Mark Rutte

His Excellency Mark Rutte
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
Incumbent
Assumed office 14 October 2010
Monarch	Beatrix Willem-Alexander
Deputy	Maxime Verhagen Lodewijk Asscher
Preceded by	Jan Peter Balkenende
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Incumbent
Assumed office 31 May 2006
Preceded by	Jozias van Aartsen
State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science
In office 17 June 2004 – 27 June 2006
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Annette Nijs
Succeeded by	Bruno Bruins
State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment
In office 22 July 2002 – 17 June 2004
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Hans Hoogervorst
Succeeded by	Henk van Hoof
Personal details
Born	(1967-02-14) 14 February 1967 The Hague, Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Alma mater	Leiden University
Religion	Reformed Protestantism
Signature
Website	Government website

Mark Rutte (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɑrk ˈrʏtə]; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who has been the Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 October 2010 and the Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie - VVD) since 31 May 2006. He previously served as State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment from 22 July 2002 to 17 June 2004, and State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science from 17 June 2004 until 27 June 2006, when he was elected to succeed Jozias van Aartsen as the new VVD Leader.^[1][2]

At the 2006 general election, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy under Rutte lost six seats and he became opposition leader. At the following general election in 2010, the VVD won the highest number of votes cast, resulting in their occupying 31 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives. After a long formation period, Rutte became Prime Minister and formed a Cabinet. When he was sworn in on 14 October 2010, he became the first liberal Prime Minister of the Netherlands in 92 years.^[3] He offered his government's resignation on 23 April 2012 after an impasse in talks on an austerity budget, prompting a general election in which the VVD won its highest number of seats ever, which led to a coalition being formed with the VVD and Labour Party. On 5 November 2012, the Second Rutte cabinet was installed by Queen Beatrix.

Early life

Mark Rutte was born on 14 February 1967 in The Hague in the Netherlands.^[4] His mother Hermina Cornelia Dilling^[4] was a secretary and his father Izaäk Rutte^[4] worked in a trading company in the Dutch East Indies as an importer and later (in the Netherlands) director.

Rutte attended a gymnasium high school, specialising in the arts, from 1979 until 1985. Although his original ambition was to attend the conservatory and become a concert pianist,^[5] he went to study history at Leiden University, where he obtained a MA degree in History in 1992.^[6] He combined his studies with a position on the board of the Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy, the youth organisation of the VVD, of which he was chairperson between 1988 and 1991.^[7]

After his studies he entered the business world, working as a manager for Unilever and Calvé. Until 1997 he was part of the human resource-department of Unilever and played a leading role in several reorganisations. Between 1997 and 2000 he was personnel manager for Van den Bergh Nederland, a subsidiary of Unilever. In 2000 he became a member of the Corporate Human Resources Group. And since 2002 he was director of Human Resources for IgloMora Groep, another subsidiary of Unilever.^[8]

Between 1993 and 1997 he was a member of the national board of the VVD. He also served as a member of the VVD candidate committee for the general election of 2002. He was himself elected as a member of parliament in 2003.

Political offices

Rutte is un-married. served as State Secretary in the Social Affairs and Employment from 22 July 2002 to 17 June 2004 in the first and second Balkenende cabinets. He was responsible for fields including bijstand (municipal welfare) and arbeidsomstandigheden (Occupational safety and health). After the 2003 elections Rutte was briefly also a member of the House of Representatives, between 30 January and 27 May 2003.

Rutte served as State Secretary for Higher Education and Science, within the Education, Culture and Science, replacing Annette Nijs, from 17 June 2004 to 27 June 2006 in the second Balkenende cabinet. In office, Rutte showed particular interest in making the Dutch higher education system more competitive internationally, by trying to make it more market oriented (improving the position of students as consumers in the market for education). He would have been succeeded by former The Hague alderman Bruno Bruins. Before Bruins could be sworn into office, the second Balkenende cabinet fell. In the subsequently formed third Balkenende cabinet Bruins succeeded Rutte as State Secretary.

Rutte resigned as State Secretary in June 2006 to return to the House of Representatives, and he soon became the Parliamentary leader of the VVD. Rutte became an important figure within the VVD leadership. He was campaign manager for the 2006 municipal elections.

2006 leadership election

After the resignation of Jozias van Aartsen, the VVD having lost in the 2006 Dutch municipal election, the party held an internal election for lijsttrekker, in which Rutte competed against Rita Verdonk and Jelleke Veenendaal. On 31 May 2006, it was announced that Mark Rutte would be the next lijsttrekker of the VVD. He was elected by 51.5% of party members. Rutte's candidacy was backed by the VVD leadership, including the party board, and many prominent politicians such as Frank de Grave, former minister of Defence, Ivo Opstelten, the mayor of Rotterdam and Ed Nijpels, the Queen's Commissioner of Friesland. The Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy, the VVD's youth wing, of which he had been chairperson, also backed him. During the elections he promised "to make the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy a party for everyone and not just of the elite". His youthful appearance has been likened to the successful former leader of the Labour Party, Wouter Bos.

Rutte said that the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party was a party "the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy could do business with".^[9] He had also stated that with the social security ideas of the Labour Party, which he called too conservative, it was unlikely that the VVD would cooperate or form a coalition after the elections.

2006 Dutch general election

For the 2006 general election, the VVD campaign with Rutte as leader did not get off to a good start. Rutte received criticism from within his own party for the campaign.^[10] Rutte was said to be overshadowed by his own party members Rita Verdonk and Gerrit Zalm, as well as being unable to penetrate between Wouter Bos and Jan Peter Balkenende, who were generally seen as the prime candidates to become the next Prime Minister. On 27 November, it became known that Rita Verdonk managed to obtain more votes than Mark Rutte; Rutte obtained 553,200 votes against Verdonk's 620,555.^[10][11]

Decision to expel Rita Verdonk

After repeated criticisms by Rita Verdonk on the policy of the VVD, Rutte expelled her from the party's parliamentary faction on 14 September 2007.^[12]

2010 Dutch general election

In the 2010 general election, Rutte was once again the lijsttrekker for the VVD. The VVD won 31 seats to become the largest party in the House of Representatives for the first time ever.^[13] A long period of negotiations followed, with several personalities succeeding each other as informateur, or persons being appointed by Queen Beatrix in order to find out what coalition could be formed.

Efforts to form a coalition of liberals, Christian-democrats and socialists failed. Instead the only possibility appeared to be a center-right coalition of liberals and Christian democrats (CDA), with the outside support of the Party for Freedom (PVV), led by Geert Wilders.

Prime Minister

After garnering support for such a coalition, Rutte was appointed as formateur (prime minister-designate) on 8 October 2010. Rutte then appointed the ministers, with Maxime Verhagen (CDA) as his deputy prime minister. On 14 October, Beatrix formally invited Rutte to form a government. Later that day, Rutte presented his Cabinet team to Parliament, and it was confirmed in office by the smallest possible majority.

Rutte is the first Prime Minister since 1918 who is neither a Christian democrat nor a socialist, as well as the first liberal to hold that post since Pieter Cort van der Linden, who was Prime Minister from 1913 until 1918.^[13] He is also the first VVD Prime Minister.

In March 2012, seeking to comply with European Union requirements for the nation's deficit, Rutte began talks with coalition parties VVD and CDA and supporting party PVV on a budget for 2013, which would cut 16 billion Euros of spending. However, PVV leader Geert Wilders withdrew his party's support on April 21, stating that the budget would hurt economic growth;^[14] which led to the downfall of the government. Rutte submitted his resignation to Queen Beatrix on the afternoon of 23 April.^[15] His government lasted for 558 days, making it one of the shortest Netherlands cabinets since World War II.^[14] New elections were held on 12 September 2012.

2012 Dutch general election

In the 2012 general election, Rutte was the VVD's lijsttrekker for the third time. The party won 41 seats and remained the largest party in the House of Representatives.^[16] On 5 November 2012, the Second Rutte cabinet was formed, a coalition cabinet with the Labour Party (PvdA).

Personal life

Mark Rutte is unmarried.^[4] He is a member of the Calvinist Reformed Protestant Church in the Netherlands. He still teaches two hours a week at the Johan de Witt College in The Hague.^[6]

Statements

In 2008, Rutte wrote that the VVD wanted an inclusive, compact state where not only the "happy few" would feel comfortable.^[17]

In 2009, Rutte stated that Holocaust denial, hate speech or insulting groups in society should no longer be a criminal offense because freedom of expression should be explicitly guaranteed.^[18][19]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mark Rutte.

• Mark Rutte, official government profile

Political offices
Preceded by Hans Hoogervorst	State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment 2002–2004	Succeeded by Henk van Hoof
Preceded by Annette Nijs	State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science 2004–2006	Succeeded by Bruno Bruins
Preceded by Jan Peter Balkenende	Prime Minister of the Netherlands 2010–present	Incumbent
	Minister of General Affairs 2010–present
Party political offices
Preceded by Jozias van Aartsen	Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 2006–present	Incumbent

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Second Rutte cabinet (2012–present) Preceded by: First Rutte cabinet · Prime Minister Mark Rutte General Affairs Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher Social Affairs and Employment Ministers Ronald Plasterk Interior and Kingdom Relations Frans Timmermans Foreign Affairs) (2012–2014 Bert Koenders Foreign Affairs) (from 2014 Jeroen Dijsselbloem Finance Ivo Opstelten Security and Justice) (2012–2015 Stef Blok Security and Justice) (Ad interim Ard van der Steur Security and Justice) (from 2015 Henk Kamp Economic Affairs Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert Defence Edith Schippers Health, Welfare and Sport Jet Bussemaker Education, Culture and Science Melanie Schultz van Haegen Infrastructure and the Environment Minister without portfolio Stef Blok Housing and the Central Government Sector Lilianne Ploumen Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation State Secretaries Frans Weekers Finance) (2012–2014 Eric Wiebes Finance) (from 2014 Fred Teeven Security and Justice) (2012–2015 Klaas Dijkhoff Security and Justice) (from 2015 Co Verdaas Economic Affairs) (2012 Sharon Dijksma Economic Affairs) (from 2012 Martin van Rijn Health, Welfare and Sport Sander Dekker Education, Culture and Science Wilma Mansveld Infrastructure and the Environment Jetta Klijnsma Social Affairs and Employment

First Rutte cabinet (2010–2012) Preceded by: Demissionary Fourth Balkenende cabinet · Succeeded by: Second Rutte cabinet Prime Minister Mark Rutte General Affairs Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Verhagen Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation Ministers Piet Hein Donner Interior and Kingdom Relations) (2010–2011 Liesbeth Spies Interior and Kingdom Relations) (from 2011 Uri Rosenthal Foreign Affairs Jan Kees de Jager Finance Ivo Opstelten Security and Justice Hans Hillen Defence Edith Schippers Health, Welfare and Sport Marja van Bijsterveldt Education, Culture and Science Melanie Schultz van Haegen Infrastructure and the Environment Henk Kamp Social Affairs and Employment Minister without portfolio Gerd Leers Immigration, Integration and Asylum Affairs State Secretaries Ben Knapen Foreign Affairs Frans Weekers Finance Fred Teeven Security and Justice Henk Bleker Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation Marlies Veldhuijzen van Zanten Health, Welfare and Sport Halbe Zijlstra Education, Culture and Science Joop Atsma Infrastructure and the Environment Paul de Krom Social Affairs and Employment

Second Balkenende cabinet (2003–2006) Preceded by: First Balkenende cabinet · Succeeded by: Third Balkenende cabinet Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende General Affairs Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit Zalm Finance Thom de Graaf Government Reform and Kingdom Relations) (2003–2005 Laurens Jan Brinkhorst Economic Affairs) (2005–2006 Ministers Johan Remkes Interior Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Foreign Affairs) (2003 Ben Bot Foreign Affairs) (from 2003 Piet Hein Donner Justice Henk Kamp Defence Hans Hoogervorst Health, Welfare and Sport Maria van der Hoeven Education, Culture and Science Karla Peijs Transport, Public Works and Water Management Cees Veerman Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Aart Jan de Geus Social Affairs and Employment Sybilla Dekker Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment Minister without portfolio Rita Verdonk Integration and Immigration Agnes van Ardenne Development Cooperation Alexander Pechtold Government Reform and Kingdom Relations) (2005–2006 State Secretaries Atzo Nicolaï Foreign Affairs Joop Wijn Finance Karien van Gennip Economic Affairs Cees van der Knaap Defence Annette Nijs Education, Culture and Science) (2003–2004 Medy van der Laan Education, Culture and Science Mark Rutte Education, Culture and Science) (2004–2006 Bruno Bruins Education, Culture and Science) (from 2006 Clémence Ross-van Dorp Health, Welfare and Sport Melanie Schultz van Haegen Transport, Public Works and Water Management Mark Rutte Social Affairs and Employment) (2003–2004 Henk van Hoof Social Affairs and Employment) (from 2004 Pieter van Geel Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment

First Balkenende cabinet (2002–2003) Preceded by: Second Kok cabinet · Succeeded by: Second Balkenende cabinet Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende General Affairs Deputy Prime Ministers Eduard Bomhoff Health, Welfare and Sport) (2002 Johan Remkes Interior and Kingdom Relations Roelf de Boer Transport, Public Works and Water Management) (from 2002 Ministers Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Foreign Affairs Hans Hoogervorst Finance Piet Hein Donner Justice Herman Heinsbroek Economic Affairs) (2002 Hans Hoogervorst Economic Affairs) (from 2002 Benk Korthals Defence) (2002 Henk Kamp Defence) (from 2002 Maria van der Hoeven Education, Culture and Science Aart Jan de Geus Health, Welfare and Sport) (from 2002 Cees Veerman Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Aart Jan de Geus Social Affairs and Employment Henk Kamp Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment Minister without portfolio Hilbrand Nawijn Integration and Immigration State Secretaries Rob Hessing Interior Atzo Nicolaï Foreign Affairs Agnes van Ardenne Foreign Affairs Steven van Eijck Finance Joop Wijn Economic Affairs Cees van der Knaap Defence Cees van Leeuwen Education, Culture and Science Annette Nijs Education, Culture and Science Clémence Ross-van Dorp Health, Welfare and Sport Melanie Schultz van Haegen Transport, Public Works and Water Management Jan Odink Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Mark Rutte Social Affairs and Employment Philomena Bijlhout Social Affairs and Employment) (2002 Khee Liang Phoa Social Affairs and Employment) (from 2002 Pieter van Geel Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment

Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2006–2010 Christian Democratic Appeal Schreijer-Pierik Van Geel Atsma Sterk Schinkelshoek de Vries Spies Ferrier Madsen Ormel Van Heugten Van Haersma Buma Çörüz Van Hijum Van Bochove Koopmans Van de Camp Blanksma-Van den Heuvel Koppejan Jager Joldersma Van Dijk Schermers Mastwijk de Nerée tot Babberich Biskop Uitslag Jos Hessels Ten Hoopen Omtzigt Van Vroonhoven-Kok Haverkamp De Pater-Van der Meer -Willemse-Van der Ploeg Jonker Bilder Knops De Rouwe Van Toorenburg Vietsch Smilde ChristianUnion Slob Voordewind Ortega-Martijn Cramer Anker Wiegman-Van Meppelen Scheppink Democrats 66 Pechtold Kaya Van der Ham GreenLeft Halsema Vendrik Sap Van Gent Azough Dibi Peters Dutch Labour Party Arib Tang Kraneveldt Heijnen Vos Van Dijken Boelhouwer Heerts Hamer Van Dam Besselink Kuiken Tichelaar Verbeet (chair) Timmer Smeets Spekman Eijsink Samsom Gill'ard Staf Depla Agnes Wolbert Dijsselbloem Jacobi Paul Kalma Bouchibti Leerdam Roefs Blom Bouwmeester Van der Veen Vermeij Waalkens Party for Freedom Wilders Agema De Roon Brinkman Bosma Graus Madlener Van Dijck Fritsma Party for the Animals Thieme Ouwehand People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Rutte Kamp Griffith Van der Burg Teeven Schippers Nicolaï Remkes Van Beek Van Baalen Van Miltenburg Aptroot Boekestijn Neppérus Hamming-Bluemink Blok De Krom Zijlstra Ten Broeke Weekers Snijder-Hazelhoff Member Verdonk Verdonk Reformed Political Party Van der Vlies Van der Staaij Socialist Party Marijnissen Kant Karabulut Van Bommel de Wit Van Velzen Irrgang Van Raak Roemer Leijten Ulenbelt Smits Gesthuizen Van Dijk De Rooij Van Leeuwen Luijben Jansen Poppe Gerkens Bashir Van Gerven Langkamp Polderman Lempens Italics signifies a temporary member - Bold signifies the parliamentary group leader

People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Party leaders Oud Toxopeus Geertsema Wiegel Nijpels De Korte Voorhoeve Bolkestein Dijkstal Zalm Van Aartsen Rutte Party chairs Stikker Oud Van der Pols Van Someren Korthals Altes Kamminga Ginjaar Van Leeuwen-Schut Hoekzema Eenhoorn Van Zanen Opstelten Korthals Keizer Parliamentary leaders in the Senate Molenaar Van Riel Van Someren Zoutendijk Luteijn Korthals Altes Ginjaar Van den Broek-Laman Trip Rosenthal De Graaf Hermans Parliamentary leaders in the House of Representatives Oud Toxopeus Geertsema Toxopeus Geertsema Wiegel Rietkerk Wiegel Nijpels Voorhoeve Bolkestein Dijkstal Zalm Van Aartsen Van Beek Rutte Blok Rutte Zijlstra Party organizations Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy Telders Foundation Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party Liberal International

Authority control WorldCat VIAF: 160188731 LCCN: n2011058319 ISNI: 0000 0001 0755 8662 GND: 142715522