# Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

The leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is the most senior politician within the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) in the Netherlands. The post is currently held by Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, who succeeded Mark Rutte in 2023.

## History

The Leaders outwardly act as the 'figurehead' and the main representative of the party. Within the party, they must ensure political consensus. At election time the leader is always the lead candidate of the party list. Outside election time the leader can serve as the opposition leader. In the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy the Leader is often the parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives. Some VVD leaders became a Minister in a cabinet.

## Leaders

| Leader | Leader | Term of office | Age as leader | Position(s) as leader | Further position(s) | Former affiliation | Professional function(s) | Lead candidate |
| | Pieter Oud (1886–1968) | 15 May 1948 – 12 January 1963 (14 years, 242 days) | 61–76 | Mayor of Rotterdam (1945–1952) Member of the House of Representatives (1948–1963) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1948–1963) Party chairman (1949–1963) | Member of the House of Representatives (1917–1933, 1937–1938) Minister of Finance (1933–1937) Leader of the Free-thinking Democratic League (1935–1938) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1937–1938) Mayor of Rotterdam (1938–1941) | Free-thinking Democratic League Committee-Oud Labour Party | Jurist Civil servant Historian Academic Author | 1948 1952 1956 1959 |
| | Edzo Toxopeus (1918–2009) | 12 January 1963 – 1 October 1969 (6 years, 262 days) | 44–51 | Minister of the Interior (1959–1965) Member of the House of Representatives (1963, 1965–1969) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1963, 1966–1969) | Member of the House of Representatives (1956–1959) President of the Liberal International (1966–1970) Queen's Commissioner of Groningen (1970–1980) Member of the Council of State (1980–1988) | Freedom Party | Jurist Lawyer Businessperson Diplomat | 1963 1967 |
| | Molly Geertsema (1918–1991) | 1 October 1969 – 20 July 1971 (1 year, 292 days) | 50–52 | Member of the House of Representatives (1959–1971) Mayor of Wassenaar (1961–1971) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1969–1971) | Mayor of Warffum (1953–1957) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1963–1966) Minister of the Interior Deputy Prime Minister (1971–1973) Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs (1973) Member of the House of Representatives (1973, 1973) Queen's Commissioner of Gelderland (1973–1983) Member of the Senate (1983–1987) | Freedom Party | Jurist Civil servant Educator | 1971 |
| | Hans Wiegel (born 1941) | 20 July 1971 – 20 April 1982 (10 years, 274 days) | 30–40 | Member of the House of Representatives (1967–1977, 1981–1982) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1971–1977, 1981–1982) Minister of the Interior Deputy Prime Minister (1977–1981) | Queen's Commissioner of Friesland (1982–1994) Member of the Social and Economic Council (1994–2012) Member of the Senate (1995–2000) | | Businessperson Nonprofit director Trade association executive Political pundit Columnist Lobbyist | 1972 1977 1981 |
| | Ed Nijpels (born 1950) | 20 April 1982 – 27 June 1986 (4 years, 68 days) | 32–36 | Member of the House of Representatives (1977–1986) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1982–1986) | Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (1986–1989) Member of the House of Representatives (1989–1990) Mayor of Breda (1990–1995) Queen's Commissioner of Friesland (1999–2008) Member of the Social and Economic Council (since 2014) | | Jurist Civil servant Businessperson Nonprofit director Trade association executive Educator Lobbyist Activist | 1982 1986 |
| | Rudolf de Korte (1936–2020) | 27 June 1986 – 15 December 1986 (171 days) | 49–50 | Minister of the Interior (1986) Member of the House of Representatives (1986) Minister of Economic Affairs Deputy Prime Minister (1986–1989) | Member of the House of Representatives (1977–1986, 1989–1995) Vice President of the European Investment Bank (1986–1989) | | Businessperson Nonprofit director Banker | |
| | Joris Voorhoeve (born 1945) | 15 December 1986 – 30 April 1990 (3 years, 136 days) | 40–44 | Member of the House of Representatives (1982–1991) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1986–1990) | Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs (1994–1998) Minister of Defence (1994–1998) Member of the House of Representatives (1998–1999) Member of the Council of State (1999–2011) | Democrats 66 | Political scientist Academic Researcher Civil servant Nonprofit director Author Activist | 1989 |
| | Frits Bolkestein (1933–2025) | 30 April 1990 – 30 July 1998 (8 years, 91 days) | 57–65 | Member of the House of Representatives (1989–1999) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1990–1998) | Member of the House of Representatives (1978–1982, 1986–1988) State Secretary for Economic Affairs (1982–1986) Minister of Defence (1988–1989) President of the Liberal International (1996–2000) European Commissioner (1999–2004) | | Businessperson Economist Political pundit Historian Academic Author | 1994 1998 |
| | Hans Dijkstal (1943–2010) | 30 July 1998 – 16 May 2002 (3 years, 290 days) | 55–59 | Minister of the Interior Deputy Prime Minister (1994–1998) Member of the House of Representatives (1998–2002) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1998–2002) | Municipal councillor of Wassenaar (1974–1986) Alderman of Wassenaar (1978–1983) Member of the House of Representatives (1982–1986, 1986–1994) | | Financial adviser Management consultant Nonprofit director Educator Lobbyist | 2002 |
| | Gerrit Zalm (born 1952) | 16 May 2002 – 27 November 2004 (2 years, 195 days) | 50–52 | Member of the House of Representatives (2002–2003) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2002–2003) Minister of Finance Deputy Prime Minister (2003–2007) | Director of the Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (1989–1994) Minister of Finance (1994–1996, 1996–2002) Member of the House of Representatives (1998) Minister of Economic Affairs (2006) | Labour Party | Economist Civil servant Businessperson Banker Academic | 2003 |
| | Jozias van Aartsen (born 1947) | 27 November 2004 – 8 March 2006 (1 year, 101 days) | 56–58 | Member of the House of Representatives (2002–2006) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2003–2006) | Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Interior (1985–1994) Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries (1994–1998) Member of the House of Representatives (1998) Minister of Foreign Affairs (1998–2002) Mayor of The Hague (2008–2017) King's Commissioner of Drenthe (2017) Mayor of Amsterdam (2017–2018) | | Political consultant Civil servant Nonprofit director | |
| Vacant (8 March 2006 – 31 May 2006) ||||||||||
| | Mark Rutte (born 1967) | 31 May 2006 – 14 August 2023 (17 years, 159 days) | 39–56 | State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science (2004–2006) Member of the House of Representatives (2006–2010, 2012, 2017, 2021–2022) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2006–2010, 2012, 2017) Prime Minister (2010–2024) | State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment (2002–2004) Member of the House of Representatives (2003) Secretary General of NATO (since 2024) | | Businessperson HR-executive Historian Educator | 2006 2010 2012 2017 2021 |
| | Dilan Yeşilgöz (born 1977) | 14 August 2023 – Incumbent (1 year, 191 days) | 46–47 | Minister of Justice and Security (2022–2024) Member of the House of Representatives (since 2023) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (since 2023) | Municipal councillor of Amsterdam (2014–2017) Member of the House of Representatives (2017–2021) State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (2021–2022) | | Management consultant | 2023 |