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Mark Rutte (born The Hague, February 14, 1967) is a Dutch People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) politician and State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the second Balkenende cabinet.
He started his career in the VVD as the national chair of it's youth organisation JOVD from 1988 until 1991, and a member of the VVD party executive from 1993 until 1997.
Rutte obtained a degree in history from Leiden University in 1992, after which he went to work for Unilever.
In the first Balkenende cabinet Rutte was appointed staatssecretaris for Social Affairs and Employment, a function he continued in the second Balkenende cabinet until June 17, 2004, when he became staatssecretaris for Education, Culture and Science. Since the resignation of Jozias van Aartsen after the VVD loss in the 2006 Dutch municipal election he is currently candidate to become lijsttrekker for the VVD in the 2007 national elections along with current minister of immigration and integration Rita Verdonk and backbencher Jelleke Veenendaal. Veenendaal is not considered as a serious candidate. The competition for the leadership is between Mark Rutte (representing the left wing of the VVD) and Rita Verdonk (representing the right wing of the VVD). The vote for who is to become lijsttrekker is currently scheduled for the 31st of May 2006.
On accepting the role of candidate-lijsttrekker, Rutte has made clear that he wishes to change the face of the VVD, into one where everyone, not just the "happy few" feels comfortable. He has also stated that with the current social security ideas of the Labour Party (PvdA), which he called too conservative, it's is very unlikely that they will cooperate or form a coalition after the elections.
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