Dijkhoff was previously a state secretary in the ministry of justice.
His predecessor Hennis-Plasschaert resigned on Tuesday, having accepted the ministry’s responsibility for the death of two Dutch soldiers in Mali in 2016.
The two soldiers were killed and another seriously injured when grenades exploded unexpectedly during a military exercise in the West African country.
A resulting investigation commission found the ministry responsible for the accident.
According to the experts’ findings, the ammunition had been damaged, had not been tested and had not been properly stored.
Dijkhoff would likely only hold the post of defense minister for a few weeks, since a new coalition government is set to take power at the end of October.
Coalition talks between prospective governing partners have dragged on for months following parliamentary elections in March.
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