New Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof is in Brussels on Monday for his first meeting with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

Officially the visit is an introductory meeting, but the identity of the Dutch member of the new commission is expected to be discussed.

Former Christian Democrat (CDA) party leader Wopke Hoekstra is keen to retain his position as climate commissioner, having taken over from Frans Timmermans last October when Timmermans left Brussels to lead the GroenLinks-PvdA alliance in The Hague.

Hoekstra is seen as a candidate who can connect Von der Leyen’s centre-right European People’s Party, which includes the CDA, with the right-wing coalition in The Hague, although there is speculation that he could be given a different portfolio such as economic affairs.

Schoof is not expected to go into details on the new cabinet’s demands for a series of concessions from Brussels, which could strain relations with the EU.

The government’s framework coalition agreement includes plans to reduce the Netherlands’ budget contribution to the EU and seek a formal opt-out on European migration quotas, both of which would require the consent of the other member states.

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Ministers also want to relax the strict rules on nitrogen emissions and pulse fishing, arguing that they put Dutch food producers at a disadvantage.

“Wet blanket”

Schoof heads to Brussels on the back of a turbulent first week in which he came under fire from all sides in his first debate in parliament since succeeding Mark Rutte.

Geert Wilders, leader of the PVV party, called him a “wet blanket” for not defending ministers who were attacked by left-wing opposition parties for supporting “population replacement” conspiracy theories in the past.

“I think if they’d been like that towards my partner I’d have thought: keep your hands off that woman,” Schoof said. “They were verging on personal attacks.”