Carola Schouten | |
|---|---|
.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 theHouse of Representatives | |
| In office 31 March 2021 – 18 January 2022 | |
| Succeeded 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 48) '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:[kaːˈroːlaːˈsxʌutə(n)]; born 6 October 1977) is a Dutch politician of theChristian Union (CU). She wasMinister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality andThird Deputy Prime Minister in thethird Rutte cabinet from 2017 to 2022. She continued to serve as Third Deputy Prime Minister in thefourth 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 ofRotterdam succeedingAhmed Aboutaleb.[2]
A native of's-Hertogenbosch, Schouten grew up inWaardhuizen, 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 ofGiessen[3] (Waardhuizen and Giessen are nowadays located in the new municipality ofAltena).
She attended Altena College inSleeuwijk and studied business administration atErasmus University Rotterdam with a year abroad atTel Aviv University. Schouten worked at theMinistry of Social Affairs and Employment from 2000 to 2006. Subsequently, she was an assistant to the Christian Union parliamentary group, entering into politics.
Schouten became a member of the House of Representatives in 2011 upon the resignation of former Deputy Prime MinisterAndré Rouvoet.[4] In parliament, she served as her group's spokesperson on financial policy.[5]
Schouten and party leaderGert-Jan Segers participated in the negotiations of forming thethird Rutte cabinet, which she entered asDeputy Prime Minister.[6] From autumn 2019 she facedfarmers' protests because of government's measures involving decreasing the number oflivestock. 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 theFuture Pensions Act into law.[9]
In July 2024, Schouten was nominated to become the mayor ofRotterdam, succeedingAhmed Aboutaleb. She was sworn in on 10 October 2024.
Schouten is single with a child and is a member of theDutch Reformed Churches (previously theReformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)). She lives inRotterdam. 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]
Estonia: Member 1st Class of theOrder of the Cross of Terra Mariana (5 June 2018)[12][13]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Deputy Prime Minister 2017–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded byas Minister of Economic Affairs | Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality 2017–2022 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded byas State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment | Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions 2022–2024 | Succeeded byas State Secretary for Participation and Integration |
| Preceded by | Mayor of Rotterdam 2024–present | Incumbent |
