The vice-president of the Council of State () is the de facto presiding officer of the Council of State. The monarch serves as the ex officio president of the Council of State but in reality seldom chairs meetings, in his absence, the vice-president serves as pro tempore chair of those meetings. The vice-president is also in charge of the council's organisation and administrative duties. The Constitution of the Netherlands stipulates that if the royal house were to become extinct the vice-president will become the acting head of state. Like the other members of the Council of State the vice president is appointed by the monarch upon nomination by the minister of the interior and kingdom relations. The service of the vice-president is a life tenure appointment but is required by law to enter a mandatory retirement at the age of 70. Alternatively, an early retirement or a forced termination of his tenure can be given by the monarch in a royal decree.
The current vice-president of the Council of State is Sybrand van Haersma Buma.
List of vice-presidents PortraitNameTerm of officePartyMonarchRef Count Gijsbert Karel van Hogendorp (1762–1834) 12 April 1814 – 7 November 1816 () Independent (pro-government)King William I Baron Johan Hendrik Mollerus (1750–1834) 7 November 1816 – 1 July 1829 () Independent (pro-government) His Royal Highness William, Prince of Orange (1792–1849) 1 July 1829 – 7 October 1840 () Nonpartisan (Royal House) VacantKing William II Dr. Baron Henri van Doorn van Westcapelle (1786–1853) 1 January 1841 – 26 March 1848 () Independent Conservative (ultraconservative) Jonkheer Willem Gerard van de Poll (1793–1872)26 March 1848 – 1 April 1858 ()IndependentKing William IIIVacant Baron Aeneas Mackay (1806–1876) 1 July 1862 – 6 March 1876 () Independent Antirevolutionary Vacant Jonkheer Gerlach Cornelis Joannes van Reenen (1818–1893)1 April 1876 – 31 May 1893 ()Independent ConservativeQueen WilhelminaVacant Jonkheer Bram van Panhuys (1837–1907) 1 August 1893 – 1 January 1897 () Independent Liberal Vacant Jonkheer Johan Willem Meinard Schorer (1834–1903) 1 February 1897 – 1 October 1903 () Independent Liberal Vacant Jonkheer Petrus Johannes van Swinderen (1842–1911)1 December 1903 – 19 December 1911 () Christian Historical Party Christian Historical UnionVacant Jonkheer Joan Röell (1844–1914) 1 February 1912 – 13 July 1914 () League of Free Liberals Vacant Dr. Wilhelmus Frederik van Leeuwen (1860–1930) 16 December 1914 – 18 April 1928 () Independent Liberal (Conservative Liberal) Vacant Dr. Count Alex van Lynden van Sandenburg (1873–1932) 1 May 1928 – 25 December 1932 () Anti-Revolutionary Party Vacant Jonkheer Frans Beelaerts van Blokland (1872–1956)20 April 1933 – 27 March 1956 () Christian Historical UnionQueen JulianaVacant Dr. Bram Rutgers (1884–1966) 16 May 1956 – 1 August 1959 () Anti-Revolutionary Party Dr. Louis Beel (1902–1977) 1 August 1959 – 1 July 1972 () Catholic People's Party Vacant Marinus Ruppert (1911–1992)1 September 1973 – 1 October 1980 ()Anti-Revolutionary PartyQueen BeatrixWillem Scholten (1927–2005)1 October 1980 – 1 July 1997 () Christian Historical Union Christian Democratic Appeal Herman Tjeenk Willink (born 1942) 1 July 1997 – 1 February 2012 () Labour Party Piet Hein Donner (born 1948)1 February 2012 – 1 November 2018 ()Christian Democratic AppealKing Willem-Alexander Thom de Graaf (born 1957) 1 November 2018 – 1 July 2026 () Democrats 66 Sybrand van Haersma Buma (born 1965) 1 July 2026 () Christian Democratic Appeal https://www.raadvanstate.nl/actueel/nieuws/april/nieuwe-vice-president-van-haersma-buma
See also Council of State (Netherlands) Monarchy of the Netherlands
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