Sandra Palmen
Sandra Palmen | |
|---|---|
| State Secretary for Benefits and Customs | |
| Assumed office 12 December 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Dick Schoof |
| Minister | Eelco Heinen |
| Preceded by | Nora Achahbar |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 6 December 2023 – 12 December 2024 | |
| Succeeded by | Ria de Korte |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 February 1972 Cuijk, Netherlands |
| Political party | New Social Contract |
| Alma mater | University of Leiden |
| Occupation |
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Sandra Palmen-Schlangen (born 17 February 1972) is a Dutch jurist, civil servant, and politician of New Social Contract (NSC). She was elected to the House of Representatives in the November 2023 general election. In December 2024, she left parliament to join the Schoof cabinet as State Secretary for Benefits and Customs, succeeding Nora Achahbar.
Early life and career
[edit]Palmen was born in 1972 in Cuijk, and she studied tax law at Leiden University.[1] She worked as a civil servant at the Ministry of Finance for 26 years.[2]
In March 2017, when she was a jurist at the Tax and Customs Administration, Palmen wrote an internal memo about childcare benefits recipients who had been wrongly accused of fraud starting in 2015. She called the organization's conduct "reprehensible", and she recommended victims to be compensated. The document, later dubbed the Palmen Memo, was ignored within the Tax and Customs Administration, but it received attention in 2020 after the media started uncovering the abuse. The childcare benefits scandal resulted in the resignation of the third Rutte cabinet in January 2021.[3][4][5][6] The memo was released in October 2020 ahead of the Parliamentary Interrogation on Childcare Benefits, during which Palmen testified.[6]
Next to her position at the Ministry of Finance, she became a judge ad hoc at the Administrative High Court in 2021.[3][1]
Politics
[edit]Palmen joined New Social Contract (NSC) when it was founded ahead of the November 2023 general election by Pieter Omtzigt, who had helped uncover the childcare benefits scandal. She was elected to the House of Representatives as the party's fifth candidate.[7][6] She cited the childcare benefits scandal as her motivation to enter politics, and she has advocated for a "government that serves the public interest and acts in service of society".[6] Palmen's portfolio in the House consisted of the interior, democracy, legal protection, and poverty.[8][9]
NSC supports the establishment of a constitutional court, and she has criticized the Netherlands's ban on judicial constitutional review. The governing coalition, including NSC, agreed to pursue the creation of such a court.[10] The House passed a motion by Palmen and Michiel van Nispen (SP) urging the government to adopt recommendations by Jos Silvis to seek legal advice from a range of law firms. Previously, the government had relied almost exclusively on the firm Pels Rijcken.[11] Palmen proposed several adjustments to the social safety net with Mohammed Mohandis (GL/PvdA) to simplify the system and to make it more forgiving to those in poverty.[10]
On 12 December 2024, she succeeded Nora Achahbar as State Secretary for Benefits and Customs in the Schoof cabinet following her resignation. Her portfolio includes the aftermath of the Dutch childcare benefits scandal and reforms to the benefits system. The cabinet aimed to finish the recovery operation for the scandal's victims by 2027 despite a slow pace of procedures.[12]
Personal life
[edit]As of 2024, Palmen lived in Leersum.[1]
Electoral history
[edit] |
| Year | Body | Party | Pos. | Votes | Result | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party seats | Individual | |||||||
| 2023 | House of Representatives | New Social Contract | 5 | 7,577 | 20 | Won | [7] | |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Hofs, Yvonne (5 December 2024). "Klokkenluider in toeslagenaffaire Sandra Palmen mag ouders nu als staatssecretaris bijstaan" [Whistle blower of childcare benefits scandal Sandra Palmen can now assist parents as state secretary]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ "NSC-Kamerlid Sandra Palmen nieuwe staatssecretaris Toeslagen" [NSC MP Sandra Palmen new State Secretary for Benefits and Customs]. Trouw (in Dutch). 5 December 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ a b Pelgrim, Christiaan (5 December 2024). "Ze verwierf faam in de Toeslagenaffaire, nu moet Sandra Palmen de taaie hersteloperatie gaan leiden" [She got fame during the childcare benefits scandal, now Sandra Palmen is tasked with leading the tough compensation scheme]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Berentsen, Laurens (5 December 2024). "NSC-Kamerlid Sandra Palmen nieuwe staatssecretaris van Toeslagen en Douane" [NSC MP Sandra Palmen new State Secretary for Beenefits and Customs]. Het Financieele Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Van Buuren, Yara (5 December 2024). "Uitgerekend Palmen (NSC) mag herstel toeslagaffaire leiden als staatssecretaris" [It will be Palmen (NSC) who will lead childcare benefits scandal compensation as state secretary]. Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Sandra Palmen, voorvechter slachtoffers toeslagenaffaire, nieuwe staatssecretaris" [Sandra Palmen, champion of victims childcare benefits scandal, new state secretary]. NOS (in Dutch). 5 December 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Proces-verbaal van de uitslag van de verkiezing van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 2023 d.d. 4 december 2023" [Report of the results of the election of the House of Representatives on 4 December 2023] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 4 December 2023. pp. 185–186. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "Woordvoerderschappen Nieuw Sociaal Contract" [New Social Contract spokespersonships] (PDF). New Social Contract (in Dutch). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 January 2024 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Tweede Kamerfractie" [House of Representatives group]. New Social Contract (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ a b Chaudron, Janne (25 March 2024). "Kamerleden Mohandis en Palmen strijden tegen armoede: 'Met vermogen moet je niet jojoën'" [MPs Mohandis and Palmen fight against poverty: 'You should not create amibguity about property']. Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ Mos, Bart; Van der Schoot, Edwin (26 November 2024). "Tweede Kamer zet exclusiviteit landsadvocaat verder op de tocht" [House of Representatives hangs exclusivity of government attorney further in the balance]. Het Financieele Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ^ Boon, José (15 December 2024). "Klokkenluider Palmen krijgt als staatssecretaris zware klus rond toeslagen" [Whistle-blower Palmen will have a difficult task as state secretary for benefits]. NU.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 December 2024.
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