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Mark Rutte

Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte-6.jpg
50th Prime Minister of the Netherlands
Assumed office
14 October 2010
Monarch Beatrix
Willem-Alexander
Deputy Maxime Verhagen
Lodewijk Asscher
Preceded by Jan Peter Balkenende
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Assumed office
31 May 2006
Preceded by Jozias van Aartsen
Undersecretary for Higher Education and Science
In office
17 June 2004 – 27 June 2006
Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by Annette Nijs
Succeeded by Bruno Bruins
Undersecretary for Municipal welfare and Occupational safety
In office
22 July 2002 – 17 June 2004
Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by Hans Hoogervorst
Succeeded by Henk van Hoof
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
15 May 2002 – 27 May 2003
In office
28 June 2006 – 14 October 2010
In office
20 September 2012 – 5 November 2012
Personal details
Born (1967-02-14) 14 February 1967 (age 49)
The Hague, Netherlands
Political party People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Residence Catshuis
Alma mater Leiden University
Signature
Website Government website

Mark Rutte (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɑrk ˈrɵtə]; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who has been the Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 October 2010, and the Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie - VVD) since 31 May 2006.

Rutte previously served as Undersecretary for Social Affairs and Employment from 22 July 2002 to 17 June 2004, and Undersecretary for Education, Culture and Science from 17 June 2004 until 27 June 2006, when he was elected to succeed Jozias van Aartsen as the new VVD Leader.

At the 2006 general election, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy under Rutte lost six seats, and he became Opposition Leader. At the following general election in 2010, the VVD won the highest number of votes cast, resulting in their occupying 31 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives.

After a long formation period, Rutte became Prime Minister and formed a Cabinet. When Rutte was sworn in on 14 October 2010, he became the first liberal Prime Minister of the Netherlands in 92 years. Rutte offered his government's resignation on 23 April 2012, after an impasse in talks on an austerity budget, prompting a general election in which the VVD won its highest number of seats ever, which led to a coalition being formed with the VVD and Labour Party. On 5 November 2012, the Second Rutte cabinet was installed by Queen Beatrix.


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