Ruben Brekelmans

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Ruben Brekelmans
Ruben Brekelmans.jpg
Member of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
31 March 2021
Personal details
Born
R.P. Brekelmans

(1986-07-18) 18 July 1986 (age 35)
Leidschendam, Netherlands
Political partyPeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Children1
Alma mater
Websiterubenbrekelmans.nl

Ruben P. Brekelmans (born 18 July 1986) is a Dutch politician, serving as a member of the House of Representatives since the 2021 general election on behalf of the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He has previously worked as a political assistant and as a civil servant at a few government ministries.

Early life and education[]

He was born in 1986 in Leidschendam, located close The Hague, and he grew up in the North Brabant village Kaatsheuvel.[1][2] Brekelmans became a member of Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy (JOVD), the VVD's independent youth organization, at age seventeen.[3] He studied economics at Tilburg University, global politics at the London School of Economics, and obtained a Master of Public Administration degree in 2015 at the Harvard Kennedy School.[4][5][6]

Career[]

After graduating from Harvard, Brekelmans took a job as strategy consultant at The Boston Consulting Group's Amsterdam office.[4][6] He subsequently served as political assistant of State Secretary for Justice and Security Mark Harbers and kept working at the Ministry of Justice and Security as director of the program Adaptive Asylum System after Harbers's resignation in May 2019.[7][8][9] Brekelmans left the ministry in October 2020 to become program director Insight on Quality at the Ministry of Finance.[2][8][9] Next to his job, he was chair of the VVD's thematic network on international affairs between 2017 and 2021, and he was on the committee that wrote his party's election program for the 2019 European Parliament election.[10][11]

Brekelmans was the VVD's thirtieth candidate in the 2021 general election and was elected to the House of Representatives with 1,539 preference votes.[12] He was sworn in on 31 March and serves as his party's spokesperson for foreign policy, international cultural policy, and extensions of foreign missions.[13]

House committees[]

In the House, Brekelmans is on the following committees:[1]

  • Committee for Defence
  • Committee for European Affairs
  • Committee for Foreign Affairs
  • Committee for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
  • Committee for Kingdom Relations
  • Dutch parliamentary delegation to the NATO Assembly

Personal life[]

Brekelmans lives in the North Brabant town Oisterwijk.[1] He has a girlfriend and a daughter, who was born on the day before his election to the House.[14]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Ruben Brekelmans". Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b Tacken, Tom (24 February 2021). "Keus genoeg voor rechtse kiezers op 17 maart in Midden-Brabant, armoe bij links" [Enough choice for the right-wing voter on 17 March in Central Brabant, not so much on the left wing]. Brabants Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Kandidaat Tweede Kamer en Gestelse VVD in gesprek met bewoners Sint Michielsgestel" [MP candidate and Gestel VVD in discussion with inhabitants of Sint-Michielsgestel]. Weekblad de Brug (in Dutch). 3 March 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Brekelmans, Ruben". HUTAC. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  5. ^ Brekelemans, Ruben (2 March 2016). "Werkervaring als ingangseis voor masterstudies" [Job experience as an entry requirement for master's studies]. Het Financieele Dagblad (in Dutch). p. 15.
  6. ^ a b Brekelemans, Ruben (22 August 2015). "Er is meer nodig om wereldtoppers te trekken" [More is needed to attract world-class talent]. Het Financieele Dagblad (in Dutch). p. 6.
  7. ^ Hoedeman, Jan (31 March 2021). "Beroepspoliticus is in opmars: veel nieuwe VVD'ers in Kamer werkten nooit in bedrijfsleven" [Professional politicians are getting common: many new VVD members in the House never worked in the private sector]. AD (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  8. ^ a b Lamboo, Martin (6 October 2020). "De bal ligt nu bij de uitvoering" [The ball is now in the court of the execution]. JenV Magazine (in Dutch). Vol. 3 no. 11.
  9. ^ a b "R.P. (Ruben) Brekelmans MPA, MSc". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Nevenactiviteiten van Ruben Brekelmans" [Other activities of Ruben Brekelmans]. Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Focus en lef: Voor een sterk Nederland in een veilig Europa" [Focus and courage: For a strong Netherlands in a powerful Europe] (PDF). VVD (in Dutch). p. 1. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 17 maart 2021" [Results general election 17 March 2021] (PDF). Kiesraad (in Dutch). 26 March 2021. p. 185. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Ruben Brekelmans". VVD (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  14. ^ Gotink, Bart (18 March 2021). "Oisterwijker Ruben Brekelmans (VVD) heeft een zetel en een baby" [Oisterwijk resident Ruben Brekelmans (VVD) has a seat and a baby]. Brabants Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2021.

External links[]

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