Army veteran who served in Afghanistan is named foreign minister in Netherlands’ caretaker Cabinet

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A military veteran who served with the Dutch army in Afghanistan has been appointed as the Netherlands’ new foreign minister. Hanke Bruins Slot replaces Wopke Hoekstra, who is in line to become a European Union commissioner. Bruins Slot had been interior minister in the caretaker administration of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte. His government will remain in power until a new coalition is formed after a Nov. 22 general election. Polls suggest Bruins Slot’s Christian Democrat Appeal party will suffer a heavy defeat in the fall election. The party put her forward early Monday to become the country’s top diplomat. The government confirmed her appointment later in the day.