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Mark Rutte

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Mark Rutte

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 is lijsttrekker for the VVD in the 2007 Dutch election.

He started his career in the VVD as the national chair of its 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. After the resignation of Jozias van Aartsen after the VVD loss in the 2006 Dutch municipal election, there was an VVD election for lijsttrekker, where Rutte competed against Rita Verdonk and Jelleke Veenendaal. On May 31, 2006, it was announced that Mark Rutte will be the next lijsttrekker of the VVD.

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 is very unlikely that they will cooperate or form a coalition after the elections.

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