16 August 1956 | 5 | Informateur | PvdA | 1956 |
| Piet Lieftinck | 7 August 1956 | 9 | Informateur | PvdA | 1956 |
| Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman | 22 August 1956 | 25 | Informateur | ARP | 1956 |
| Jaap Burger | 20 September 1956 | 19 | Informateur | PvdA | 1956 |
| Willem Drees | 9 October 1956 | 3 | Formateur | PvdA | 1956 |
| Louis Beel | 12 December 1958 | 7 | Informateur | KVP | 1958 |
| Louis Beel | 19 December 1958 | 3 | Formateur | KVP | 1958 |
| Louis Beel | 14 March 1959 | 13 | Informateur | KVP | 1959 |
| Jan de Quay | 28 March 1959 | 30 | Formateur | KVP | 1959 |
| Louis Beel | 1 May 1959 | 13 | Informateur | KVP | 1959 |
| Jan de Quay | 14 May 1959 | 5 | Formateur | KVP | 1959 |
| Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman | 27 December 1960 | 6 | Informateur | ARP | 1960–1961 |
| Carl Romme | 20 May 1963 | 16 | Informateur | KVP | 1963 |
| Wim de Kort | 6 June 1963 | 21 | Formateur | KVP | 1963 |
| Louis Beel | 28 June 1963 | 7 | Informateur | KVP | 1963 |
| Jan de Quay | 5 July 1963 | 11 | Formateur | KVP | 1963 |
| Victor Marijnen | 16 July 1963 | 8 | Formateur | KVP | 1963 |
| Norbert Schmelzer | 2 March 1965 | 11 | Informateur | KVP | 1965 |
| Jo Cals | 15 March 1965 | 29 | Formateur | KVP | 1965 |
| Norbert Schmelzer | 18 October 1966 | 17 | Informateur | KVP | 1966 |
| Louis Beel | 4 November 1966 | 12 | Informateur | KVP | 1966 |
| Jelle Zijlstra | 16 November 1966 | 6 | Formateur | ARP | 1966 |
| Jelle Zijlstra | 18 February 1967 | 15 | Informateur | ARP | 1967 |
| Louis Beel | 6 March 1967 | 3 | Informateur | KVP | 1967 |
| Barend Biesheuvel | 9 March 1967 | 12 | Formateur | ARP | 1967 |
| Piet de Jong | 21 March 1967 | 14 | Formateur | KVP | 1967 |
| Piet Steenkamp | 15 May 1971 | 37 | Informateur | KVP | 1971 |
| Barend Biesheuvel | 21 June 1971 | 15 | Formateur | ARP | 1971 |
| Barend Biesheuvel | 22 July 1972 | 18 | Formateur | ARP | 1972 |
| Marinus Ruppert | 4 December 1972 | 58 | Informateur | ARP | 1972–1973 |
| Jaap Burger | 1 February 1973 | 62 | Formateur | PvdA | 1972–1973 |
| Dries van Agt | 10 April 1973 | 13 | Informateur | KVP | 1972–1973 |
| Wil Albeda | 10 April 1973 | 13 | Informateur | ARP | 1972–1973 |
| Jaap Burger | 23 April 1973 | 18 | Formateur | PvdA | 1972–1973 |
| Marinus Ruppert | 23 April 1973 | 18 | Formateur | ARP | 1972–1973 |
| Joop den Uyl | 1 June 1977 | 45 | Formateur | PvdA | 1977 |
| Wil Albeda | 20 July 1977 | 7 | Informateur | CDA | 1977 |
| Joop den Uyl | 27 July 1977 | 30 | Formateur | PvdA | 1977 |
| Gerard Veringa | 26 August 1977 | 7 | Informateur | CDA | 1977 |
| Gerard Veringa | 2 September 1977 | 35 | Formateur | CDA | 1977 |
| Joop den Uyl | 2 September 1977 | 35 | Formateur | PvdA | 1977 |
| Maarten Vrolijk | 11 October 1977 | 15 | Informateur | PvdA | 1977 |
| Koos Verdam | 11 October 1977 | 15 | Informateur | CDA | 1977 |
| Joop den Uyl | 26 October 1977 | 10 | Formateur | PvdA | 1977 |
| Wim van der Grinten | 8 November 1977 | 29 | Informateur | CDA | 1977 |
| Dries van Agt | 8 December 1977 | 11 | Formateur | CDA | 1977 |
| Ruud Lubbers | 30 May 1981 | 66 | Informateur | CDA | 1981 |
| Jan de Koning | 30 May 1981 | 66 | Informateur | CDA | 1981 |
| Ed van Thijn | 10 July 1981 | 25 | Informateur | PvdA | 1981 |
| Ed van Thijn | 4 August 1981 | 16 | Formateur | PvdA | 1981 |
| Sjeng Kremers | 4 August 1981 | 16 | Formateur | CDA | 1981 |
| Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman | 20 August 1981 | 13 | Informateur | CDA | 1981 |
| Dries van Agt | 2 September 1981 | 9 | Formateur | CDA | 1981 |
| Cees de Galan | 16 October 1981 | 19 | Informateur | PvdA | 1981 |
| Victor Halberstadt | 16 October 1981 | 19 | Informateur | PvdA | 1981 |
| Piet Steenkamp | 14 May 1982 | 12 | Informateur | CDA | May–Jun 1982 |
| Dries van Agt | 25 May 1982 | 4 | Formateur | CDA | May–Jun 1982 |
| Jos van Kemenade | 10 September 1982 | 21 | Informateur | PvdA | Sep–Nov 1982 |
| Willem Scholten | 1 October 1982 | 29 | Informateur | CDA | Sep–Nov 1982 |
| Ruud Lubbers | 30 October 1982 | 5 | Formateur | CDA | Sep–Nov 1982 |
| Jan de Koning | 23 May 1986 | 50 | Informateur | CDA | 1986 |
| Ruud Lubbers | 11 July 1986 | 3 | Formateur | CDA | 1986 |
| Jan de Koning | 8 September 1989 | 5 | Informateur | CDA | 1989 |
| Ruud Lubbers | 13 September 1989 | 45 | Informateur | CDA | 1989 |
| Ruud Lubbers | 27 October 1989 | 9 | Formateur | CDA | 1989 |
| Herman Tjeenk Willink | 6 May 1994 | 8 | Informateur | PvdA | 1994 |
| Jan Vis | 14 May 1994 | 44 | Informateur | D66 | 1994 |
| Gijs van Aardenne | 14 May 1994 | 44 | Informateur | VVD | 1994 |
| Klaas de Vries | 14 May 1994 | 44 | Informateur | PvdA | 1994 |
| Herman Tjeenk Willink | 27 June 1994 | 9 | Informateur | PvdA | 1994 |
| Wim Kok | 6 July 1994 | 23 | Informateur | PvdA | 1994 |
| Wim Kok | 29 July 1994 | 22 | Formateur | PvdA | 1994 |
| Klaas de Vries | 8 May 1998 | 6 | Informateur | PvdA | 1998 |
| Gerrit Zalm | 14 May 1998 | 67 | Informateur | VVD | 1998 |
| Els Borst | 14 May 1998 | 67 | Informateur | D66 | 1998 |
| Wim Kok | 14 May 1998 | 67 | Informateur | PvdA | 1998 |
| Wim Kok | 20 July 1998 | 14 | Formateur | PvdA | 1998 |
| Herman Tjeenk Willink | 22 May 1999 | 18 | Formateur | PvdA | 1999 |
| Piet Hein Donner | 17 May 2002 | 48 | Informateur | CDA | 2002 |
| Jan Peter Balkenende | 4 July 2002 | 18 | Formateur | CDA | 2002 |
| Piet Hein Donner | 24 January 2003 | 11 | Informateur | CDA | 2003 |
| Piet Hein Donner | 5 February 2003 | 66 | Informateur | CDA | 2003 |
| Frans Leijnse | 5 February 2003 | 66 | Informateur | PvdA | 2003 |
| Rein Jan Hoekstra | 15 April 2003 | 35 | Informateur | CDA | 2003 |
| Frits Korthals Altes | 15 April 2003 | 35 | Informateur | VVD | 2003 |
| Jan Peter Balkenende | 20 May 2003 | 7 | Formateur | CDA | 2003 |
| Ruud Lubbers | 1 July 2006 | 4 | Informateur | CDA | 2006 |
| Jan Peter Balkenende | 5 July 2006 | 3 | Formateur | CDA | 2006 |
| Rein Jan Hoekstra | 25 November 2006 | 25 | Informateur | CDA | 2006–2007 |
| Herman Wijffels | 20 December 2006 | 51 | Informateur | CDA | 2006–2007 |
| Jan Peter Balkenende | 9 February 2007 | 13 | Formateur | CDA | 2006–2007 |
| Uri Rosenthal | 12 June 2010 | 14 | Informateur | VVD | 2010 |
| Herman Tjeenk Willink | 26 June 2010 | 10 | Informateur | PvdA | 2010 |
| Uri Rosenthal | 5 July 2010 | 16 | Informateur | VVD | 2010 |
| Jacques Wallage | 5 July 2010 | 16 | Informateur | PvdA | 2010 |
| Ruud Lubbers | 21 July 2010 | 14 | Informateur | CDA | 2010 |
| Ivo Opstelten | 4 August 2010 | 32 | Informateur | VVD | 2010 |
| Herman Tjeenk Willink | 7 September 2010 | 7 | Informateur | PvdA | 2010 |
| Ivo Opstelten | 13 September 2010 | 25 | Informateur | VVD | 2010 |
| Mark Rutte | 7 October 2010 | 8 | Formateur | VVD | 2010 |
| Henk Kamp | 13 September 2012 | 6 | Scout | VVD | 2012 |
| Henk Kamp | 20 September 2012 | 42 | Informateur | VVD | 2012 |
| Wouter Bos | 20 September 2012 | 42 | Informateur | PvdA | 2012 |
| Mark Rutte | 31 October 2012 | 5 | Formateur | VVD | 2012 |
| Edith Schippers | 16 March 2017 | 11 | Scout | VVD | 2017 |
| Edith Schippers | 28 March 2017 | 63 | Informateur | VVD | 2017 |
| Herman Tjeenk Willink | 30 May 2017 | 29 | Informateur | PvdA | 2017 |
| Gerrit Zalm | 28 June 2017 | 105 | Informateur | VVD | 2017 |
| Mark Rutte | 12 October 2017 | 14 | Formateur | VVD | 2017 |
| Annemarie Jorritsma | 18 March 2021 | 8 | Scout | VVD | 2021–2022 |
| Kajsa Ollongren | 18 March 2021 | 8 | Scout | D66 | 2021–2022 |
| Tamara van Ark | 25 March 2021 | 8 | Scout | VVD | 2021–2022 |
| Wouter Koolmees | 25 March 2021 | 8 | Scout | D66 | 2021–2022 |
| Herman Tjeenk Willink | 6 April 2021 | 24 | Informateur | PvdA | 2021–2022 |
| Mariëtte Hamer | 12 May 2021 | 113 | Informateur | PvdA | 2021–2022 |
| Johan Remkes | 7 September 2021 | 23 | Informateur | VVD | 2021–2022 |
| Johan Remkes | 5 October 2021 | 71 | Informateur | VVD | 2021–2022 |
| Wouter Koolmees | 5 October 2021 | 71 | Informateur | D66 | 2021–2022 |
| Mark Rutte | 16 December 2021 | 25 | Formateur | VVD | 2021–2022 |
| Gom van Strien | 24 November 2023 | 4 | Scout | PVV | 2023–2024 |
| Ronald Plasterk | 28 November 2023 | 14 | Scout | PvdA | 2023–2024 |
| Ronald Plasterk | 13 December 2023 | 62 | Informateur | PvdA | 2023–2024 |
| Kim Putters | 14 February 2024 | 30 | Informateur | PvdA | 2023–2024 |
| Elbert Dijkgraaf | 20 March 2024 | 58 | Informateur | SGP | 2023–2024 |
| Richard van Zwol | 20 March 2024 | 58 | Informateur | CDA | 2023–2024 |
| Richard van Zwol | 22 May 2024 | 41 | Formateur | CDA | 2023–2024 |