Cornelia Johanna "Carola" Schouten (born 6 October 1977) is a Dutch politician affiliated with the ChristianUnion. She has served in senior government posts, including ministerial responsibilities and as a Deputy Prime Minister. Schouten is known for combining a rural background with a focus on social policy, agriculture and pension matters.

Early life and education

Schouten was born in 's-Hertogenbosch and raised on a family farm in the village of Giessen, in the Land of Heusden and Altena in northern North Brabant. Her upbringing on a farm shaped an early interest in agricultural and rural issues. She studied business administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam, after which she worked in public administration, including at the Ministry of Social Affairs, and later as an assistant to the parliamentary group of the ChristianUnion.

Political career and parliamentary work

Schouten was elected to the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) in 2011, representing the ChristianUnion. In parliament she worked on social and economic dossiers, building a reputation for practical policy proposals and coalition negotiation skills. She played an active role in national coalition negotiations following elections, including major talks in 2012 and 2017.

Ministerial roles

In the cabinet formed in 2017, Schouten became Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and was appointed third Deputy Prime Minister in the Third Rutte cabinet (Rutte III). Her ministerial portfolio combined agriculture, environmental stewardship, and food policy. From January 2022 she took on the portfolio of Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions, while continuing as a Deputy Prime Minister in the subsequent cabinet.

Policy focus and responsibilities

  • Rural and agricultural policy: balancing farm viability, nature conservation and animal welfare.
  • Social inclusion and poverty policy: addressing material deprivation and facilitating participation in the labor market.
  • Pensions and long-term financial security: overseeing pension-related reform and coordination with social partners.
  • Coalition and negotiation: working across party lines in multi-party cabinets to reach compromises on complex dossiers.

Her approach is often described as pragmatic and shaped by both her faith tradition and experience with agricultural communities. As a member of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated), she brings a values-oriented voice to debates on social policy.

Personal life and notable facts

Schouten is single and has one child. Her rural background continues to inform her public image and priorities. Observers note that she is one of the more prominent politicians from the ChristianUnion to hold high-level cabinet positions, and her career demonstrates the party's influence on both social and environmental policy in the Netherlands.

For more detailed profiles and official documentation, see party pages and government releases: ChristianUnion information, her birthplace entry 's-Hertogenbosch, village context Giessen, provincial background North Brabant, academic affiliation Erasmus University Rotterdam, and cabinet details Rutte III.