In March 2003, she was elected to the States-Provincial of North Holland, as a member of the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF). On 17 October 2003, she said had lost confidence in the governing board of the Pim Fortuyn List with two other State members of the LPF. In 2004, she left the party, because of dissatisfaction with the continuing internal dispute. She continued as a member of the States-Provincial as an Independent. In 2004, she was a founding member of the Forza! Nederland party alongside former Pim Fortuyn List States-Provincial representative Paul Meijer, however she left shortly after its founding to join the Party for Freedom. In this same year, she was also noted as being active on the neo-Nazi internet forum Stormfront which uses the slogan "White Pride World Wide."[3]
After the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB formed the Schoof cabinet, Agema was sworn in as First Deputy Prime Minister and as Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport on 2 July 2024.[1][6] Responding to personnel shortages in the healthcare sector, she said that they could largely be resolved through new artificial intelligence technologies, and she indicated that she would introduce legislation to allow their usage.[7] The governing agreement of the Schoof cabinet clarified it aims to halve time spent on administrative tasks by healthcare workers. It also included a reduction of the minimum health insurancedeductible from €385 to €165 starting in 2027.[8]
Agema advised against a motion to ban private equity firms from investing in the healthcare sector that received support from the PVV. She had been critical of the practice as a member of parliament, but she now said that legal hurdles existed and that such financing can be beneficial.[9] The House of Representatives urged Agema to prevent the closure of the emergency department and intensive care unit at Heerlen's Zuyderland Hospital [nl], but she was unsuccessful despite the coalition agreement's commitment to retaining local hospitals.[10]
Agema was tasked with extending the Integral Care Agreement, established in 2022 to maintain affordable and accessible healthcare for an ageing population. A revised agreement was planned for January 2024.[11] However, municipalities pulled out of the agreement in November 2024, citing insufficient funding.[12] When an alliance of coalition and opposition parties agreed two weeks later to cut the healthcare budget by an additional €315 million, five more professional and trade associations pulled out. Agema expressed concern over the cuts, particularly those affecting additional and refresher training for medical specialist care.[11] The negotiating parties stated that it had not been their intention to affect training for nurses, and they called on Agema to find an alternative cut in the healthcare budget.[13]
Personal life
In December 2012, Agema announced that she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.[14]
Agema went on maternity leave on 13 January 2015 and was replaced by Karen Gerbrands.[15] On 17 February 2015, she gave birth to a daughter with Léon de Jong.[16]
^"Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2010" [Results 2010 general election] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 16 June 2010. pp. 30–31. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
^"Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2012" [Results 2012 general election] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 17 September 2012. pp. 60–61. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
Underline signifies the parliamentary leader (first mentioned) and the Speaker Angle brackets signify a replacement member or a member who prematurely left this House of Representatives
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