Ex-spy chief Dick Schoof sworn in as Dutch PM months after far-right election win

Dick Schoof has been sworn in as the new Prime Minister of the Netherlands, succeeding Mark Rutte, who served for 14 years and is set to become the next secretary-general of NATO. Schoof, a former Dutch Secret Service chief, will lead a right-wing coalition government that includes Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, the populist Farmer Citizen Movement, and the centrist New Social Contract party.

The coalition, formed after Geert Wilders' party won the largest share of seats in the recent elections, aims to implement the "strictest-ever" immigration policy. The coalition agreement, titled "Hope, courage and pride," also includes a proposal to move the Dutch embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Despite his previous intelligence background and being without a party, Schoof has pledged to serve all Dutch citizens and has received backing from left-wing opposition leader Frans Timmermans. The new government will focus on strict measures for asylum seekers, scrapping family reunification for refugees, and reducing the number of international students.