Gerd Leers

Minister for Immigration, Integration and Asylum Policy

On 14 October 2010, Gerd Leers was appointed Minister for Immigration and Asylum Policy in the Rutte-Verhagen government. On December 16th 2011 the topic of Integration was added to his duties.

Personal details

Full name: Gerardus Bernardus Maria Leers
Place and date of birth: Kerkrade, 12 July 1951
Place of residence: Maastricht
Civil status: married, three children

Education

1969: Secondary school, Roermond
1969-1975: Town and Country Planning and Land Use Economics, University of Nijmegen

Career

Gerd Leers started his career in 1976 on the staff of the Economic and Technological Institute for North Brabant (ETIN). From 1980 to 1981 he worked for Polyzathe/Pakhoed Rotterdam, as regional manager of market research. He was policy officer for socioeconomic affairs for the province of North Brabant from 1981 to 1985.

In 1985 he was appointed secretary of the Brabant Development Company and was its interim manager from 1988 to 1989. In 1989 he established SocCon Sovjet Consultants BV in Velthoven, and was managing director of this company until 1991. From 1982 to 1990 he was leader of the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA) group in the municipal council of Goirle, North Brabant.

On 4 September 1990, Gerd Leers became a member of the House of Representatives for the CDA. From February 2002 to March 2010 he was Mayor of Maastricht. Up to his appointment, Mr Leers was an independent entrepreneur, and a member of the public speakers' network Sprekersbureau Assemblee in Maastricht.

On 14 October 2010, Gerd Leers was appointed Minister for Immigration and Asylum in the Rutte-Verhagen government.

Party political positions and other activities

The positions Mr Leers has held include:

Member of the executive committee of the North Brabant district of the CDA (1978-1982)
Chair of KATINS, an organisation providing lodgings for the children of barge operators and fairground workers (1995-2000)
Chair of the national consultative committee of public transport consumer organisations (2002-2010)
Deputy chair, Efteling Nature Park (since 2007)
Ambassador of the Dutch Cultural Landscape Association
Chair of the NPS broadcasting company (from 2008)
Chair of the committee investigating fraud with qualifications at the InHolland institution for higher professional education (2010)