Overview

Karin Hildur "Kajsa" Ollongren (born 28 May 1967 in Leiden) is a Dutch politician and former senior civil servant, affiliated with the social‑liberal party Democrats 66 (D66). After a long career in the national bureaucracy and municipal government, she served as minister of the interior and as second deputy prime minister in the Third Rutte cabinet and was appointed minister of defence in the Fourth Rutte cabinet in January 2022.

Early life and education

Ollongren studied at the University of Amsterdam, where she read economics and history before pursuing further training in public administration. She attended the École nationale d'administration in Paris, a well‑known institution for senior public servants, and completed studies in international relations at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague. This mixed background of economics, history and public administration prepared her for senior roles in the Dutch civil service.

Civil service and local politics

Between 1992 and 2007 Ollongren worked at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and later moved to the Ministry of the Interior, where she held increasingly senior management posts. From 2011 she led a major directorate within the ministry and was responsible for large policy files and organisational units. In 2014 she left the national administration to enter municipal government and became an alderman of the city of Amsterdam, combining executive municipal responsibilities with an emphasis on public administration and urban policy.

National government: ministerial roles

Ollongren entered national politics as minister of the interior in 2017. During her tenure she also served as second deputy prime minister in the Third Rutte cabinet (Rutte III), a role that combined portfolio responsibilities with coalition coordination duties. In January 2022 she moved to the role of minister of defence in the Fourth Rutte cabinet, taking charge of defence policy, military procurement and international cooperation in security matters.

Positions, responsibilities and public profile

As a technocratic politician with a long civil service career, Ollongren is known for her managerial approach to government, emphasis on institutional reform and pragmatic handling of complex administrative files. Her work has covered public administration reform, digitalisation of government services and oversight of public safety and defence matters. She is associated with the moderate, reform‑oriented wing of her party and often features in public debate about governance and administrative competence.

Personal background and notable facts

Ollongren is a member of the Dutch nobility and also holds Swedish nationality through her mother (Swedish). She is openly lesbian and is married to a woman (see partner); the couple has two children. Her personal background—Nordic family ties, a career in high-level civil service and a progressive party affiliation—has shaped her public image as an experienced, centre‑oriented policy maker.

Timeline and summary

  • 1967: Born in Leiden (Leiden).
  • 1992–2007: Career at the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
  • 2007–2014: Senior roles at the Ministry of the Interior.
  • 2014: Alderman of Amsterdam (alderman).
  • 2017–2022: Minister of the Interior and second deputy prime minister (Rutte III).
  • 2022–: Minister of Defence (Fourth Rutte cabinet).

For more context on Ollongren's party and public roles see the party and institutional profiles linked above (D66, University background). Her combination of administrative expertise and political office is representative of a modern, technocratic pathway into ministerial leadership in the Netherlands.