Maxime Verhagen

Verhagen retired after spending 23 years in national politics and became active in the private sector and public sector and occupied numerous seats as a corporate director and nonprofit director on several boards of directors and supervisory boards (VDL Groep, SABIC and the DSM Company). In June 2013 Verhagen was appointed as a trade association executive for the Construction association serving as Chairman since 1 July 2013 and became a Member of the Social and Economic Council, taking office on 1 October 2015.

After the election of 2010 the Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal and incumbent Prime Minister Balkenende announced he was stepping down as Leader following the defeat in the election, the Christian Democratic Appeal leadership approached Verhagen who had been serving as the de facto Deputy Leader as his successor, Verhagen accepted and became the Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal, taking office on 9 June 2010 and subsequently returned as a Member of the House of Representatives and as Parliamentary leader, taking office on 17 June 2010. The Following cabinet formation of 2010 resulted in a coalition agreement between the Christian Democratic Appeal and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) with Confidence and supply from the Party for Freedom (PVV) which formed the Cabinet Rutte I with Verhagen appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, taking office on 14 October 2010. The Cabinet Rutte I fell on 23 April 2012 after tensions in the coalition over the Euro convergence criteria and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity. In May 2012 Verhagen announced his retirement from national politics and that he wouldn't stand for the election of 2012. The Cabinet Rutte I was replaced by the Cabinet Rutte II following the cabinet formation of 2012 on 5 November 2012.

The Christian Democratic Appeal did badly in the general election of 2010, and the then Christian Democratic Appeal Party leader and Prime Minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, resigned the same day. Verhagen replaced him as leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal parliamentary party.

After the 2010 Dutch cabinet formation Verhagen became the Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and Deputy Prime Minister in the first Rutte cabinet. Verhagen resigned in November 2012, together with the rest of the cabinet.

He became the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet Balkenende IV serving from 22 February 2007 to 14 October 2010, while he also served as Minister for Development Cooperation following the resignation from Bert Koenders. As such, at the request of gay rights groups, Verhagen called upon the Nuncio to the Netherlands, Monsignor François Bacqué, to respond to accusations that the Roman Catholic Church opposed homosexual rights. He later expressed concern at the lifting of the excommunication of controversial bishop Richard Williamson, a member of the Society of Saint Pius X.

Verhagen started working for the CDA and was elected to the city council of Oegstgeest, and then elected as a Member of the European Parliament for the European People's Party after the European Parliament election of 1989. After the general election of 1994, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the Netherlands. On 11 July 2002 he became CDA parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives. After became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the fourth Balkenende cabinet in 2007, he was succeeded in that position by Pieter van Geel. After the resignation of the Labour Party ministers, he became interim Minister for Development Cooperation.

When the Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal and Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Jan Peter Balkenende became Prime Minister Verhagen succeed him as the Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives on 11 July 2002. During the Cabinets Balkenende I, II en III Verhagen became the unofficial Deputy leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal.

Verhagen was elected as a Member of the European Parliament after the European Parliamentary election of 1989, taking office on 25 July 1989. Verhagen was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1994, taking office on 17 May 1994 and he subsequently resigned as a Member of the European Parliament on 19 July 1994. After the election of 2002 the Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal and Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives Jan Peter Balkenende became Prime Minister in the Cabinet Balkenende I and Verhagen was selected as his successor as Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives, taking office on 11 July 2002. After the election of 2003 Balkenende returned as Parliamentary leader on 30 January 2003 but following the cabinet formation of 2003 he remained as Prime Minister in the Cabinet Balkenende II and Verhagen again took over as Parliamentary leader, taking office on 21 May 2003. After the election of 2006 Balkenende again returned as Parliamentary leader on 30 November 2006 but stepped down and Verhagen again took over as Parliamentary leader, taking office on 9 February 2007. Following the cabinet formation of 2006 Verhagen was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet Balkenende IV, taking office on 22 February 2007. The Cabinet Balkenende IV fell on 20 February 2010 after tensions in the coalition over the extension of the Dutch involvement in the Task Force Urozgan of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity with Verhagen continuing as Minister of Foreign Affairs and also took over as Minister for Development Cooperation, taking office on 23 February 2010.

Verhagen is married to Annemieke Beijlevelt since 1984 and has 2 sons and 1 daughter. They live in Voorburg.

Verhagen attended the Sint-Maartenscollege in Maastricht from June 1969 until June 1975 and applied at the Leiden University in June 1975 majoring in Modern history and obtaining an Bachelor of Arts degree in July 1977 and worked as a student researcher before graduating with an Master of Arts degree in July 1986. Verhagen served on the Municipal Council of Oegstgeest from May 1982 until July 1989 and worked as a political consultant for the Christian Democratic Appeal from February 1986 until July 1989.

Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen (Dutch pronunciation: [mɑˈksim ʒɑk mɑrˈsɛɫ vərˈɦaːɣə(n)] ; born 14 September 1956) is a retired Dutch politician and historian. He is a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA).

Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen was born on 14 September 1956 in Maastricht in the Netherlands Province of Limburg in a Roman Catholic family. He studied at Leiden University where he obtained an Master of Arts degree in History in 1986. For a brief period during his college years, Verhagen was associated with both left-wing radicalism and the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He joined the CDA in 1976.