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.
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Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen was born in Maastricht. 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.[1]
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.
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. [2] 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 Fukishima Verhagen is pleading for more nucleair powerstations in the Netherlands.
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