Personal considerations

Thom de Graaf has chosen to step down on July 1, 2026: “This decision has nothing to do with the Council but everything to do with personal considerations. I will be 69 years old when I step down and will have worked for nearly eight years in this beautiful but intensive office and devoted more than 45 years to the public cause. I have had too little time for my private life and other interests besides work. Moreover, I believe that a position like mine should not be held by the same person for too long, especially now that events, information, and people change faster in general. In the future, I would like to continue to commit myself to the public interest, but with more freedom and flexibility.” He could have continued for another year. The statutory age limit for Vice-President of the Council of State is seventy years.

Appointment procedure

Thom de Graaf is announcing this now because he wants to give the government and the Council the space to carefully prepare the appointment of a successor. He has informed the King and the Prime Minister of his intention. The Vice-President of the Council of State is appointed by royal decree, on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. Prior to the recommendation, the Council of State itself is consulted in the procedure.

Still fully active until July 1, 2026

But it is only eight months until July 1, 2026. Thom de Graaf: “Until then, I am still fully active at the Kneuterdijk in The Hague. The coming months will certainly be the last for me in many ways, but I will continue to do my work with the same energy and dedication as in recent years. The public interest demands that, all colleagues deserve that.”

Council of State

The Council of State advises the government and parliament on legislation and administration and is the highest general administrative court in the country. These tasks are carried out by two separate Departments, the Advisory Department and the Administrative Jurisdiction Division. The Vice-President has daily management of the institution and chairs the Advisory Department, which currently consists of fourteen members. The Vice-President is not substantively involved in the work of the Administrative Jurisdiction Division. Thom de Graaf is the twentieth Vice-President in the history of the Council of State.