Maxime Verhagen

Maxime Verhagen
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office
14 October 2010  5 November 2012
Prime Minister Mark Rutte
Preceded by André Rouvoet
Succeeded by Lodewijk Asscher
Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation
In office
14 October 2010  5 November 2012
Prime Minister Mark Rutte
Preceded by Maria van der Hoeven (Economic Affairs)
Gerda Verburg (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality)
Succeeded by Henk Kamp (Economic Affairs)
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives
In office
17 June 2010  14 October 2010
Preceded by Pieter van Geel
Succeeded by Sybrand van Haersma Buma
In office
21 May 2003  30 November 2006
Preceded by Jan Peter Balkenende
Succeeded by Jan Peter Balkenende
In office
11 July 2002  30 January 2003
Preceded by Jan Peter Balkenende
Succeeded by Jan Peter Balkenende
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal
In office
9 June 2010  30 June 2012
Preceded by Jan Peter Balkenende
Succeeded by Sybrand van Haersma Buma
Minister for Development Cooperation
In office
23 February 2010  14 October 2010
Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by Bert Koenders
Succeeded by Lilianne Ploumen (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
22 February 2007  14 October 2010
Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by Ben Bot
Succeeded by Uri Rosenthal
Member of the House of Representatives
for Maastricht
In office
17 June 2010  14 October 2010
In office
17 May 1994  22 February 2007
Member of the European Parliament
for the Netherlands
In office
25 July 1989  19 July 1994
Personal details
Born Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen
(1956-09-14) 14 September 1956
Maastricht, Netherlands
Political party Christian Democratic Appeal
Spouse(s) Annemieke Beijlevelt (1984–present)
Children 3
Alma mater Leiden University

Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen (Dutch pronunciation: [mɑˈksim ʒɑk mɑrˈsɛl vərˈɦaːɣə(n)]; born 14 September 1956) is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA).

Verhagen a civil servant by occupation, was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for the European People's Party after the European Parliament election of 1989 serving from 25 July 1989 until 19 July 1994. He was elected as Member of the House of Representatives after the Dutch general election of 1994 taking office 17 May 1994. When the Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal 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 on 11 July 2002. During the Cabinets Balkenende I, II en III Verhagen became the unofficial Deputy leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal. He became the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet Balkenende IV serving from 22 February 2007 to 14 October 2010, he also served as Minister for Development Cooperation following the resignation from Bert Koenders. After the Dutch general election of 2010 Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal Jan Peter Balkenende resigned and Verhagen became the new Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal and the Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives. After the 2010 Dutch cabinet formation Verhagen and the Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Mark Rutte made a coalition agreement with the Party for Freedom (PVV). Verhagen became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation in the Cabinet Rutte I and served from 14 October 2010 until 5 November 2012

Verhagen retired from active politics at the age of fifty-six and became Chairman of the Construction Trade Association on 1 July 2013.[1]

Early life and education

Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen was born on 14 September 1956 in Maastricht in the Netherlands Province of Limburg in a Roman Catholic family. He studied at Leiden University where he obtained a Master of Arts degree in History in 1986. For a brief period during his college years, Verhagen was associated with both left-wing radicalism and the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He joined the CDA in 1976.[2]

Politics

Verhagen started working for the CDA and was elected to the city council of Oegstgeest. 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.

On 14 October 2010, he became the Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister in the First 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.[3] Despite the disaster in Fukushima Verhagen is pleading for more nuclear power stations in the Netherlands.

Personal

Verhagen is married to Annemieke Beijlevelt since 1984 and has 2 sons and 1 daughter. They live in Voorburg.

Decorations

National military decorations
Ribbon bar Honour Date & Comment
Decoration of Merit in Gold 2012
National honours
Ribbon bar Honour Date & Comment
Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau 7 December 2012
Foreign honours
Ribbon bar Honour Date & Comment
Grand Officer of the Order of Bernardo O'Higgins (Chile) 2007

References

  1. (Dutch) Verhagen naar Bouwend Nederland, NOS, 7 February 2013
  2. "Verhagen in voetsporen van De Hoop Scheffer". NRC Handelsblad. 2002-07-11.
  3. (English) Netherlands urges pope to condemn Holocaust denier, Expatica, 30 January 2009
Official
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maxime Verhagen.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Jan Peter Balkenende
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives
2002–2003
Succeeded by
Jan Peter Balkenende
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives
2003–2006
Preceded by
Pieter van Geel
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives
2010
Succeeded by
Sybrand van Haersma Buma
Preceded by
Jan Peter Balkenende
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal
2010–2012
Government offices
Preceded by
Ben Bot
Minister of Foreign Affairs
2007–2010
Succeeded by
Uri Rosenthal
Preceded by
Bert Koenders
Minister for Development Cooperation
2010
Vacant
Title next held by
Lilianne Ploumen
as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
Preceded by
Maria van der Hoeven
as Minister of Economic Affairs
Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation
2010–2012
Succeeded by
Henk Kamp
as Minister of Economic Affairs
Preceded by
Gerda Verburg
as Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality)
Political offices
Preceded by
André Rouvoet
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
2010–2012
Succeeded by
Lodewijk Asscher
Business positions
Preceded by
Elco Brinkman
Chair of the Construction Trade Association
2013–present
Incumbent
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