By Anton Lutter
With Mr. Wopke Hoekstra becoming European Commissioner for Climate Action in October 2023, previously Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Finance 2017-2022, the Dutch cabinet needed a replacement. With Hanke Bruins Slot (CDA political party) a military veteran was chosen for this high office.
Mrs. Hanke Bruins Slot, born Apeldoorn in 1977, studied state and administrative law at University of Utrecht and 2005-2007 post academic study at the Royal Military Academy at Breda. Amongst others she was a platoon commander at Tarin Kowt in Afghanistan in 2008 ending her military career as Artillery captain in 2010 when she was elected to the Second Chamber of States-General (parliament). In parliament she was the CDA spokesperson for defense, domestic governance, medical-ethical issues and sports policy.
In 2019 she left Dutch parliament to become a member of Utrecht Province executive board (Gedeputeerde Staten) in charge of nature, agriculture, soil and water, sports, recreation and tourism and administration.
Three years later – January 2002- she was called to the government to become Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Cabinet Rutte IV. As Kingdom Relations minister she dealt with the partnership with Curacao, St Maarten and Aruba in the Caribbean. As of 5 September 2023 King Willem-Alexander appointed Mrs. Hanke Bruins Slot to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
