Gerdi Verbeet
Verbeet in 2010
Speaker of the House of Representatives
In office
6 December 2006 – 20 September 2012
Preceded byFrans Weisglas
Succeeded byAnouchka van Miltenburg
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
26 July 2002 – 20 September 2012
In office
11 December 2001 – 23 May 2002
Personal details
Born
Gerardina Alida Verbeet

(1951-04-18) 18 April 1951
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Political partyLabour Party (since 1975)
Spouses
First husband
​
​
(m. 1981; div. 2004)​
    ​
    (m. 2010)​
    Children2 sons
    (first marriage)
    2 stepdaughters
    (second marriage)
    ResidenceAmsterdam
    OccupationPolitician · Civil servant · Political consultant · Nonprofit director · Teacher

    Gerardina Alida "Gerdi" Verbeet (born 18 April 1951) is a retired Dutch politician and political consultant who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 6 December 2006 to 19 September 2012. A member of the Labour Party (PvdA), she is the second officeholder elected independently by the House of Representatives after her predecessor Frans Weisglas. She served as a member of the House of Representatives from 26 July 2002 to 19 September 2012 and previously from 11 December 2001 until 22 May 2002.[1]

    Biography

    Early life

    Verbeet attended the Gymnasium in Amsterdam and began a study in social geography, which she did not finish. Instead she studied Dutch language and literature and worked as a teacher.

    Politics

    Between 1994 and 2001 she was political advisor to State Secretary Tineke Netelenbos and parliamentary leader Ad Melkert.

    On 23 May 2001 she became a member of the House of Representatives, filling the vacancy left by Rob van Gijzel. In the general election of 2002 she was not reelected, but in July 2002 she reentered the House of Representatives, filling the vacancy left by Eveline Herfkens. In the Dutch general election of 2003 and 2006 she was able to retain her seat. In the House of Representatives, Verbeet concentrated on sport, policy regarding elderly people, and state pensions.

    On 6 December 2006 she was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, defeating ministers Maria van der Hoeven of the Christian Democratic Appeal and Henk Kamp of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. She is the second female Speaker, after Jeltje van Nieuwenhoven, and the second Speaker elected in independent elections, after Frans Weisglas. Verbeet was reelected as Speaker on 22 June 2010, after the general elections of 9 June.

    On 2 May 2012 Verbeet made known that she would not stand for re-election as a member of the House of Representatives and speaker for the Dutch general election of 2012 and would retire from active politics.[2][3]

    Personal

    Verbeet is divorced from her first husband and remarried in 2010 with fellow Labour Party politician Wim Meijer after a relationship of three years. She has two sons; two stepdaughters and three grandchildren and lives in Amsterdam.

    Decorations

    Honours
    Ribbon barHonourCountryDateComment
    Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 19 September 2012 [4]

    References

    1. ↑ (in Dutch) Gerdi Verbeet herkozen als kamervoorzitter, NU.nl, 22 June 2010.
    2. ↑ (in Dutch) Kamervoorzitter Verbeet verlaat Tweede Kamer, NU.nl, May 2, 2012
    3. ↑ (in Dutch) Kamervoorzitter Verbeet vertrekt, NOS, May 2, 2012
    4. ↑ (in Dutch) Lintje voor vertrekkende Verbeet, NOS, September 19, 2012
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