Edith Schippers

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Edith Schippers

| image = Edith Schippers 2015 (1).jpg

| caption = Schippers in 2015

| office = Leader of the VVD in the Senate

| term_start = 4 July 2023

| term_end = 31 December 2024

| successor = {{ill|Tanja Klip-Martin|nl}}

| predecessor = Annemarie Jorritsma

| office1 = Member of the Senate

| term_start1 = 4 July 2023

| term_end1 = 13 January 2025

| successor1 = Marjolein van der Linden

| office2 = Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport

| term_start2 = 14 October 2010

| term_end2 = 26 October 2017

| primeminister2 = Mark Rutte

| predecessor2 = Ab Klink

| successor2 = Hugo de Jonge

| office3 = Member of the House of Representatives

| term_start3 = 20 September 2012

| term_end3 = 5 November 2012

| term_start4 = 3 June 2003

| term_end4 = 14 October 2010

| birthname = Edith Ingeborg Schippers

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|08|25|df=y}}

| birth_place = Utrecht, Netherlands

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (from 1991)

| spouse = {{marriage|Sander Speijker|1995}}

| children = 1 daughter

| residence = Baarn, Netherlands

| alma_mater = Leiden University
(Bachelor of Social Science, Master of Social Science)

| occupation = Politician · Businesswoman · Political consultant · Corporate director · Nonprofit director

| signature =

| website =

}}

Edith Ingeborg Schippers (born 25 August 1964) is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and businesswoman who served as President of DSM Netherlands between 2019 and 2023.

Schippers, a political consultant by occupation, worked for the Industry and Employers Confederation from 1997 until 2003. Schippers became a member of the House of Representatives shortly after the 2003 general election taking office on 3 June 2003, serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for health, deputy spokesperson for employment and as deputy parliamentary leader. After the 2010 general election, Schippers was appointed as Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport in the Rutte I cabinet taking office on 14 October 2010. Following the 2012 general election, she returned to the House of Representatives serving from 20 September 2012 until 5 November 2012, when she continued as Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport in the Rutte II cabinet. In May 2017, Schippers announced her retirement from national politics and did not stand for the 2017 general election; she left office upon the installation of the Rutte III cabinet on 26 October 2017.

Schippers retired after spending 14 years in national politics and became active in the private sector, as a corporate director for DSM Netherlands. For the 2023 Senate election, she returned to politics as VVD lead candidate. She was elected, but she left the Senate in January 2025 to become CEO of pharmaceutical wholesaler Mosadex.

Early life

Schippers was born in Utrecht,{{cite web|url=http://www.parlement.com/id/vge7dtpnx6zy/e_i_edith_schippers |title=Drs. E.I. (Edith) Schippers - Parlement & Politiek |publisher=Parlement.com |access-date=2014-02-08}} but spent her years attending primary school in Dordrecht.[http://www.vvdkamerleden.nl/main3.aspx?site=11&id=02020000000000] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518214859/http://www.vvdkamerleden.nl/main3.aspx?site=11&id=02020000000000|date=May 18, 2013}} At the age of 12, she moved to Wachtum in Drenthe.

Edith Schippers' alma mater is Leiden University, where she studied political science from 1985 till 1991. She also spent half a year studying at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India in 1990.

In 1993, Schippers became personal assistant to member of parliament Dick Dees. She served in this position until 1994, after which she became a staff member of the VVD parliamentary fraction dealing with healthcare, welfare and sports. After that, Schippers found employment at employers' organisation VNO-NCW. From 1997 until 2001, her portfolio as secretary for VNO-CNW included healthcare and the labour market and from 2001 until 2003 spatial planning.

Political career

File:Informal Meeting of Ministers of Health (26434161611).jpg

Schippers was elected into the House of Representatives in the 2003 general election and was sworn in on 3 June of that year. Geert Wilders became her mentor.{{cite web |url=http://www.ser.nl/nl/Publicaties/Overzicht%20SER%20Bulletin/2006/oktober%202006/04.aspx |title=SER |publisher=Ser.nl |access-date=2014-02-08 |archive-date=2014-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222133400/http://www.ser.nl/nl/Publicaties/Overzicht%20SER%20Bulletin/2006/oktober%202006/04.aspx |url-status=dead }} In 2006, she was elected as vice chairman of the VVD parliamentary party. Schippers considered this a great honour, but not her greatest success.

In 2010, she succeeded Ab Klink in becoming Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport in the first Rutte cabinet. She briefly returned to the House of Representatives after the 2012 general election, but left again when the continuation of her ministership in the second Rutte cabinet was confirmed.

As Minister of Health, Schippers was repeatedly accused of being a tobacco industry lobbyist, and was labeled "minister Tobacco", because she had ties to the tobacco industry and because she tried to revert the ban on smoking in bars and cafes.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_9fQRdAlWQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/L_9fQRdAlWQ |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Zembla: Minister of Tobacco |publisher=YouTube |date=2004-11-02 |access-date=2014-02-08}}{{cbignore}}[http://zembla.vara.nl/seizoenen/2011/afleveringen/21-10-2011/extras/minister-of-tabacco/ Minister of Tabacco] Zembla October 21, 2011[http://nos.nl/artikel/483216-felle-aanval-artsen-op-tabakslobby.html Felle aanval artsen tabakslobby] NOS March 11, 2013 She also overcame three motions of no confidence in the House of Representatives.

One was issued in 2012, for not adequately informing the States General about the costs of bringing the Olympics to the Netherlands.{{cite web|url=https://www.zorgvisie.nl/Personeel/Nieuws/2012/3/Schippers-overleeft-motie-van-wantrouwen-ZVS013621W/ | title=Motion against Schippers regarding costs of Dutch Olympics | publisher=zorgvisie|date=2012-03-28}} In the same year another motion of no confidence was issued against her and minister Henk Bleker, for the way they treated the issues surrounding Q-fever.{{cite web|url=http://www.nu.nl/politiek/2852498/thieme-dient-motie-van-wantrouwen-in-q-koorts.html| title=Motion of no confidence against Schippers regarding Q-fever| publisher=nu.nl| date=2012-07-05}} In 2013 a motion was issued regarding her actions with regards to fraud in the healthcare sector.{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalezorggids.nl/zorgpersoneel/nieuws/16530-motie-van-wantrouwen-tegen-schippers.html| publisher=nationalezorggids| title=Motion of no confidence against Schippers regarding fraud handling| date=2013-05-23}} In 2016 this issue regarding her actions with regards to fraud in the healthcare sector was investigated on a Dutch talkshow {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MTl6wzBZnU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/7MTl6wzBZnU |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live| publisher=VPRO| title=Investigation Schippers regarding fraud handling in the healthcare sector| date=2016-09-04}}{{cbignore}}

In March 2017, she announced she would not return in a new cabinet.{{cite news|url=https://www.trouw.nl/home/edith-schippers-keert-niet-terug-als-minister~a15bed66/ |title=Edith Schippers keert niet terug als minister |language=nl |newspaper=Trouw |date=20 March 2017 |access-date=13 May 2017}} On 26 October 2017, she was succeeded by Hugo de Jonge.{{Cite web |url = https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/regering/over-de-regering/kabinetten-sinds-1945/kabinet-rutte-iii |title = Kabinet-Rutte III (2017-2021) |website = Government of the Netherlands |trans-title = Third Rutte cabinet |language = nl |access-date = 4 January 2024 }}

Schippers briefly returned to the political scene following the 2017 general election, when Speaker Khadija Arib appointed Schippers as the so-called informateur, whose role is to explore possible governing alliances.Cynthia Kroet (March 16, 2017), [http://www.politico.eu/article/rutte-in-pole-position-as-dutch-consider-coalitions/ Rutte in pole position as Dutch consider coalitions] Politico Europe. In February 2018, she was speculated as a possible successor to the recently resigned Minister of Foreign Affairs Halbe Zijlstra, but she expressed that she was not available for another ministership, wanting instead to spend more time with her daughter.{{Cite web |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2218840-schippers-niet-naar-buitenlandse-zaken.html |title=Schippers niet naar Buitenlandse Zaken |website=NOS |date=22 February 2018 |language=nl |access-date=24 February 2018}}

Schippers was her party's lead candidate in the 2023 Senate election, and she won a seat. Under her leadership, the parliamentary group announced it would support the Dispersal Act, a bill intended to more fairly distribute asylum seekers across the Netherlands.{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/01/19/de-vvd-is-vleugellam-a4187520 |url-access = subscription |date = 19 January 2024 |last1 = Valk |first1 = Guus |last2 = De Koning |first2 = Petra |access-date = 19 January 2024 |language = nl |website = NRC |title = De VVD raakt steeds dieper verdeeld, en kan Dilan Yesilgöz nog íéts goed doen? |trans-title = The VVD is getting increasingly more divided; can Dilan Yeşilgöz do anything right? }} Her party had voted against the bill in the House of Representatives, and party leader Dilan Yeşilgöz had tried to prevent its treatment in the Senate.{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/01/16/vvd-fractie-is-toch-om-eerste-kamer-steunt-spreidingswet-a4187207 |url-access = subscription |date = 16 January 2024 |last = Al Ali |first = Wafa |access-date = 19 January 2024 |language = nl |website = NRC |title = Midden in formatiegesprekken over rechtse coalitie steunt een verdeelde VVD toch de spreidingswet |trans-title = Amidst ongoing formation talks for a right-wing coalition, a divided VVD will support the Dispersal Act after all }} Schippers stated that the political landscape had shifted since the House vote, citing a new majority supportive of measures to simultaneously reduce refugee arrivals.{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/01/18/schippers-stuurt-vvd-leden-brief-over-steun-spreidingswet-in-poging-onrust-te-sussen-a4187453 |url-access = subscription |date = 18 January 2024 |last = Marée |first = Koen |access-date = 19 January 2024 |language = nl |website = NRC |title = Schippers stuurt VVD-leden brief over steun spreidingswet in poging onrust te sussen |trans-title = Schippers writes letter to VVD member about support Dispersal Act to calm unrest }} She was appointed CEO of pharmaceutical wholesaler Mosadex, effective 1 January 2025. Schippers stepped down from the Senate on 13 January, unable to combine both roles, and she was succeeded as parliamentary leader by {{ill|Tanja Klip-Martin|nl}}.{{Cite news |url = https://www.trouw.nl/politiek/vvd-senator-schippers-verlaat-eerste-kamer-vanwege-hoge-werkdruk~be5bcbf1/ |url-access = subscription |date = 25 November 2024 |last = Van Buuren |first = Yara |access-date = 25 November 2024 |language = nl |website = Trouw |title = VVD-senator Schippers verlaat Eerste Kamer vanwege hoge werkdruk |trans-title = VVD Senator Schippers leaves Senate due to workload }}{{Cite press release |url = https://www.eerstekamer.nl/nieuws/20250114/van_der_linden_vvd_geinstalleerd |website = Senate |language = nl |access-date = 14 January 2025 |date = 14 January 2025 |title = Van der Linden (VVD) geïnstalleerd als Eerste Kamerlid |trans-title = Van der Linden (VVD) installed as senator }}

Personal life

Schippers is married to Sander Spijker,{{cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderspijker | title=Sander Spijker | publisher=LinkedIn|date=2016-09-15}} a project manager for P5COM who is specialised in profit improvement and cost reduction in the healthcare industry.{{cite web|url=http://www.p5com.org | title=P5COM | publisher=P5COM|date=2016-09-15}} They have one child, a daughter.

Literature

Versteegh, Kees (2021). [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Afke_Schaart&action=submit&veswitched=1 Schaduwleiders: rollen en invloeden van 'tweede mannen' in de politiek] (in Dutch). Boom. {{ISBN|978-90-5875-541-4}}.