Artikel 44: Ministries; Minister without Portfolio

Artikel 44
  1. Ministries shall be established by Royal Decree. They shall be headed by a Minister.
  2. Non-departmental Ministers may also be appointed.

Explanation

Please note: Only the Dutch-language version of the Constitution has legal effect. 

Ministries are established by Royal Decree. A minister heads a ministry. The minister has political leadership of the ministry. This means that he determines policy in broad terms. The administrative leadership of a ministry is in the hands of a Secretary-General.

There may also be ministers who do not head a ministry. These are ministers 'without portfolio'. Examples of this from the Rutte IV cabinet were the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, the Minister for Long-Term Care and Sport, the Minister for Nature and Nitrogen, and the Minister for Legal Protection.