One in ten MPs is UG alumnus

One in ten MPs is UG alumnus

If you’re dreaming of a future as an elected representative, a diploma from the UG can only help. One in ten members of the current Lower House graduated from this university.

12 April om 17:31 uur.
Laatst gewijzigd op 12 April 2021
om 17:32 uur.

April 12 at 17:31 PM.
Last modified on April 12, 2021
at 17:32 PM.

Door Thijs Fens

12 April om 17:31 uur.
Laatst gewijzigd op 12 April 2021
om 17:32 uur.

By Thijs Fens

April 12 at 17:31 PM.
Last modified on April 12, 2021
at 17:32 PM.

Thijs Fens

Freelancejournalist Volledig bio Freelance journalist Full bio

‘Isn’t that the best trivia?’ says Remco Kouwenhoven, head of alumni relations at the UG. ‘There are twelve universities and not nearly every MP has a university degree, which means 10 percent is higher than the average. We’re really happy about it.’

The 150 new members of the Lower House aren’t an exception: the UG has always had a lot of MPs and staff among its alumni, says Kouwenhoven. ‘We’re nicely represented, which means we’ve made a sizeable contribution to governing the nation.’

Ten women

Remarkably, of the fifteen alumni currently in the House, ten are women. ‘That’s a great ratio.’ The most well-known MP among them is number 2 on the list at SP, Renske Leijten, who worked with CDA’s Pieter Omtzigt on the child allowance scandal.  

The alumni in the House come from various faculties and are evenly distributed across political parties. ‘From business administration to archaeology, and from the PVV to the Animal Rights Party.’ However, there’s no one from the really scientific departments, while law and international relations are very well-represented, with three alumni each.

‘The fifteen MPs were almost sixteen, by the way’, says Kouwenhoven. Harry van der Molen, CDA MP, studied communication and information sciences at the UG from 2004 to 2006, but did not graduate.

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