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Carola Schouten

Cornelia Johanna "Carola" Schouten (Dutch pronunciation: [kaːˈroːlaː ˈsxʌutə(n)]; born 6 October 1977) is a Dutch politician of the Christian Union (CU). She was Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Third Deputy Prime Minister in the third Rutte cabinet from 2017 to 2022. She continued to serve as Third Deputy Prime Minister in the fourth Rutte cabinet alongside her position as Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions until July 2024.

Early life and education

A native of 's-Hertogenbosch, Schouten grew up in Waardhuizen, managing her deceased father's dairy farm with her mother and her two sisters for four years, after which time the family ended the farming activities and moved to neighbouring village of Giessen (Waardhuizen and Giessen are nowadays located in the new municipality of Altena).

She attended Altena College in Sleeuwijk and studied business administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam with a year abroad at Tel Aviv University. Schouten worked at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment from 2000 to 2006. Subsequently, she was an assistant to the Christian Union parliamentary group, entering into politics.

Political career

Schouten became a member of the House of Representatives in 2011 upon the resignation of former Deputy Prime Minister André Rouvoet. In parliament, she served as her group's spokesperson on financial policy.

Schouten and party leader Gert-Jan Segers participated in the negotiations of forming the third government led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte, which she entered as Deputy Prime Minister. From autumn 2019 she faced farmers' protests because of government's measures involving decreasing the number of livestock. In 2020, Schouten suggested the EU should begin to adjust animal welfare regulations and limit live animal exports. From 2021, she led efforts on legislation on reducing damaging ammonia pollution.

In 2022, she introduced the Future Pensions Act into law.

In July 2024, Schouten was nominated to become the mayor of Rotterdam succeeding Ahmed Aboutaleb.

Personal life

Schouten is single with a child and is a member of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated). She lives in Rotterdam. Her younger sister Marjan van der Meij-Schouten is a member of the municipal council of Altena, like her older sister on behalf of the Christian Union.