By Anton Lutter.
Three weeks after the fall of Halbe Zijlstra, last Wednesday Stef Blok was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs by H.M. King Willem-Alexander.
Mr. Blok is a well-known and experienced politician from the VVD party. 53 years old Mr. Blok studied business at University of Groningen, after which he served in different positions at ABN AMRO bank until 1998.
He then entered the Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal (parliament). In parliament, he was chair of both the finance and public health committees. During the parliamentary elections of 2010, he was his party’s campaign chair.
In 2010 and 2012 he became the leader of the VVD-group in parliament during which time the political leader of the VVD Mr. Mark Rutte was Minister-President.
He entered the Cabinet Rutte II as Minister without portfolio responsible for Housing and Public Services (Rijksdienst) from 2012 until 2017, when he became Minister of Security and Justice after minister Ard van Steur had stepped down.
He served in that position until October 2017. Blok is known as a hardworking and dependable person with a small ego, qualities which will be much appreciated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Having little experience in foreign affairs, his first challenge will be chairing the United Nations Security Council meetings in March, of which The Netherlands will be a member for the coming six months.
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