Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte | |
|---|---|
Rutte in 2023 | |
| 14th Secretary General of NATO | |
| Assumed office 1 October 2024 | |
| Deputy | Radmila Šekerinska |
| Preceded by | Jens Stoltenberg |
| Prime Minister of the Netherlands | |
| In office 14 October 2010 – 2 July 2024 | |
| Monarchs | |
| Deputy | See list
|
| Preceded by | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Succeeded by | Dick Schoof |
| Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | |
| In office 31 May 2006 – 14 August 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Jozias van Aartsen |
| Succeeded by | Dilan Yeşilgöz |
| State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science | |
| In office 17 June 2004 – 27 June 2006 | |
| Prime Minister | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Preceded by | Annette Nijs |
| Succeeded by | Bruno Bruins |
| State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment | |
| 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 31 March 2021 – 10 January 2022 | |
| In office 23 March 2017 – 26 October 2017 | |
| In office 20 September 2012 – 5 November 2012 | |
| In office 28 June 2006 – 14 October 2010 | |
| In office 30 January 2003 – 27 May 2003 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 February 1967 The Hague, Netherlands |
| Political party | VVD |
| Education | Leiden University (BA, MA) |
| Signature | |
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Political career
Prime Minister of the Netherlands First Ministry and term Second Ministry and term Third Ministry and term
Fourth Ministry and term Affiliations |
||
| Media gallery | ||
.jpg){kind=link}
Mark Rutte (Dutch: [ˈmɑr(ə)k ˈrʏtə] ⓘ; born 14 February 1967) is a Dutch politician who has served as the 14th secretary general of NATO since October 2024. He previously served as prime minister of the Netherlands from 2010 to 2024 and leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from 2006 to 2023. Serving a total of almost 14 years, Rutte is the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history.
After originally embarking on a business management career working for Unilever, Rutte entered national politics in 2002 as a member of Jan Peter Balkenende's cabinets. Rutte won the 2006 VVD leadership election and led the party to victory in the 2010 general election. After lengthy coalition negotiations, he became prime minister of the Netherlands. He was the first self-described liberal to be appointed prime minister in 92 years.
An impasse on budget negotiations led to his government's early collapse in April 2012, but the VVD's victory in the subsequent election allowed Rutte to return as prime minister to lead his second cabinet between the VVD and the Labour Party (PvdA), which became the first cabinet to complete a full four-year term since 1998. Though the VVD lost seats in the 2017 general election, it remained the largest party. After a record-length formation period, Rutte was appointed to lead his third cabinet between the VVD, Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Democrats 66 (D66) and Christian Union (CU).
Though Rutte and his cabinet resigned in response to the Dutch childcare benefits scandal, the VVD would go on to win the 2021 general election. Rutte began his fourth term in 2022 after another record-length formation period. On 7 July 2023, he announced his government's resignation after the cabinet failed to agree on how to handle migration. Rutte IV would continue on as an outgoing cabinet, fulfilling a caretaker function and keeping the nation running until the Schoof cabinet was sworn in on 2 July 2024.
Due to his ability to come out of political scandals with an untarnished reputation, Rutte has been referred to as Teflon Mark. He has been described as ideologically flexible and pragmatic, willing to accommodate a broad range of political factions in order to address issues.