Carola Schouten facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carola Schouten
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Schouten in 2017
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| Mayor of Rotterdam | |
| Assumed office 10 October 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Ahmed Aboutaleb |
| Third Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands | |
| In office 26 October 2017 – 2 July 2024 |
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| 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 |
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| Prime Minister | Mark Rutte |
| Preceded by | Dennis Wiersma |
| Succeeded by | Jurgen Nobel |
| Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality |
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| In office 26 October 2017 – 10 January 2022 |
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| 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 |
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| Succeeded by | Stieneke van der Graaf |
| In office 18 May 2011 – 26 October 2017 |
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| Preceded by | André Rouvoet |
| Succeeded by | Stieneke van der Graaf |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Cornelia Johanna Schouten
6 October 1977 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands |
| Political party | Christian Union |
| Children | 1 |
| Residences | 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 (born 6 October 1977) is a Dutch politician. She is a member of the Christian Union party. From 2017 to 2024, she served as a Deputy Prime Minister for the Netherlands. She also held important roles as a minister, looking after things like farming, nature, food quality, and later, poverty, participation, and pensions. Since 10 October 2024, Carola Schouten has been the mayor of Rotterdam, a major city in the Netherlands.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in the Countryside
Carola Schouten was born in 's-Hertogenbosch, a city in the Netherlands. She grew up in a village called Waardhuizen. When she was young, her father passed away. For four years, she helped her mother and two sisters manage their family's dairy farm. After that, the family stopped farming and moved to a nearby village called Giessen. Both Waardhuizen and Giessen are now part of the new municipality of Altena.
School and Early Career
Carola went to Altena College in Sleeuwijk. She then studied business at Erasmus University Rotterdam. She also spent a year studying abroad at Tel Aviv University. After finishing her studies, Schouten worked for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment from 2000 to 2006. This job helped her learn about how the government works. Later, she became an assistant for the Christian Union political group, which was her first step into politics.
Political Career
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Carola Schouten became a member of the House of Representatives in 2011. This happened after another politician, André Rouvoet, stepped down. In parliament, she was the main spokesperson for her party on money matters. This meant she talked about how the government should handle its finances.
Key Roles in Government
Schouten played a big part in forming the third Rutte cabinet, which is like a government team. She became a Deputy Prime Minister in this government. From 2017 to 2022, she was the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. This role meant she was in charge of farming, protecting nature, and making sure food was good quality.
Addressing Farmers' Concerns
In 2019, Carola Schouten faced Dutch farmers' protests. Farmers were upset about new government rules that aimed to reduce the number of farm animals. These rules were put in place to help the environment. Schouten worked on solutions, suggesting that the European Union should improve animal welfare rules. She also worked on laws to reduce harmful ammonia pollution from farms.
New Responsibilities and Laws
In 2022, Carola Schouten became the Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions. In this role, she worked on helping people who were struggling financially. She also helped create the Future Pensions Act, a new law about how pensions (money people get after they stop working) would be managed. She continued to be a Deputy Prime Minister until July 2024.
Mayor of Rotterdam
In July 2024, Carola Schouten was chosen to become the mayor of Rotterdam. She officially started this important job on 10 October 2024. She took over from the previous mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb. As mayor, she is now responsible for leading the city of Rotterdam.
Personal Life
Carola Schouten lives in Rotterdam. She is single and has one child. She is a member of the Dutch Reformed Churches. Her younger sister, Marjan van der Meij-Schouten, is also involved in politics. She is a member of the municipal council in Altena, representing the same Christian Union party.
Honours
An "honour" is a special award given to someone for their achievements.
Estonia: Member 1st Class of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (5 June 2018)
See also
In Spanish: Carola Schouten para niños
- Dutch farmers' protests
