Jurgen Norbert Jeroen Nobel (Dutch: [ˈjʏrɣə ˈnoːbəl];[1] born 7 December 1988) is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He has served as State Secretary for Participation and Integration in the Schoof cabinet since July 2024.
Jurgen Nobel | |
|---|---|
| State Secretary for Participation and Integration | |
| Assumed office 2 July 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Dick Schoof |
| Minister | Eddy van Hijum |
| Preceded by | Carola Schouten[a] |
| Alderman of Haarlemmermeer | |
| In office 2019–2024 | |
| Municipal councillor of Haarlemmermeer | |
| In office 2014–2019 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jurgen Norbert Jeroen Nobel 7 December 1988 Haarlem, Netherlands |
| Political party | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| Occupation |
|
Early life and career
editNobel was born in 1988. His father, Jeroen, was a local Labour Party politician, serving as alderman in Haarlemmermeer and acting mayor of Aalsmeer and Den Helder.[2] Nobel studied business and public administration in Amsterdam, and he founded a brand of fair trade coffee afterwards.[2][3]
Politics
editJurgen has told that he was inspired by Pim Fortuyn in his youth, and he became a member of the Haarlemmermeer Municipal Council for the VVD in 2014. He started serving as the party's parliamentary leader in 2017, and he was the VVD's lead candidate in two municipal elections. In 2019, he was appointed alderman, responsible for finances, housing, and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which is located in Haarlemmermeer, and he later served as deputy mayor alongside.[2][3] In the discussion about noise and environmental pollution, Nobel highlighted the airport's economic benefits, and he argued that reducing flights should not be an end in itself. Besides, he successfully opposed the construction of a new runway in Rijsenhout.[3]
State Secretary for Participation and Integration
editAfter the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB formed the Schoof cabinet, Nobel was sworn in as State Secretary for Participation and Integration on 2 July 2024.[3][4] His portfolio includes labor participation, poverty, disability pension, sheltered workshops, reintegration into the labor market, social cohesion, labor conditions, ESF, social affairs in the Caribbean Netherlands, and childcare.[5] He continued efforts by his predecessor to reimburse working parents for 96% of childcare costs starting in 2027. The simplification and expansion of childcare benefits had been triggered by the childcare benefits scandal during the preceding Rutte cabinets.[6]
In response to the November 2024 Amsterdam riots, in which supporters of the Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. were targeted, Nobel said that the Netherlands had a major integration problem and that a significant portion of Islamic youth did not endorse Dutch norms and values. Prime Minister Dick Schoof held a specific group of young people with a migration background responsible for the attacks.[7][8] An alliance of mosques filed a criminal complaint against Nobel for group insult, inciting hate, and discrimination in the performance of a duty, arguing that the religious beliefs of the perpetrators were unknown.[9] When State Secretary Nora Achahbar resigned as a result of "polarizing interactions", she cited Nobel's remarks. Nobel later clarified that he did not intend to make generalizations about population groups.[10]
Notes
edit- ^ as Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions
References
edit- ^ "State Secretary Jurgen Nobel". YouTube. Public Entity Saba. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ a b c Van de Ven, Liam (28 November 2024). "Eerst 'duidelijk neerzetten' en dan sussen, dat is de werkwijze van de ambitieuze staatssecretaris Jurgen Nobel" [First 'establish attention' and then appease, that is the approach of the ambitious State Secretary Jurgen Nobel]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d "'Schiphol-wethouder' Nobel staatssecretaris Participatie" ['Schiphol alderman' Nobel State Secretary for Participation]. NOS (in Dutch). 18 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
- ^ "Ministers en staatssecretarissen kabinet-Schoof beëdigd" [Ministers and state secretaries of Schoof cabinet sworn in]. NOS (in Dutch). 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ "Jurgen Nobel". Government of the Netherlands (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Von Piekartz, Hessel (12 November 2024). "Kabinet wil door met bijna gratis kinderopvang, ook al loopt de sector nu al tegen zijn grenzen aan" [Cabinet wants to continue with nearly free childcare, even though the industry is running up against its limits]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ Du Pré, Raoul (11 November 2024). "Premier Schoof ziet groot probleem met de integratie: 'Hun gedrag is schokkend, moreel volstrekt ontaard'" [Prime Minister Schoof observes major issue with integration: 'Their behavior is shocking, completely morally corrupt']. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "Na geweld in Amsterdam laait politieke discussie over integratie weer op" [Following violence in Amsterdam, the political debate about integration is sparked again]. NOS (in Dutch). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ^ "Aangiftes tegen staatssecretaris Nobel en Maccabi-aanhangers" [Criminal complaints against State Secretary Nobel and Maccabi supporters]. NOS (in Dutch). 15 November 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ^ Von Piekartz, Hessel (25 November 2024). "Nobel wil niemand 'over één kam scheren', maar neemt zijn woorden over integratieprobleem ook niet terug" [Nobel does not want to 'generalize', but he will not retract his words about integration issues]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 November 2024.