Home affairs minister Ronald Plasterk will have an operation for a heart complaint next week and has handed over his responsibilities to housing minister Stef Blok until further notice.

Plasterk, who represents the Labour party in the two party coalition, is 59 and is a geneticist by training. He was education minister in 2006 and then served as a Labour MP from 2010 to 2012.

Plasterk is expected to be out of active politics until after the summer recess, news agency ANP said.

Blok represents the right-wing VVD. It is unclear what impact the temporary appointment will have on the 2017 budget negotiations.