Mariëlle Paul, the new outgoing Minister of Education, was born in Geldrop. Though she has not lived in Brabant since she was eighteen, the province is still – by her own admission – in her heart.
The parents of Paul, who succeeds the resigned Dennis Wiersma, are from Pakistan and came to live in Geldrop in 1965. Paul’s father got a job at DAF, and the family moved to Heeze. Paul is an alumnus of secondary school Augustinianum in Eindhoven and then studied international law at Leiden University.
Paul has been a member of parliament for the VVD (people’s Party for Freedom and Democracy) since March 2021. She spoke on behalf of her party on topics such as education and the handling of the surcharges scandal. Paul will start to work as a minister in a caretaker cabinet. She replaces Dennis Wiersma, who resigned last month after continuous reports of transgressive behaviour.
On Tuesday, 18 July, King Willem-Alexander appointed MLJ Paul as Minister for Primary and Secondary Education on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, with effect from the date of her swearing-in. The cabinet announced that the new minister will be sworn in before the King at Huis ten Bosch Palace on Friday afternoon, 21 July. When she assumes office, the Netherlands will officially have a women-majority cabinet for the first time ever.
For Eindhoven News: Bob
Edited by: Beena Arunraj
Source: Studio 040 and Rijksoverheid
