Carola Schouten

Carola Schouten
Carola Schouten
	Schouten in 2017
Mayor of Rotterdam
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 10 October 2024
Preceded by	Ahmed Aboutaleb
Third Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
	In office; 26 October 2017 – 2 July 2024
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Lodewijk Asscher; (Deputy PM)
Succeeded by	Eddy van Hijum
Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions
	In office; 10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Dennis Wiersma
Succeeded by	Jurgen Nobel
Minister of Agriculture, ; Nature and Food Quality
	In office; 26 October 2017 – 10 January 2022
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Henk Kamp; (as Minister of Economic Affairs)
Succeeded by	Henk Staghouwer
Member of the House of Representatives
	In office; 31 March 2021 – 18 January 2022
Preceded by	Stieneke van der Graaf
	In office; 18 May 2011 – 26 October 2017
Preceded by	André Rouvoet
Succeeded by	Stieneke van der Graaf
Personal details
Born	Cornelia Johanna Schouten; 6 October 1977 (age 47); 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Political party	Christian Union
Children	1
Residence(s)	Rotterdam, Netherlands
Alma mater	Erasmus University Rotterdam ; (Bachelor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration)
Occupation	Politician · Civil servant
Website	Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality

Cornelia Johanna "Carola" Schouten (Dutch pronunciation: [kaːˈroːlaː ˈsxʌutə(n)]; born 6 October 1977) is a Dutch politician of the Christian Union (CU). She was Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Third Deputy Prime Minister in the third Rutte cabinet from 2017 to 2022. She continued to serve as Third Deputy Prime Minister in the fourth Rutte cabinet alongside her position as Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions until July 2024.^[1] On 10 October 2024, Schouten became the mayor of Rotterdam succeeding Ahmed Aboutaleb.^[2]

Early life and education

A native of 's-Hertogenbosch, Schouten grew up in Waardhuizen, managing her deceased father's dairy farm with her mother and her two sisters for four years, after which time the family ended the farming activities and moved to neighbouring village of Giessen^[3] (Waardhuizen and Giessen are nowadays located in the new municipality of Altena).

She attended Altena College in Sleeuwijk and studied business administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam with a year abroad at Tel Aviv University. Schouten worked at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment from 2000 to 2006. Subsequently, she was an assistant to the Christian Union parliamentary group, entering into politics.

Political career

Schouten became a member of the House of Representatives in 2011 upon the resignation of former Deputy Prime Minister André Rouvoet.^[4] In parliament, she served as her group's spokesperson on financial policy.^[5]

Schouten and party leader Gert-Jan Segers participated in the negotiations of forming the third Rutte cabinet, which she entered as Deputy Prime Minister.^[6] From autumn 2019 she faced farmers' protests because of government's measures involving decreasing the number of livestock. In 2020, Schouten suggested the EU should begin to adjust animal welfare regulations and limit live animal exports.^[7] From 2021, she led efforts on legislation on reducing damaging ammonia pollution.^[8]

In 2022, she introduced the Future Pensions Act into law.^[9]

In July 2024, Schouten was nominated to become the mayor of Rotterdam, succeeding Ahmed Aboutaleb. She was sworn in on 10 October 2024.

Personal life

Schouten is single with a child and is a member of the Dutch Reformed Churches (previously the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)). She lives in Rotterdam. Her younger sister Marjan van der Meij-Schouten is a member of the municipal council of Altena, like her older sister on behalf of the Christian Union.^[10]^[11]

Honours

Estonia: Member 1st Class of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (5 June 2018)^[12]^[13]

References

^ "Vicepremier Carola Schouten (CU) heeft haar wortels in het boerenbedrijf" (in Dutch). NOS Nieuws. 21 October 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
^ "Carola Schouten vanaf vandaag officieel burgemeester van Rotterdam". NU.nl. Oct 10, 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
^ Ze schreeuwen het niet van de daken, maar Waardhuizen is trots op vice-premier Carola Schouten, Brabants Dagblad, 23 October 2017
^ Drs. C.J. (Carola) Schouten, Parlement.com
^ Matt Steinglass (15 May 2013), Dutch uproar over Bulgarian benefit fraud Financial Policy.
^ "Carola Schouten (CU) leidt onderzoek naar lek". nos.nl (in Dutch). 2015-11-18. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
^ Sophie Kevany (3 December 2020), England and Wales to ban live animal exports in European first The Guardian.
^ Senay Boztas (9 September 2021), Netherlands proposes radical plans to cut livestock numbers by almost a third The Guardian.
^ Pelgrim, Christiaan (2022-12-15). "Na bijna 15 jaar discussie geeft de Tweede Kamer groen licht voor de nieuwe pensioenwet". NRC. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
^ "Municipal council of Altena". Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
^ De minister die in Brabant campagne komt voeren voor haar jongere zus: 'Heel speciaal', Omroep Brabant, 18 November 2018
^ King of Netherlands to visit Estonia next week - website of the Estionian public radio and television organisation Eesti Rahvusringhääling
^ 265. Riiklike autasude andmine - website of the President of Estonia

External links

Official

Drs. C.J. (Carola) Schouten, Parlement.com (in Dutch)
Curriculum Vitae Carola Schouten, Government of the Netherlands

Political offices
Preceded by Lodewijk Asscher	Deputy Prime Minister 2017–2024	Succeeded by Eddy van Hijum
Preceded by Henk Kamp as Minister of Economic Affairs	Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality 2017–2022	Succeeded by Henk Staghouwer
Preceded by Dennis Wiersma as State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment	Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions 2022–2024	Succeeded by Jurgen Nobel as State Secretary for Participation and Integration
Preceded by Ahmed Aboutaleb	Mayor of Rotterdam 2024–present	Incumbent

[1] "Vicepremier Carola Schouten (CU) heeft haar wortels in het boerenbedrijf" (in Dutch). NOS Nieuws. 21 October 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2019.

[2] "Carola Schouten vanaf vandaag officieel burgemeester van Rotterdam". NU.nl. Oct 10, 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.

[3] Ze schreeuwen het niet van de daken, maar Waardhuizen is trots op vice-premier Carola Schouten, Brabants Dagblad, 23 October 2017

[4] Drs. C.J. (Carola) Schouten, Parlement.com

[5] Matt Steinglass (15 May 2013), Dutch uproar over Bulgarian benefit fraud Financial Policy.

[6] "Carola Schouten (CU) leidt onderzoek naar lek". nos.nl (in Dutch). 2015-11-18. Retrieved 2022-11-14.

[7] Sophie Kevany (3 December 2020), England and Wales to ban live animal exports in European first The Guardian.

[8] Senay Boztas (9 September 2021), Netherlands proposes radical plans to cut livestock numbers by almost a third The Guardian.

[9] Pelgrim, Christiaan (2022-12-15). "Na bijna 15 jaar discussie geeft de Tweede Kamer groen licht voor de nieuwe pensioenwet". NRC. Retrieved 2022-12-22.

[10] "Municipal council of Altena". Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2021-01-07.

[11] De minister die in Brabant campagne komt voeren voor haar jongere zus: 'Heel speciaal', Omroep Brabant, 18 November 2018

[12] King of Netherlands to visit Estonia next week - website of the Estionian public radio and television organisation Eesti Rahvusringhääling

[13] 265. Riiklike autasude andmine - website of the President of Estonia

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]