THE HAGUE – Eddie van Marum from the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) party has been appointed by the Schoof cabinet as the successor to Zsolt Szabó, who resigned last week as State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalization. Van Marum currently serves as State Secretary for Groningen Recovery. 

At present, the Kingdom Relations portfolio is temporarily managed by Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Judith Uitermark. Once the vetting process for new ministers and state secretaries is complete, Van Marum will officially take over the responsibilities. 

Born on May 25, 1968, in Groningen, Eddie van Marum has had a varied career. His professional background includes roles such as muskrat exterminator, dairy farmer and livestock caretaker, meadow bird coordinator, and funeral director. Before his appointment as State Secretary on July 2 last year, he briefly served as a member of the provincial council in Groningen. 

Despite his diverse experience, Van Marum appears to have limited or no prior connection to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, raising questions about how he will engage with issues related to these territories.