Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen (; born 14 September 1956) is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and historian. Verhagen studied Contemporary history at the Leiden University obtaining a Master of Arts degree. Verhagen worked as a political consultant and campaign manager for the Christian Democratic Appeal from February 1986 until July 1989. After the European Parliamentary election of 1989 Verhagen was elected as a Member of the European Parliament on 25 July 1989. After the election of 1994 Verhagen was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives on 17 May 1994 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Foreign and European Affairs. After the election of 2002 Party Leader and Parliamentary leader Jan Peter Balkenende became Prime Minister and Verhagen was selected as his successor as Parliamentary leader on 11 July 2002. After the election of 2003 Verhagen continued as Parliamentary leader. After the election of 2006 Verhagen was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet Balkenende IV taking office on 22 February 2007. The Cabinet Balkenende IV fell exactly 3 years into its term and Verhagen took over as Minister for Development Cooperation taking office on 23 February 2010. Shortly after the election of 2010 Balkenende announced he was stepping down as Party Leader and Verhagen was anonymously selected as his successor on 9 June 2010. After the election Verhagen returned to the House of Representatives as Parliamentary leader on 17 June 2010 and following a successful cabinet formation with Liberal Leader Mark Rutte formed the Cabinet Rutte I with Verhagen appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation taking office on 14 October 2010. The Cabinet Rutte I fell 18 months into its term and shortly thereafter Verhagen unexpectedly announced his retirement and that he wouldn't stand for the election of 2012. Verhagen retired from active politics at 56 and became active in the private and public sectors as a corporate and non-profit director, and works as a trade association executive serving as Chairman of the Construction association since July 2013 and became a Member of the Social and Economic Council for the Industry and Employers confederation (VNO-NCW) in October 2015. Early life and education Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen was born on 14 September 1956 in Maastricht in the Netherlands Province of Limburg in a Roman Catholic family. He studied at Leiden University where