Maxime Verhagen
Encyclopedia
Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen (born September 14, 1956) is a Dutch
politician in the Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA) party. He is the Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister
since October 14, 2010 in the Cabinet Rutte
.
He previously served as a Member of the European Parliament
for the Netherlands
from July 25, 1989 until July 19, 1994 representing the European People's Party
. And a Member of the House of Representatives from May 17, 1994 until February 22, 2007. When CDA
Party leader
and Parliamentary leader
in the House of Representatives Jan Peter Balkenende
became Prime Minister
Verhagen succeed him as the Parliamentary leader
in the House of Representatives during the Cabinets Balkenende I
, II
en III
, during that time he became the unofficial Deputy leader
of the CDA
. He became the Minister of Foreign Affairs
in the Cabinet Balkenende IV
serving from February 22, 2007 until October 14, 2010, he also served as Minister for Development Cooperation following the resignation from Bert Koenders
. After the Dutch general election of 2010
CDA
Party leader
Jan Peter Balkenende
resigned and Verhagen became the CDA
Party leader
en became the new Parliamentary leader
in the House of Representatives. After the 2010 Dutch cabinet formation
Verhagen and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
(VVD) Party leader
Mark Rutte
made a coalition agreement with the Party for Freedom
(PVV) of Party for Freedom
. Verhagen became Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister
in the new cabinet.
. He studied at Leiden University
where he obtained an M.A.
degree in History in 1986. For a brief period during his college years, Verhagen was associated with both left-wing radicalism and the right-leaning People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
(VVD). He joined the CDA in 1976.
. He served as a Member of the European Parliament
from 25 July 1989 to 19 July 1994. On 17 May 1994, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the Netherlands. On 11 July 2002 he became CDA parliamentary leader
in the House of Representatives. After became Minister of Foreign Affairs
in the fourth Balkenende cabinet
in 2007, he was succeeded in that position by Pieter van Geel
. After the resignation of the Labour Party
ministers, he became interim Minister for Development Cooperation.
The Christian Democratic Appeal
did badly in the general election of 2010
, and the then Christian Democratic Appeal
Party leader
and Prime Minister
, Jan Peter Balkenende
, resigned the same day. Verhagen replaced him as leader
of the Christian Democratic Appeal
parliamentary party.
He has been the Christian Democratic Appeal
Party leader
since 9 June 2010.
Since 14 October 2010, he has been the Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister
in the Rutte cabinet
.
At the request of gay rights groups, Verhagen called upon the Nuncio to the Netherlands, Monsignor François Bacqué, to respond to accusations that the Roman Catholic Church opposed homosexual rights. He later expressed concern at the lifting of the excommunication of controversial bishop Richard Williamson, a member of the Society of Saint Pius X.
Despite the disaster in Fukishima Verhagen is pleading for more nucleair powerstations in the Netherlands.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
politician in the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
(CDA) party. He is the Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the official Deputy of the Head of Government of the Netherlands. In the absence of the Prime Minister the deputy prime minister takes over his functions, such as chairing the Cabinet of the Netherlands...
since October 14, 2010 in the Cabinet Rutte
Netherlands cabinet Rutte
The Rutte cabinet is the current Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Christian Democratic Appeal . The coalition is a minority cabinet, but is supported by the Party for Freedom to have a small majority in the House of...
.
He previously served as a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
from July 25, 1989 until July 19, 1994 representing the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
. And a Member of the House of Representatives from May 17, 1994 until February 22, 2007. When CDA
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
Party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
and Parliamentary leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
in the House of Representatives Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende is a Dutch politician of the party Christian Democratic Appeal .He was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 14 October 2010, having led four coalition governments, cabinets Balkenende I, II, III and IV, none of which served a full...
became Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government...
Verhagen succeed him as the Parliamentary leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
in the House of Representatives during the Cabinets Balkenende I
First Balkenende cabinet
The first cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende was in office in the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 16 October of the same year. The term of 87 days was the shortest since the fifth cabinet of Hendrikus Colijn .Following the 15 May 2002...
, II
Second Balkenende cabinet
The second cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands formed on 27 May 2003. It consisted of three political parties: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy , Christian Democratic Appeal , and Democrats 66 , which is the smallest of the three.On 29 June 2006, D66 dropped its support for...
en III
Third Balkenende cabinet
The third Balkenende cabinet was formed on 7 July 2006 after a crisis in and the subsequent resignation of the second Balkenende cabinet. This demissionary minority cabinet of Christian Democratic Appeal and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy was negotiated by former prime minister Ruud...
, during that time he became the unofficial Deputy leader
Deputy Leader
A deputy leader in the Westminster system is the second-in-command of a political party, behind the party leader. Deputy leaders often become deputy prime minister when their parties are elected to government. In opposition, deputy leaders often lead Question Time sessions when the party leader is...
of the CDA
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
. He became the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs: it is occupied with the external relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including European cooperation and International development...
in the Cabinet Balkenende IV
Fourth Balkenende cabinet
The fourth Balkenende cabinet or Balkenende IV is the previous Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties Christian Democratic Appeal , Labour Party , and ChristianUnion . The cabinet succeeded the third Balkenende cabinet following the 2006 election, and was installed by Queen Beatrix...
serving from February 22, 2007 until October 14, 2010, he also served as Minister for Development Cooperation following the resignation from Bert Koenders
Bert Koenders
Albert Gerard "Bert" Koenders is a former Dutch politician. He was Minister for Development Cooperation of the Netherlands from 2007 until 2010...
. After the Dutch general election of 2010
Dutch general election, 2010
The 2010 Dutch general election was held on Wednesday, 9 June 2010. After the fall of the cabinet Balkenende IV on 20 February, Queen Beatrix accepted the resignation of the Labour Party ministers on 23 February...
CDA
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
Party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende is a Dutch politician of the party Christian Democratic Appeal .He was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 14 October 2010, having led four coalition governments, cabinets Balkenende I, II, III and IV, none of which served a full...
resigned and Verhagen became the CDA
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
Party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
en became the new Parliamentary leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
in the House of Representatives. After the 2010 Dutch cabinet formation
2010 Dutch cabinet formation
Following the Dutch general election of 2010, held on June 9, a process of cabinet formation started, which typically involves 3 phases:# exploring with which parties to form a coalition,# negotiating to draft a coalition agreement ,...
Verhagen and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
(VVD) Party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician who has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 October 2010, as well as Minister of General Affairs in the Rutte cabinet...
made a coalition agreement with the Party for Freedom
Party for Freedom
The Party for Freedom is a Dutch right-wing political party. Founded in 2005 as the successor to Geert Wilders' one-man party in the House of Representatives, it won nine seats in the 2006 general election, making it the fifth largest party in parliament, and third largest opposition party. It...
(PVV) of Party for Freedom
Party for Freedom
The Party for Freedom is a Dutch right-wing political party. Founded in 2005 as the successor to Geert Wilders' one-man party in the House of Representatives, it won nine seats in the 2006 general election, making it the fifth largest party in parliament, and third largest opposition party. It...
. Verhagen became Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the official Deputy of the Head of Government of the Netherlands. In the absence of the Prime Minister the deputy prime minister takes over his functions, such as chairing the Cabinet of the Netherlands...
in the new cabinet.
Early life and education
Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen was born in MaastrichtMaastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
. He studied at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
where he obtained an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in History in 1986. For a brief period during his college years, Verhagen was associated with both left-wing radicalism and the right-leaning People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
(VVD). He joined the CDA in 1976.
Politics
Verhagen started working for the CDA and was elected to the city council of OegstgeestOegstgeest
Oegstgeest is a town and municipality in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. Its population was 22,576 in 2008.-Location :...
. He served as a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
from 25 July 1989 to 19 July 1994. On 17 May 1994, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the Netherlands. On 11 July 2002 he became CDA parliamentary leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
in the House of Representatives. After became Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs: it is occupied with the external relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including European cooperation and International development...
in the fourth Balkenende cabinet
Fourth Balkenende cabinet
The fourth Balkenende cabinet or Balkenende IV is the previous Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties Christian Democratic Appeal , Labour Party , and ChristianUnion . The cabinet succeeded the third Balkenende cabinet following the 2006 election, and was installed by Queen Beatrix...
in 2007, he was succeeded in that position by Pieter van Geel
Pieter van Geel
Petrus Leonardus Bastiaan Antonius van Geel is a Dutch politician for the CDA.He was State Secretary of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment from 2002 until 2007 and a member of the House of Representatives in 2002, 2003 and from 2006 till 2010.- External links : , Parlement & Politiek...
. After the resignation of the Labour Party
Labour Party (Netherlands)
The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
ministers, he became interim Minister for Development Cooperation.
The Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
did badly in the general election of 2010
Dutch general election, 2010
The 2010 Dutch general election was held on Wednesday, 9 June 2010. After the fall of the cabinet Balkenende IV on 20 February, Queen Beatrix accepted the resignation of the Labour Party ministers on 23 February...
, and the then Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
Party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
and Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government...
, Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende is a Dutch politician of the party Christian Democratic Appeal .He was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 14 October 2010, having led four coalition governments, cabinets Balkenende I, II, III and IV, none of which served a full...
, resigned the same day. Verhagen replaced him as leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
of the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
parliamentary party.
He has been the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
Party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
since 9 June 2010.
Since 14 October 2010, he has been the Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the official Deputy of the Head of Government of the Netherlands. In the absence of the Prime Minister the deputy prime minister takes over his functions, such as chairing the Cabinet of the Netherlands...
in the Rutte cabinet
Netherlands cabinet Rutte
The Rutte cabinet is the current Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Christian Democratic Appeal . The coalition is a minority cabinet, but is supported by the Party for Freedom to have a small majority in the House of...
.
At the request of gay rights groups, Verhagen called upon the Nuncio to the Netherlands, Monsignor François Bacqué, to respond to accusations that the Roman Catholic Church opposed homosexual rights. He later expressed concern at the lifting of the excommunication of controversial bishop Richard Williamson, a member of the Society of Saint Pius X.
Despite the disaster in Fukishima Verhagen is pleading for more nucleair powerstations in the Netherlands.
Decorations
- Order of Bernardo O'HigginsOrder of Bernardo O'HigginsThe Order of Bernardo O'Higgins is the highest state award of Chile, presented to foreign citizens. This award was established in 1965 and named after one of the founders of the Chilean state general Bernardo O'Higgins who was the leader of the struggle for independence of the Spanish colonies in...
- Grand Officer (2007)
- Decoration of MeritDecoration of MeritThe Decoration of Merit is an important military decoration for bravery in the Netherlands The medal was established by the Dutch minister of defence Wim van Eekelen on 16 April 1987...
- Gold (2010)