Outgoing Minister Van Engelshoven of Education, Culture and Science will not return to the Rutte IV cabinet. The D66 politician tells the AD that she found her ministerial position “super interesting and very honorable to do”, but that she is not going for a second term.
“I see the ministry as a crown on my work for the party,” she says. She was previously party chairman of D66 and alderman in The Hague. “But you also have to be able to let go. I want to make room for new blood.”
According to 55-year-old Van Engelshoven, it is no surprise for the party top of D66 that she is leaving. She says she already informed Sigrid Kaag and Rob Jetten last year that she did not want to return. “There is a time to come and a time to go,” she says.
Attractive prospect
Van Engelshoven says that her successor at the ministry is off to a good start. For example, more money has been made available for education and research, and the culture budget has also been increased. She thinks it will be difficult for herself to let go of politics.
“But the chance to look beyond this square kilometer in The Hague is also an attractive prospect,” she tells the newspaper. She doesn’t know exactly what she’s going to do yet. Van Engelshoven does say that she wants to serve “social goals”.
Last week, ChristenUnie ministers Slob and Blokhuis already said that they don’t return in the new cabinet. And Minister Dekker (VVD) said yesterday in De Telegraaf that he too will stop.
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