Incoming State Secretary Eddie van Marum.
THE HAGUE--Eddie van Marum of the farmers’ party BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) has been nominated by the outgoing Schoof Cabinet to succeed Zsolt Szabó as State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitisation. Szabó stepped down from the post in the first week of June.
Van Marum currently holds the position of State Secretary for Groningen Recovery. Until his formal appointment is finalised, the Kingdom Relations portfolio will remain under the temporary oversight of Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Judith Uitermark.
Born in Groningen on May 25, 1968, Van Marum has had a notably diverse professional background. His career has included roles as a muskrat exterminator, dairy farmer, livestock caretaker, meadow bird coordinator, and funeral director. Prior to his appointment as State Secretary for Groningen Recovery on July 2, 2024, he briefly served as a member of the Groningen Provincial Council.
Despite his broad life experience, Van Marum has no known prior involvement with the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom – a fact that has raised questions among observers about how he will approach the complex and often delicate dynamics between the Netherlands and its Caribbean counterparts: Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten.
His formal transfer to the Kingdom Relations portfolio is expected once the official vetting process for cabinet appointments is completed.
