VVD MP Mariëlle Paul succeeds Dennis Wiersma as education minister

Member of Parliament Mariëlle Paul (VVD) will become the Caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, the government's communications office RVD confirmed on Tuesday. The MP has represented the VVD in the lower house of Parliament since 2021. She will be sworn in as Dennis Wiersma's successor on Friday.

Wiersma resigned in June following new complaints about his behavior. He was already under fire at the time because of a pattern of exhibiting unpleasant and hurtful behavior towards his officials. He apologized for this, but later was the subject of another complaint about his explosive temper. Caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte revealed last week that the new education minister would likely be a woman.

Paul spoke on behalf of the VVD party on topics such as education and the handling of the childcare benefits scandal. The VVD politician will work as a minister in the caretaker Cabinet: Rutte offered the resignation of his Cabinet earlier this month because the parties could not agree on new measures to tackle the asylum crisis. Tweede Kamer elections will be held on November 22, after which the parties will negotiate with each other in an attempt to form a new coalition.

The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament, will determine the caretaker Cabinet's ability to set policy until the installation of a new Cabinet. In September, the lower house will determine which sets of policy issues are too controversial to deal with before the swearing in of a new Cabinet.

Incidentally, Paul's predecessor was also appointed to a caretaker Cabinet for his first Cabinet post. The previous Cabinet, Rutte III, was in a caretaker position for almost a year and saw a high turnover of ministers.

"I am very happy that she said yes, she is a very good one. She also knows the terrain well," said Rutte. "And for the first time a Council of Ministers with eleven women and only nine men. You know, we continue to look for gender parity, but only with equal suitability."

Caretaker Minister of Education, Culture & Science Robbert Dijkgraaf congratulated Paul on her "honourable appointment." Dijkgraaf has taken over Wiersma's duties in recent weeks.