Political career
Van Hijum studied civil engineering management at the University of Twente,and he served in the municipal council of Zwolle between 1998 and 2003. [1] [2] As a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal,he was a member of the House of Representatives from 2 September 2003 until 11 November 2014. He focused on matters of social security,income policy,dismissal law,labor participation policy and day care. He was invested as a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau upon his departure from the House. [3]
Between 12 November 2014 and 12 July 2023,Van Hijum served as member of the provincial executive of Overijssel. He held the portfolio of Economy,Energy and Innovation. [4] In the House of Representatives he was replaced by Martijn van Helvert. [5] He served in the States of Overijssel from 26 March 2015 to 20 May 2015. [2]
In August 2023,Van Hijum announced that he had joined New Social Contract (NSC),the political party founded by fellow former CDA member Pieter Omtzigt,and would head the committee responsible for writing the party's manifesto ahead of the 2023 general election. [6] Following his election to the House,Van Hijum assisted Omtzigt in talks to form a new governing coalition. [7] He served as the NSC's spokesperson for finances and monetary policy,and he proposed the creation of a budget review body that would advise the House,similar to the American Congressional Budget Office. [8] [9]
Minister of Social Affairs and Employment
After the PVV,VVD,NSC,and BBB formed the Schoof cabinet,Van Hijum was sworn in as Third Deputy Prime Minister and as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment on 2 July 2024. In the latter position,he succeeded Karien van Gennip. [1] [10]
Van Hijum was tasked with facilitating talks between unions and employers' associations to create a permanent early retirement scheme for workers in physically demanding occupations. A temporary scheme neared expiration,and earlier negotiations about its extension had stalled. [11] Unions organized strikes,and they rejected Van Hijum's initial proposal,which included €250 in additional tax-favorable monthly payments to bridge the three years until retirement,a maximum yearly income,and a cap on the amount of participants. [12] An agreement was reached in October 2024 on a scheme that was described as more generous than its predecessor. It offered up to €300 in additional payments,and it did not include an income cap. While aiming to keep new participants below 15,000 annually,no strict limit was set,and sectors would have to define physically demanding occupations in collective bargaining agreements. [13] [14]
In September 2024, EenVandaag and the Algemeen Dagblad revealed that spot checks within the Employee Insurance Agency [ nl ] (UWV) had shown that a significant portion of occupational disability benefit recipients had received either too high or too low payments. The reporting concluded that the organization's leadership had ignored these signals since at least 2020 and that quality control had been scaled back instead. The UWV disclosed that 25,000–50,000 of the 200,000 recipients were affected,and Van Hijum pledged to establish a new department to oversee the rectification process. A similar scandal concerning childcare benefits had resulted in the resignation of the third Rutte cabinet in 2022. [15] [16] [17]
Minister of Health,Welfare and Sport and return to the House
After the PVV quit the Schoof cabinet Eddy van Hijum was temporarily appointed Minister of Health,Welfare and Sport combining this with his tasks as Minister for Social Affairs and Employment. [18] After two weeks of discussions between the remaining coalition partners VVD,NSC and BBB Daniëlle Jansen (NSC) was appointed as his permanent successor on the 19th of June 2025. [19] Van Hijum resigned on 22 August 2025,when NSC left the Schoof cabinet,and he was sworn into the House of Representatives on 2 September. [2] His term ended on 11 November 2025,following a general election. [20]
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