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Carola Schouten
Vicepremier Carola Schouten (cropped).jpg
Schouten in 2017
Mayor of Rotterdam
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

(1977-10-06) 6 October 1977 (age 47)
'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 (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. On 10 October 2024, Schouten became the mayor of Rotterdam succeeding Ahmed Aboutaleb.

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 (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. In parliament, she served as her group's spokesperson on financial policy.

Schouten and party leader Gert-Jan Segers participated in the negotiations of forming the third Rutte cabinet, which she entered as Deputy Prime Minister. 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. From 2021, she led efforts on legislation on reducing damaging ammonia pollution.

In 2022, she introduced the Future Pensions Act into law.

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.

Honours

  •  Estonia: Member 1st Class of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (5 June 2018)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Carola Schouten para niños

  • Dutch farmers' protests
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