Maxime Verhagen

Maxime Verhagen
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office October 14, 2010 – November 5, 2012
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	André Rouvoet
Succeeded by	Lodewijk Asscher
Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation
In office October 14, 2010 – November 5, 2012
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Maria van der Hoeven (EZ) Gerda Verburg (LNV)
Succeeded by	Henk Kamp (As Minister of Economic Affairs)
Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives
In office June 10, 2010 – October 14, 2010
Preceded by	Pieter van Geel
Succeeded by	Sybrand van Haersma Buma
Member of the House of Representatives
In office June 17, 2010 – October 14, 2010
Minister for Development Cooperation
In office February 23, 2010 – October 14, 2010
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Bert Koenders
Succeeded by	Lilianne Ploumen (As Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) (2012)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office February 22, 2007 – October 14, 2010
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Ben Bot
Succeeded by	Uri Rosenthal
Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives
In office February 9, 2007 – February 22, 2007
Preceded by	Jan Peter Balkenende
Succeeded by	Pieter van Geel
Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives
In office May 20, 2003 – November 23, 2006
Preceded by	Jan Peter Balkenende
Succeeded by	Jan Peter Balkenende
Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives
In office July 11, 2002 – February 23, 2003
Preceded by	Jan Peter Balkenende
Succeeded by	Jan Peter Balkenende
Member of the House of Representatives
In office May 17, 1994 – February 22, 2007
Member of the European Parliament for the Netherlands
In office July 25, 1989 – July 19, 1994
Personal details
Born	Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen (1956-09-14) September 14, 1956 Maastricht, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	Christian Democratic Appeal
Other political affiliations	European People's Party
Spouse(s)	Annemieke Beijlevelt (m. 1984)
Children	2 sons and 1 daughter
Residence	Voorburg, Netherlands
Alma mater	Leiden University (Master of Arts)
Occupation	Politician Civil servant Historian
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen (born 14 September 1956) is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He served as a Member of the European Parliament for the European People's Party from 25 July 1989 to 19 July 1994. And a Member of the House of Representatives from 17 May 1994 to 22 February 2007. When the Party 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 during the Cabinets Balkenende I, II en III, during that time he 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 Party leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal Jan Peter Balkenende resigned and Verhagen became the new Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives. After the 2010 Dutch cabinet formation Verhagen and the Party leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Mark Rutte made a coalition agreement with the Party for Freedom (PVV) of Party for Freedom. Verhagen became Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation in the Cabinet Rutte I and served from October 14 2010 until November 5, 2012

Early life and education

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.

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.

Despite the disaster in Fukushima Verhagen is pleading for more nuclear power stations in the Netherlands.

Personal

He is married Annemieke Beijlevelt in 1984 and has 2 sons and 1 daughter.

Decorations

• Chile
  • Order of Bernardo O'Higgins
    • Grand Officer (2007)
• Netherlands
  • Decoration of Merit
    • Gold (October 15, 2010)
  • Order of Orange-Nassau
    • Officer (December 7, 2012)

External links

• (Dutch) Drs. M.J.M. (Maxime) Verhagen (Parlement & Politiek)

Party political offices
Preceded by Jan Peter Balkenende	Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives 2002-2003	Succeeded by Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by Jan Peter Balkenende	Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives 2003-2006	Succeeded by Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by Jan Peter Balkenende	Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives 2007	Succeeded by Pieter van Geel
Preceded by Pieter van Geel	Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives 2010	Succeeded by Sybrand van Haersma Buma
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	Succeeded by Lilianne Ploumen As Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation (2012)
Preceded by Maria van der Hoeven (EZ) Gerda Verburg (LNV)	Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation 2010-	Succeeded by Henk Kamp As Minister of Economic Affairs
Political offices
Preceded by André Rouvoet	Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands 2010-2012	Succeeded by Lodewijk Asscher