Sharon Alida Maria Dijksma (born 16 April 1971) is a Dutch politician serving as Mayor of Utrecht since 2020. A member of the Labour Party (PvdA), she was previously a State Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science from 2007 to 2010, at the Ministry of Economic Affairs from 2012 to 2015 and at the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment from 2015 to 2017, as well as an alderwoman of Amsterdam from 2018 until 2020.

Sharon Dijksma
Dijksma in 2015
Mayor of Utrecht
Assumed office
16 December 2020
Preceded byPeter den Oudsten (Acting)
State Secretary for Infrastructure
and the Environment
In office
3 November 2015 – 26 October 2017
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byWilma Mansveld
Succeeded byStientje van Veldhoven
(as State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management)
State Secretary for Economic Affairs
In office
18 December 2012 – 3 November 2015
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byCo Verdaas
Succeeded byMartijn van Dam
State Secretary for Education,
Culture and Science
In office
22 February 2007 – 23 February 2010
Prime MinisterJan Peter Balkenende
Preceded byBruno Bruins
Succeeded byMarja van Bijsterveldt
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
23 March 2017 – 1 June 2018
In office
8 May 2012 – 20 September 2012
In office
17 June 2010 – 17 January 2012
In office
17 May 1994 – 22 February 2007
Personal details
Born
Sharon Alida Maria Dijksma

(1971-04-16) 16 April 1971 (age 53)
Groningen, Netherlands
Political partyLabour Party (since 1988)
Children1 son and 2 daughters[1]
ResidenceUtrecht
OccupationPolitician

Dijksma was the President of the Environment Council of the European Union who, together with the Vice-President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič, signed the Paris Agreement on behalf of Europe in New York on 21 April 2016.[2]

Early life and education

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Dijksma studied law at the University of Groningen and public administration at the University of Twente but did not finish her studies.

Career

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In 1991 Dijksma became secretary general of the Young Socialists. From 1992 to 1994 she was chairwoman of the Young Socialists (Jonge Socialisten).

When, on 16 May 1994, Dijksma became an MP, her age was 23 and she was the youngest MP ever in Dutch parliamentarian history. From 1994 to 2007, she was a member of the House of Representatives.

Dijksma was the State secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the Fourth Balkenende cabinet from 2007 to 2010.

From 3 November 2015 until 26 October 2017 Dijksma was the State secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment succeeding to Wilma Mansveld who resigned from the position;[3] from 18 December 2012 to 3 November 2015 she was the State secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, dealing with agriculture, nature, food quality, tourism, and postal affairs. Therefore, Dijksma was allowed to use the ministerial title "Minister for Agriculture" while on foreign business. Before that she was an MP from 17 June 2010 to 19 September 2012. She focused on matters of traffic, water management and home affairs.

Dijksma was a member of the House of Representatives from 23 March 2017 until 30 May 2018.

In 2023, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Dijksma to his Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments.[4]

Decorations

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Honours
Ribbon bar Honour Country Date Comment
  Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 3 December 2010

References

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  1. ^ Kerstens, Bonne (23 December 2019). "Sharon Dijksma (48) bevallen van dochter: 'Dankbaar voor dit prachtige cadeautje'" [Sharon Dijksma (48) gives birth to daughter: "Thankful for this wonderful gift"]. Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch).
  2. ^ "Paris Agreement on climate change". www.consilium.europa.eu. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Sharon Dijksma vanavond beëdigd als staatssecretaris van Infrastructuur en Milieu" (in Dutch). RTV Oost. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  4. ^ Local and Regional Engagement, Action and Multi-Level Cooperation Are Vital to Rescue SDGs and Contribute to Topics under the Summit of Future United Nations, press release of 6 October 2023.
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Official
Political offices
Preceded by State Secretary for Education,
Culture and Science

2007–2010
Served alongside: Marja van Bijsterveldt
Succeeded by
Preceded by State Secretary for Economic Affairs
2012–2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by State Secretary for Infrastructure
and the Environment

2015–2017
Succeeded by
Stientje van Veldhoven
as State Secretary for Infrastructure
and Water Management
Preceded by Mayor of Utrecht
2020–present
Incumbent