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Gerdi Verbeet | |
|---|---|
 Verbeet in 2010 | |
| Speaker of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 6 December 2006 – 20 September 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Frans Weisglas |
| Succeeded by | Anouchka van Miltenburg |
| Member of theHouse of Representatives | |
| In office 26 July 2002 – 20 September 2012 | |
| In office 11 December 2001 – 23 May 2002 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gerardina Alida Verbeet (1951-04-18)18 April 1951 (age 73) Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Political party | Labour Party(since 1975) |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 4 (2 stepchildren) |
| Occupation | Politician ·Civil servant ·Political consultant ·Nonprofit director ·Teacher |
Gerardina Alida "Gerdi"Verbeet (born 18 April 1951) is a retired Dutch politician and political consultant who served asSpeaker of the House of Representatives from 6 December 2006 to 19 September 2012. A member of theLabour Party (PvdA), she is the second officeholder elected independently by theHouse of Representatives after her predecessorFrans Weisglas. She served as a member of the House of Representatives from 26 July 2002 to 19 September 2012 and previously from 11 December 2001 until 22 May 2002.[1]
Verbeet attended theGymnasium in Amsterdam and began a study insocial geography, which she did not finish. Instead she studied Dutch language and literature and worked as a teacher.
Between 1994 and 2001, she was political advisor to State SecretaryTineke Netelenbos and parliamentary leaderAd Melkert.
On 23 May 2001, she became a member of theHouse of Representatives, filling the vacancy left byRob van Gijzel. In thegeneral election of 2002 she was not reelected, but in July 2002 she reentered the House of Representatives, filling the vacancy left byEveline Herfkens. In theDutch general election of 2003 and2006 she was able to retain her seat. In the House of Representatives, Verbeet concentrated on sport, policy regarding elderly people, and state pensions.
On 6 December 2006, she was electedSpeaker of the House of Representatives, defeating ministersMaria van der Hoeven of theChristian Democratic Appeal andHenk Kamp of thePeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy. She is the second female Speaker, afterJeltje van Nieuwenhoven, and the second Speaker elected in independent elections, afterFrans Weisglas. Verbeet was reelected as Speaker on 22 June 2010, after the general elections of 9 June.
On 2 May 2012, Verbeet made known that she would not stand for re-election as a member of the House of Representatives and speaker for theDutch general election of 2012 and would retire from active politics.[2][3]
After leaving the House of Representatives, Verbeet took a seat on the supervisory board ofArtis Zoo.[4] She also became president of theDutch Patients' Consumer Federation [nl] (NPCF),[5] as of April 1, 2013, she is president of theRathenau Institute.[6] On October 1, 2013, she succeededOnno Ruding as chairman of the Supervisory Board ofHet Loo Palace.[7] On December 1, 2014, she joined the supervisory board ofSiemens Netherlands.[8] Verbeet succeededJoan Leemhuis-Stout as president of theNational Committee for 4 and 5 May on June 1, 2015.[9][10] She remained in that position until May 31, 2021, when her six-year appointment expired.
When the Labour Party formedan electoral alliance withGroenLinks in the early 2020s, Verbeet supported Rood Vooruit, an initiative founded in 2023 that has been critical of merger plans.[11]
Verbeet is divorced from her first husband and remarried in 2010 with fellowLabour Party politicianWim Meijer after a relationship of three years. She has two sons; two stepdaughters and three grandchildren and lives inAmsterdam.
| Honours | ||||
| Ribbon bar | Honour | Country | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Knight of theOrder of Orange-Nassau | Netherlands | 19 September 2012 | [12] |
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Speaker of the House of Representatives 2006–2012 | Succeeded by |
| Non-profit organization positions | ||
| Preceded by Unknown | Chairwoman of the Rathenau Institute 2013–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Chairwoman of the Het Loo Palace Foundation 2013–present | |
| Preceded by | Chairwoman of the National Committee for 4 and 5 May 2015–present | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
