Cornelia "Cora" van Nieuwenhuizen-Wijbenga (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈkoːraː vɑˈniʋə(n)ˌɦœyzə(ɱ)ˈʋɛibə(ŋ)ˌɣaː]; born 12 June 1963) is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).[1] She served as Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Third Rutte cabinet from 2017 to 2021, and briefly as Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (ad interim) in 2021.
Van Nieuwenhuizen studied social geographyatUtrecht University, as well as at Nyenrode Business UniversityinBreukelen and at TIAS School for Business and SocietyinTilburg.
Van Nieuwenhuizen was a member of the municipal councilofOisterwijk from 1994 to 2006 as well as party group leader from 2002 to 2003. She was also a member and party group leader in the States-ProvincialofNorth Brabant from 2003 to 2007 and a member of the States Deputed of North Brabant from 2007 to 2010, in charge of mobility and infrastructure.
Elected to the House of Representatives in the 2010 election, she was reelected in 2012. In Parliament, she presided over the Finance Committee.
Van Nieuwenhuizen was elected a Member of the European Parliament in the 2014 election. In the House of Representatives she was succeeded by Jeroen van Wijngaarden.[2] A member of the ALDE (Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) political faction, she served as her parliamentary group's deputy coordinator on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (alongside Sylvie Goulard). On the committee, she was the rapporteuronfinancial technology.[3] Later, she joined the Special Committee on Tax Rulings and Other Measures Similar in Nature or Effect in 2015. In addition, she held the position of vice-chairwoman of the parliament's delegation for relations with India.
Besides her committee assignments, Van Nieuwenhuizen was a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on Long Term Investment and Reindustrialisation[4] and the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights.[5]
Van Nieuwenhuizen mainly focused on matters of aviation, water transport and energy policy. She served as an MEP from until her appointment to the Government of the Netherlands.[6]
From 26 October 2017, Van Nieuwenhuizen served as Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management in the third cabinetofPrime Minister Mark Rutte. One of the main policy debates during her tenure revolved around the opening of Lelystad Airport to commercial traffic.
After the fall of the Third Rutte cabinet and consequently the resignation of Eric Wiebes, Van Nieuwenhuizen became ad interim Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy on 15 January 2021 as well, until then-State Secretary Bas van 't Wout was selected as his replacement on 20 January 2021.[7]
In 2021, Van Nieuwenhuizen resigned from government to become chair of Energie-Nederland, the lobbying organization for the country's energy sector.[8]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by
Melanie Schultz van Haegen |
Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management 2017–2021 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Ad interim 2021 |
Succeeded by |
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House of Representatives, 17 June 2010 – 19 September 2012 | |
| People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (31) |
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| Labour Party (30) |
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| Christian Democratic Appeal (21) |
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| Party for Freedom (20) |
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| Socialist Party (15) |
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| Democrats 66 (10) |
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| GroenLinks (10) |
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| Christian Union (5) |
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| Reformed Political Party (2) |
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| Party for the Animals (2) |
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| Independents (4) |
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See also: Members of the House of Representatives, 2006–2010, Members of the House of Representatives, 2012–2017, Members of the Senate, 2011–2015 | |
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House of Representatives | ||
| People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD – 40) |
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| Labour Party (PvdA – 35) |
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| Socialist Party (SP – 15) |
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| Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA – 13) |
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| Party for Freedom (PVV – 12) |
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| Democrats 66 (D66 – 12) |
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| Christian Union (CU – 5) |
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| GroenLinks (GL – 4) |
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| Reformed Political Party (SGP – 3) |
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| Party for the Animals (PvdD – 2) |
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| 50PLUS (50+ – 1) |
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| Bontes/Van Klaveren Group (Indep. – 2) |
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| Kuzu/Öztürk Group (Indep. – 2) |
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| Member Van Vliet (Indep. – 1) |
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| Member Klein (Indep. – 1) |
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| Member Houwers (Indep. – 1) |
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| Member Monasch (Indep. – 1) |
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Abc signifies the parliamentary leader (first mentioned) and the Speaker; (Abc) signifies a temporarily absent member; | ||
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| Christian Democratic Appeal |
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| Democrats 66 |
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| Party for Freedom |
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| People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
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| Labour Party |
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| Socialist Party |
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| Christian Union – Reformed Political Party |
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| GroenLinks |
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| Party for the Animals |
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† Hans Jansen died on 5 May 2015. He was replaced by Auke Zijlstra on 1 September 2015. | |
| International |
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| National |
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