The senior civil servant stated he had been appointed by all four parties and refused to comment on the far-right PVV's policies, adding that he intends to put a new cabinet strategy into practice, while serving the public good.

Credits: Getty Images; Author: Ramon van Flyman;

The coalition agreement, he said, is an ambitious one with proposals for a large number of issues - getting a grip on immigration and asylum, financial security for families and farmers, as well as international security.

Dick Schoof, 67, is currently the most senior civil servant in the justice ministry, and he has previously headed the counter-terrorism unit NCTV, the immigration service IND and the domestic security service AIVD.