Eric van der Burg

Eric van der Burg (born 9 October 1965) is a Dutch politician, who has served as State Secretary for Justice and Security in the fourth Rutte cabinet since 10 January 2022. A member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), he was elected to the Senate in 2019.[1] Van der Burg previously had a lengthy political career in the municipality of Amsterdam which culminated in his brief service as ad interim Mayor of Amsterdam in 2017.

In this Dutch name, the surname is Van der Burg, not Burg.
His Excellency
Eric van der Burg
Van der Burg in 2016
State Secretary for Justice and Security
Assumed office
10 January 2022
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byAnkie Broekers-Knol
Senator of the Netherlands
In office
11 June 2019 – 10 January 2022
Mayor of Amsterdam
Ad interim
In office
26 October 2017 – 4 December 2017
Preceded byKajsa Ollongren (ad interim)
Succeeded byJozias van Aartsen (acting)
Personal details
Born (1965-10-09) 9 October 1965
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Political partyPeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD)
Residence(s)Amsterdam, Netherlands

Early life and education

Van der Burg was born in Amsterdam, North Holland, but spent his childhood in Friesland. He later moved back to Amsterdam, where he currently resides. Van der Burg attended the secondary school Augustinus College, where he completed the VWO programme. After graduating, he studied law at the Free University of Amsterdam from 1984 to 1991, but did not obtain a degree.[1][2]

Early career

Van der Burg began his political career in 1987, when he served as a district councillor in the Amsterdam district of Zuidoost. In 2001, Van der Burg became a member of the municipal council of Amsterdam, and remained in that role until 2010.

From 2014 to 2019, Van der Burg served two terms as an alderman. His portfolio included health, sport, spatial planning, airports and the district Zuidoost. In 2017, Van der Burg replaced Kajsa Ollongren as acting Mayor of Amsterdam for three months.[2][3][4]

Senate

In June 2019, Van der Burg was elected into the Senate of the States General of the Netherlands. While a member of the Senate, Van der Burg has served on several different committees. From December 2020 to February 2021, van der Berg served as the vice-chairman of the temporary Research Proposal Committee for a parliamentary inquiry into discrimination in the Netherlands. The committee's proposal for an inquiry was accepted, and Van der Burg subsequently served as vice-chairman of the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee on Discrimination in the Netherlands.[1][4]

State Secretary for Justice and Security

On 10 January 2022, Van der Burg joined the fourth Rutte cabinet as State Secretary for Justice and Security. While on foreign business, he is allowed to use the title "Minister for Migration".

During Van der Burg’s time in office, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović warned the Netherlands in 2022 that it is failing to uphold the most basic rights for asylum seekers arriving in the country.[5] When the Christian Union opposed his party’s proposal to create a two-tier system for asylum seekers, with people under threat of persecution granted more rights than those fleeing war zones, and to cap the number of family members who could join refugees in the second category at 200 per year, Van der Burg reportedly proposed a compromise by making the family reunification rule an “emergency brake” which would only be triggered if the country’s migration facilities were at risk of becoming overcrowded.[6] Shortly after, the coalition government was dissolved.[7]

References
  1. "E. van der Burg (VVD)". Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal (in Dutch). Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  2. "Eric van der Burg" (in Dutch). VVD. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  3. "Eric van der Burg". European Utility Week. 2017-09-28. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  4. "E. (Eric) van der Burg". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  5. Charlotte Van Campenhout (2 September 2022), Dutch failing to give basic care to asylum seekers - human rights body Reuters.
  6. Eline Schaart (7 July 2023), Dutch government falls as ministers clash over migration Politico Europe.
  7. Eline Schaart (7 July 2023), Dutch government falls as ministers clash over migration Politico Europe.
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