Economic affairs minister Henk Kamp has become the first minister to announce he will be stepping down at the next general election.

Kamp, who is 63, has been active in politics for 30 years, having begun his career as a local councillor for the right-wing VVD Liberals in Borculo, Gelderland. He has been a minister since 2002.

The next election is due to take place in March 2017.

In an interview with BNR radio at the weekend, Kamp said that the relationship between the VVD and the coalition Labour party is becoming more difficult. ‘It is not as good as it was at the beginning,’ Kamp said.

Kamp also said he expected this year’s budget presentation in September to be tense, given the proximity to the election.