Rita Verdonk
| Rita Verdonk | |
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Parliamentary leader - Independent House of Representatives |
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In office September 14, 2007 – June 17, 2010 |
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| Member of the House of Representatives | |
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In office November 30, 2006 – June 17, 2010 |
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| Minister of Justice | |
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In office September 21, 2006 – September 22, 2006 |
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| Prime Minister | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Preceded by | Piet Hein Donner |
| Succeeded by | Ernst Hirsch Ballin |
| Minister for Integration and Immigration | |
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In office May 27, 2003 – February 22, 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Preceded by | Hilbrand Nawijn |
| Succeeded by | Gerd Leers (as Minister for Immigration, Integration and Asylum Affairs) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Maria Cornelia Frederika Verdonk October 18, 1955 Utrecht, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Political party |
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2002-2007) Independent (2007) Proud of the Netherlands (2007-2012) Democratic Political Turning Point (from 2012) |
| Spouse(s) | Peter Willems |
| Residence | Nootdorp, Netherlands |
| Alma mater | Radboud University Nijmegen (M.A.) |
| Occupation |
Politician Civil servant Prison Warden Entrepreneur Management consultant Columnist |
| Religion | Lapsed Catholic |
| Website | Official site |
Maria Cornelia Frederika "Rita" Verdonk (born October 18, 1955) is a former Dutch politician. She was a leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) for some time, and later founded a new party, Proud of the Netherlands (Trots). In 2011 she retired from politics. She earlier served as Minister for Integration and Immigration in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III. During her time as Minister for Integration and Immigration, she was considered to be the most powerful and influential Minister of the Cabinets Balkenende II and III. In 2006 after the Minister of Justice Piet Hein Donner resigned following a Netherlands Safety Board enquiry into a fire at a cell block near Schiphol Airport, she served as Minister of Justice from September 21, 2006 till September 22, 2006.
After the Dutch general election of 2006, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy lost seats. It became the leading Opposition party against the Cabinet Balkenende IV. Verdonk was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives, but after continuing disagreement with Party leader Mark Rutte, she was expelled from the parliamentary faction of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy on September 13, 2007. One month later she cancelled her membership, after a reconciliation attempt failed and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy party board initiated a procedure of exclusion.
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