ALL MINISTERS, STATE SECRETARIES KNOWN
NIS News Bulletin, Netherlands
Feb 14 2007
THE HAGUE, 15/02/07 – Premier Jan Peter Balkenende has completed his
new cabinet consisting of Christian democrats (CDA), Labour (PvdA)
and small Christian party ChristenUnie. The names of all 16 ministers
and 10 state secretaries are known.
The most striking names are Ronald Plasterk, to be Education Minister
for PvdA, and Ab Klink, Health Minister for CDA. Plasterk is a TV
personality and columnist at De Volkskrant newspaper as well as a
genetics professor. Klink is chairman of the CDA’s academic bureau
and one of the devisors of the healthcare system introduced by the
outgoing cabinet.
Other noteworthy names are Ella Vogelaar (PvdA), to be Integration and
Urban Renewal Minister, and Jacqueline Cramer (PvdA), the incoming
Environment Minister. Former communist Vogelaar is chairman of
Unilever’s supervisory board. Cramer is a professor of sustainable
entrepreneurship.
Conspicuously absent among ministers is Amsterdam Alderman Ahmed
Aboutaleb (PvdA). He was tipped as the first Muslim minister, but
will only be Social Affairs State Secretary. It is unclear why PvdA
withdrew him from Education or Integration at the last minute.
Earlier, he was to have been Social Affairs Minister, but this option
disappeared when CDA won this post.
Most other ministers were already more or less known. Balkenende will
be premier, PvdA leader Wouter Bos Finance Minister and ChristenUnie
leader Andre Rouvoet Youth and Family Minister. Bos and Rouvoet will
also be Vice-Premiers.
CDA parliamentary leader Maxime Verhagen will be Foreign Minister,
and ChristenUnie Senator Eimert van Middelkoop, Defence Minister.
PvdA MP Bert Koenders will be Development Cooperation Minister. PvdA
MP Frans Timmermans will be European Affairs State Secretary, carrying
the title of Minister abroad.
Former Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner (CDA) will be Social Affairs
Minister. The present Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin (CDA)
is staying at this post. For the PvdA, former Nijmegen mayor Guusje
ter Horst is the new Home Affairs Minister.
CDA MEP Camiel Eurlings is Transport Minister and CDA MP Gerda Verburg,
Agriculture Minister. Current Education Minister Maria van der
Hoeven (CDA) is switching to Economic Affairs. Her State Secretary,
carrying the title of Trade Minister abroad, will be former PvdA MP
Frank Heemskerk.
PvdA MP Nebahat Albayrak is Justice State Secretary. This appears
risky, as she was earlier the subject of controversy about the
Armenian genocide in Turkey at the beginning of the 20th century,
on which she took no clear position. With Albayrak and Aboutaleb,
the PvdA has two Muslims in the government.
PvdA MP Jet Bussemaker is Health State Secretary. PvdA deputy
parliamentary leader Sharon Dijksma is Education State Secretary.
This department will have a second State Secretary, for whom the
choice has fallen on CDA party chairman Marja van Bijsterveldt.
The treasurer of the CDA executive, Jan Kees de Jager, will be Finance
State Secretary, responsible for tax policies. Mayor Ank Bijleveld
(CDA) of Hof van Twente is Home Affairs State Secretary.
Cees van der Knaap (CDA) stays on as Defence State Secretary.
The only State Secretary supplied by ChristenUnie is Tineke Huizinga.
She goes to Transport and Public Works. Huizinga is currently an MP.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
