Raymond Knops
Knops in 2018
Minister of the Interior
and Kingdom Relations
Acting
In office
1 November 2019 – 14 April 2020
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byKajsa Ollongren
Succeeded byKajsa Ollongren
State Secretary for the Interior
and Kingdom Relations
In office
14 April 2020 – 10 January 2022
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byHimself (2019)
Succeeded byAlexandra van Huffelen
In office
26 October 2017 – 1 November 2019
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byAnk Bijleveld (2010)
Succeeded byHimself (2020)
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
31 March 2021 – 2 February 2023
In office
7 September 2010 – 26 October 2017
In office
1 March 2007 – 17 June 2010
In office
11 October 2005 – 30 November 2006
Personal details
Born
Raymond Willem Knops

(1971-11-10) 10 November 1971
Hegelsom, Netherlands
Political partyChristian Democratic Appeal
Children2 children
ResidenceHorst
Alma materKoninklijke Militaire Academie
Erasmus University Rotterdam
(Bachelor of Public Administration, Master of Public Administration)
OccupationPolitician · Military officer
Military service
Allegiance Netherlands
Branch/serviceRoyal Netherlands Air Force
Years of service1995–2000 (Active duty)
2000–2005 (Reserve)
Rank Colonel
UnitNo. 322 Squadron RNLAF
11th Airmobile Brigade
Multi-National Force – Iraq
Battles/wars

Raymond Willem Knops (born 10 November 1971) is a Dutch politician and retired RNLAF officer who served as State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations under the Third Rutte cabinet from 2017 to 2019 and again from 2020 until 2022. A member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), he was Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations from 2019 to 2020 in an acting capacity. Knops has held a seat in the House of Representatives between 2005 and 2023 with three interruptions due to cabinet formation processes and service in government.

Early political career

As a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal, Raymond Knops he was elected to the municipal council of Horst aan de Maas in 1998. In 1999, he became an alderman in the municipal executive, in which he was in charge of economic and agricultural affairs, spatial planning, traffic, the environment and public housing until 2001, when he became Deputy Mayor and alderman in charge of economic affairs, agribusiness, recreation and tourism and strategic projects. He held the position until 2005, when he entered the House of Representatives following the resignation of Hubert Bruls, who had been appointed to the mayorship of Venlo.

National career

Knops has served as a member of the House of Representatives from 11 October 2005 to 30 November 2006, from 1 March 2007 to 17 June 2010, from 7 September 2010 to 26 October 2017 and again since 31 March 2021. He returned as a parliamentarian in 2007 as the Fourth Balkenende cabinet had been sworn in, as well as in 2010 as the successor of Ab Klink, who had resigned his seat. In the 2021 election, Knops was returned to the House of Representatives as the outgoing State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations. In the House of Representatives, he focuses his work on matters of political asylum policy and defence.

Knops was appointed State Secretary at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations under Minister Kajsa Ollongren in the Third Rutte cabinet on 26 October 2017.[1] From 1 November 2019 until 14 April 2020, he was Acting Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations due to Ollongren's extended medical leave of absence. He then returned as a State Secretary and was succeeded on 10 January 2022 by Alexandra van Huffelen as the Fourth Rutte cabinet was installed.

There had been speculation Knops would be Minister of Defence in the Fourth Rutte cabinet after similar speculation in 2017. However, during the 2021–2022 cabinet formation process, the ministry was awarded to Ollongren of the Democrats 66 party.[2][3] In February 2023 he left the House of Representatives.

Honours and awards

References

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