Maria Cornelia Frederika "Rita" Verdonk is a retired Dutch politician.
Verdonk was a leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy for some time, and later founded a new party, Proud of the Netherlands . In 2011 she retired from politics. She earlier served as Minister for Integration and Immigration in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III. During her time as Minister for Integration and Immigration, she was considered to be the most powerful and influential Minister of the Cabinets Balkenende II and III. In 2006 after the Minister of Justice Piet Hein Donner resigned following a Netherlands Safety Board enquiry into a fire at a cell block near Schiphol Airport, she served as Minister of Justice from 21 September 2006 until 22 September 2006.
After the Dutch general election of 2006, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy lost seats. It became the leading Opposition party against the Cabinet Balkenende IV. Verdonk was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives, but after continuing disagreement with Party leader Mark Rutte, she was expelled from the parliamentary faction of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy on 13 September 2007. One month later she cancelled her membership, after a reconciliation attempt failed and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy party board initiated a procedure of exclusion.
In October 2007, she announced the creation of her own political movement, Proud of the Netherlands . She was the Lijsttrekker of the Proud of the Netherlands party for the Dutch general election of 2010, but did not win any seats. On 21 October 2011 she announced her retirement from politics.
The Proud of the Netherlands party eventually merged with the Independent Citizens' Party of Hero Brinkman to form the new Democratic Political Turning Point party. This party was described as filling a gap on the political right.
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18. October 1955
