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Biography
Cornelia "Cora" van Nieuwenhuizen-Wijbenga (born 12 June 1963) is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). She is the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Cabinet Rutte III since 26 October 2017.
Education
Van Nieuwenhuizen studied social geography at Utrecht University, and studied also at Nyenrode Business University in Breukelen and at TIAS School for Business and Society in Tilburg.
Political career
Career in local politics
Van Nieuwenhuizen was a member of the municipal council of Oisterwijk from 1994 to 2006 as well as VVD fraction leader from 2002 to 2003. She was also a member and VVD fraction leader of the States-Provincial of North Brabant from 2003 to 2007 and a member of the States Deputed of North Brabant from 2007 to 2010.
Member of the European Parliament, 2014–2017
Van Nieuwenhuizen was elected a Member of the European Parliament in the 2014 European elections. 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 rapporteur on financial technology. 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 and the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights.
Van Nieuwenhuizen mainly focuses on matters of aviation, water transport and energy policy. She served as an MEP from 2014 until her appointment tothe Dutch government. In the House of Representatives she was succeeded by Jeroen van Wijngaarden.
Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, 2017–present
Since 26 October 2017, Van Nieuwenhuizen has been serving as Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management in the third government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Other activities
- Brabant Intermodal, Chairwoman of the Advisory Board
- Hans Nord Foundation, Member of the Board