Maxime Verhagen
Maxime Verhagen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| Assumed office February 22 2007 | |
| Prime Minister | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Preceded by | Ben Bot |
| Chair of the Parliamentary Party - CDA House of Representatives | |
| In office February 22 2003 – February 21 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Succeeded by | Pieter van Geel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen September 14, 1956 Maastricht, Netherlands |
| Political party | CDA |
| Alma mater | Leiden University |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Website | www.maximeverhagen.nl |
Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen (born 14 September 1956) is a Dutch politician. He is the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Christian Democratic Appeal party (CDA) in the fourth Balkenende cabinet.
Biography
Verhagen was born in Maastricht. He studied at Leiden University where he obtained an M.A. in history in 1986. For a brief period during his college years, Verhagen affiliated both with leftish-radicalism and the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD); he joined the CDA in 1976.[1]
Maxime Verhagen is a member of the Bilderberg Group.
Political career
Verhagen started working for the CDA and was elected to the council of Oegstgeest. From 1989 to 1994, he was a member of the European Parliament. On 17 May 1994 he became a member of the Dutch House of Representatives. On 11 July 2002 he became Fractievoorzitter (chairman of the parliamentary group) of the CDA. After becoming Foreign Secretary in the Fourth Balkenende cabinet, in 2007, he was succeeded in that position by Pieter van Geel.
At the request of gay rights groups, Verhagen had demanded that the Nuncio to the Netherlands, Monsignor François Bacqué, respond to accusations that the Church opposes rights of homosexuals. [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]
See also
References
- ^ "Verhagen in voetsporen van De Hoop Scheffer". NRC Handelsblad. 2002-07-11.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Lifesite article
- ^ Netherlands urges pope to condemn Holocaust denier
External links
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