D66’s Van Berkel confirms resignation after misrepresenting education level on CV
Nathalie van Berkel, a D66 member who has faced scrutiny over errors in her CV, issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon confirming her resignation as a member of the Tweede Kamer and withdrawing as a candidate for state secretary for Finance.
“I have just informed the Speaker of the House that I am immediately resigning as a member of the Tweede Kamer,” she wrote on X.
Earlier today, it became known that Van Berkel had resigned, following reports in several media outlets highlighting discrepancies in her academic record. De Volkskrant reported that she claimed on LinkedIn to hold a master’s degree in public administration from Leiden University. In reality, she completed only a propedeuse at The Hague University of Applied Sciences and did not finish the admission process for Leiden’s master’s program. Multiple versions of her CV and LinkedIn profiles implied she had completed a university degree.
When confronted by the media, Van Berkel provided varying explanations and updated her LinkedIn profile three times. D66 stated it was internally aware of her incomplete studies. De Telegraaf reported she also gave inaccurate information to the General Administrative Service (ABD) when joining the Executive Board of the UWV.
Opposition pressure had grown, with JA21 leader Joost Eerdmans calling for her immediate resignation. Incoming Prime Minister Rob Jetten stressed that credibility is essential in a minority coalition, where support for every law must be secured. “We saw today that some opposition parties raised concerns, and that can hinder an effective role as state secretary,” Jetten said. Jetten plans to announce a new candidate for the Finance position as quickly as possible. The new cabinet is scheduled to be inaugurated on February 23, 2026.
