Carola Schouten
Cornelia Johanna "Carola" Schouten is a Dutch politician serving as third Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality in the Third Rutte cabinet since 26 October 2017. She is a member of the Christian Union.
A native of 's-Hertogenbosch, Schouten grew up in Waardhuizen, managing her deceased father's dairy farm with her mother and her two sisters for four years, after which time the family ended the farming activities and moved to neighbouring village of Giessen.
She studied business administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam, and worked at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment from 2000 to 2006. Subsequently, she was an assistant to the Christian Union parliamentary group before entering into politics by becoming an MP in 2011.
Carola Schouten is single with a child and is a member of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. She lives in Rotterdam.
