Dutch Sigrid Kaag announced on Friday (December 31st) her appointment as the Netherlands' finance minister, becoming the first woman to head the treasury in this country which leads the group of European states in favor of budget frugality.
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The centrist party D66, of which Sigrid Kaag is a member, has landed this key role in the new cabinet of Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who is to be sworn in on January 10, after coming second in the March elections. 60-year-old former diplomat Sigrid Kaag will thus replace a fervent defender of budgetary orthodoxy, Wopke Hoekstra, whose Christian Democratic Party (center-right) CDA has lost ground to reach fourth place in the elections, behind the far-right opposition party PVV.
“
We have ambitious plans for the coming period.
The Netherlands is defending important choices and investments, in education, for the climate, for a strong Europe
, ”Ms. Kaag said in a statement to the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper, adding that“
the role of the Minister of Finance is crucial in the responsible implementation of these plans
”.
Closely watched
The post of finance minister in the Netherlands is closely watched in Europe, with the country leading the so-called “
four frugal
” group - along with Austria, Denmark and Sweden - which frequently clashes with southern states. Europe on the budget issue.
Sigrid Kaag had resigned after a brief stint as acting foreign minister in September due to the government's handling of the Afghan evacuation crisis following the Taliban's capture of Kabul.
She was previously Minister of Foreign Trade and Development.
Mark Rutte announced earlier this month that he has finally sealed a coalition deal to secure a fourth term, with a government involving the same four parties as his previous administration.
