Mariëlle Paul is the new chairperson of the Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations.
THE HAGUE--The Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Wednesday elected its new chairperson in the person of Mariëlle Paul.
Paul, who sits in the Second Chamber for the liberal democratic VVD party, succeeds Jan Paternotte of the Democratic Party D66. D66 Member of Parliament (MP) Wieke Paulusma was elected Vice Chairperson of the Committee. There were no other candidates for the two positions.
“I look forward to chairing this beautiful committee. I will do my utmost to be a worthy successor,” said Paul, who as chairperson will also chair the Inter-Parliamentary Consultation of the Kingdom IPKO when this meeting with all four parliaments of the Kingdom takes place in The Hague. The next IPKO will take place in St. Maarten in May and the one after that in The Hague, in September.
Paul (55) has been an MP for almost a year. She has Pakistani parents, but grew up in the Netherlands. “Because of my descent, I know from a young age that the freedom, rights and opportunities that we have in the Netherlands are not a given,” she said.
Paul studied international law and worked as a communication specialist at ABN AMRO Bank, the publishing concern Sonoma and construction company BAM. Vice Chairperson Paulusma (43) has been an MP for nine months and has a long career as a nurse and in management of University Medical Centre Groningen.
Paul’s predecessor Paternotte had chaired the Committee for Kingdom Relations since 2018. He vacated the position because he became the leader of the D66 party in the Second Chamber. “It was an honour to be able to work in the interest of the Kingdom. I wish my successor a similar experience,” he said, thanking the people in the Dutch Caribbean for their trust and confidence.
MP Jorien Wuite, who is also of the D66 party, thanked Paternotte for his devotion, his input and the fact that he learned some Papiamentu. “On behalf of all current and past committee members I want to thank you for the way you fulfilled your role. We know it hurts your heart a bit to leave,” she said. Paternotte received a selection of photos of special moments that he attended as chairperson.
