Mark Rutte

Mark Rutte - Dutch politician and Prime Minister of the Netherlands

Date of Birth: 14.02.1967

Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician and leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (since 2006). He has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands since October 14, 2010.

Place of Birth. Education. Born on February 14, 1967, in a Protestant family in The Hague. Mark Rutte was the youngest of seven children in a Protestant family. His father's first wife died in a Japanese camp, and his father remarried the sister of his first wife. There were three children from the first marriage and four from the second. His father worked in a trading company in Dutch East Indies, and his mother was a secretary.

After graduating from high school, he initially wanted to go to the conservatory and become a pianist. However, he studied history at Leiden University and graduated with a Master’s degree in history in 1992.

Career. After his studies, he worked for ten years in a food company before moving to national politics in 2002. He worked at Unilever. In 1997, he became Human Resources Manager at Van den Bergh Nederland, a subsidiary of Unilever.

Political Career. He combined his studies with his membership in the youth organization of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, serving as its chairman from 1988 to 1991. From 1993 to 1997, Mark Rutte was a member of the Council of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy.

During the parliamentary elections in 2002, Mark Rutte worked at the headquarters of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy.

In 2002, Rutte became Secretary of State for Social Affairs and Employment in the first Balkenende cabinet. In this role, he was responsible for social security, financial support, and working conditions. After the government's resignation, he was a member of parliament for a while before being reappointed to this position in the second Balkenende cabinet.

Mark Rutte served as Secretary of State for Higher Education and Science, Education, Culture, and Science from June 17, 2004, to June 27, 2006, in the second Balkenende cabinet. The Rutte government is particularly interested in creating a Dutch higher education system that is more competitive internationally and is striving to transform it into a more market-oriented system (improving the position of students as consumers in the education market).

After resigning as Secretary of State in June 2006 following the parliamentary elections, he returned to the Second Chamber of the States-General and soon became the faction leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. Rutte led the party's campaign during the municipal elections in 2006.

In 2006, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy conducted internal primaries in which members voted for the party's “frontman” who would lead their electoral list. 51.5% of party members voted for Mark Rutte.

In the 2010 parliamentary elections, Rutte again led the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy list. The party won the elections and received 31 seats in the Second Chamber of Parliament.

A right-wing coalition was formed in Parliament between the People's Party and the Christian Democratic Appeal, supported by the Party for Freedom led by Geert Wilders.

On October 8, 2010, Mark Rutte was appointed Prime Minister and formed his cabinet. Rutte is the first Prime Minister of the Netherlands who does not belong to the Christian Democratic Party and the Labour Party since 1918. He is also the first Prime Minister of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy.

On April 23, 2012, Rutte's government resigned and remained in office until a new government was formed.

On November 5, 2012, Rutte’s second cabinet was confirmed by Parliament, and Rutte returned as Prime Minister of a coalition government.

On October 26, 2017, Mark Rutte was confirmed for a third term as Prime Minister.

On January 15, 2021, Mark Rutte's government resigned due to a tax scandal. The government remained in office to conduct affairs until the elections. In March 2021, Mark Rutte's party won the parliamentary elections. Thus, Rutte had the opportunity to form the government of the Netherlands for the fourth consecutive time.

On July 7, 2023, Rutte announced the resignation of his government after his coalition could not agree on issues regarding rising migration. His government will continue to conduct affairs until the next general elections.

Family. Rutte is unmarried and has no children.

19.09.2023