Annemarie Jorritsma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Annemarie Jorritsma
Jorritsma in 2010
Parliamentary leader in the Senate
In office 24 November 2015 – 4 July 2023
Preceded by	Helmi Huijbregts-Schiedon
Succeeded by	Edith Schippers
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Member of the Senate
In office 9 June 2015 – 4 July 2023
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Mayor of Almere
In office 16 August 2003 – 9 September 2015
Preceded by	Hans Ouwerkerk (Ad interim)
Succeeded by	Franc Weerwind
Mayor of Delfzijl
In office 11 February 2003 – 16 August 2003 Acting
Preceded by	Ed Haaksman
Succeeded by	Henk van Hoof (Ad interim)
Deputy Prime Minister
In office 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002 Serving with Els Borst
Prime Minister	Wim Kok
Preceded by	Hans Dijkstal Hans van Mierlo
Succeeded by	Eduard Bomhoff Johan Remkes
Minister of Economic Affairs
In office 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002
Prime Minister	Wim Kok
Preceded by	Hans Wijers
Succeeded by	Herman Heinsbroek
Minister of Transport and Water Management
In office 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998
Prime Minister	Wim Kok
Preceded by	Koos Andriessen (Ad interim)
Succeeded by	Tineke Netelenbos
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 23 May 2002 – 30 January 2003
In office 19 May 1998 – 3 August 1998
In office 30 July 1986 – 22 August 1994
In office 16 September 1982 – 3 June 1986
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Personal details
Born	Annemarie Lebbink (1950-06-01) 1 June 1950 (age 75) Hengelo, Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (from 1973)
Spouse	Gerlof Jorritsma ​ (m. 1971)​
Children	2 daughters
Alma mater	Baudartius College (Bachelor of Liberal Arts)
Occupation	Politician · Civil servant · Businesswoman · Corporate director · Nonprofit director

Annemarie Jorritsma-Lebbink, born on June 1, 1950, is a well-known Dutch politician and businesswoman. She is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). She served as the leader of her party in the Senate from November 24, 2015, until July 4, 2023. She was also a Member of the Senate from June 9, 2015, until July 4, 2023.

Annemarie Jorritsma's Early Life and Education

Annemarie Jorritsma grew up in Hengelo, Netherlands. She finished secondary school at Baudartius College in Zutphen in 1967. After that, she went to the School for Tourist Training in Breda. She also started a course to become a French teacher, but she did not finish it. She took many courses focused on politics, which helped her prepare for her future career.

A Career in Dutch Politics

Annemarie Jorritsma has had a long and important career in Dutch politics. She held many different roles, from local government to national leadership.

Local Government Roles

Jorritsma started her political journey in local government. She was a member of the Municipal Council of Bolsward. She served on this council from September 5, 1978, until 1988.

Serving in the House of Representatives

Jorritsma was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives in 1982. This is one of the two parts of the Dutch parliament. She served from September 16, 1982, to June 3, 1986. She returned to the House of Representatives on July 30, 1986, and served until August 22, 1994. During this time, she was a spokesperson for topics like spatial planning. She also returned to the House for shorter periods in 1998 and 2002.

Becoming a Minister

In 1994, Annemarie Jorritsma became a Minister of Transport and Water Management. She held this important position from August 22, 1994, to August 3, 1998, in the government led by Wim Kok.

After the 1998 election, she took on even bigger roles. She became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs. She served in these roles from August 3, 1998, to July 22, 2002. As Minister of Economic Affairs, she was in charge of policies related to the economy and business in the Netherlands.

Mayoral Positions

After her time as a national minister, Jorritsma became a mayor. In February 2003, she was appointed as the acting Mayor of Delfzijl. She served in Delfzijl from February 11, 2003, until August 16, 2003.

On August 16, 2003, she became the Mayor of Almere. Almere is a large and growing city in the Netherlands. She was the mayor there for many years, serving until September 9, 2015.

Leadership in the Senate

In 2015, Annemarie Jorritsma was elected as a Member of the Senate. The Senate is the other part of the Dutch parliament, often called the "upper house." She took office on June 9, 2015.

Later that year, on November 24, 2015, she was chosen to be the Parliamentary leader for her party, the VVD, in the Senate. She led her party in the Senate until July 4, 2023.

Other Important Roles

Besides her political roles, Jorritsma has also been active in the business and public sectors. She served on the boards of several companies and non-profit organizations. She was also the chairwoman of the executive board for the Association of Netherlands Municipalities. This organization helps connect and support all the municipalities in the Netherlands. She held this role from May 1, 2008, to June 3, 2015.

Awards and Honors

Annemarie Jorritsma has received several special awards and honors for her work and contributions. These awards come from different countries and recognize her achievements.

Honours
Ribbon bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold II	Belgium	10 December 1998
	Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit	Germany	20 October 2000
	Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau	Netherlands	3 June 2015	Promoted from Officer (10 December 2002)