Carola Schouten

Cornelia Johanna "Carola" Schouten (; born 6 October 1977) is a Dutch politician serving as third Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions in the IV Rutte Cabinet since 10 January 2022. She has served as Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality in the Third Rutte cabinet from 2017 to 2022. She is a member of the Christian Union (CU). 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.