# Willemijn Aerdts

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Willemijn_Aerdts
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Willemijn_Aerdts.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willemijn_Aerdts
> Source revision: 1345404838
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Dutch politician (born 1983)

Willemijn Aerdts Aerdts in 2026 State Secretary for the Digital Economy and Digital Sovereignty Incumbent Assumed office 23 February 2026 Member of the Senate In office 13 June 2023 – 23 February 2026 Personal details Born Wilhelmina Johanna Maria Aerdts 21 April 1983 (1983-04-21) (age 43) Party Democrats 66 Alma mater Utrecht University Leiden University Occupation Politician academic

**Wilhelmina Johanna Maria** "**Willemijn**" **Aerdts** (born 21 April 1983) is a Dutch academic and politician of the [Democrats 66](/source/Democrats_66) (D66), who has served as [State Secretary for the Digital Economy and Digital Sovereignty](/source/List_of_ministers_of_economic_affairs_of_the_Netherlands#List_of_state_secretaries_for_economic_affairs) in the [Jetten cabinet](/source/Jetten_cabinet) since 23 February 2026. She previously served as a member of the [Senate](/source/Senate_(Netherlands)) between 2023 and 2026, and was a lecturer and researcher at the [Institute of Security and Global Affairs](/source/Campus_The_Hague#Institute_of_Security_and_Global_Affairs) of [Leiden University](/source/Leiden_University).

## Career

### Academic career

Aerdts obtained her master's degree in International Relations in Historical Perspective from [Utrecht University](/source/Utrecht_University) and subsequently obtained an LLM in International Public Law.[1] At [Leiden University](/source/Leiden_University), she worked on her [PhD](/source/PhD) on the supervision of the [Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service](/source/Dutch_Military_Intelligence_and_Security_Service) and the [AIVD](/source/General_Intelligence_and_Security_Service).[2] In May 2023, her book *Diensten met geheimen* ('Services with secrets') was published.[3]

### Political career

Between 2021 and 2023, Aerdts was the chair of the Els Borst Network, the [women's wing](/source/Women's_wing) of D66.[4] She was placed second on the party's [candidate list](/source/List_of_Democrats_66_candidates_in_the_2023_Dutch_Senate_election) for the [2023 Senate election](/source/2023_Dutch_Senate_election).[5] After being elected, she has been a member of the [Senate](/source/Senate_(Netherlands)) since 13 June 2023.[6]

In February 2026, she was nominated for the position of State Secretary for the Digital Economy and Digital Sovereignty in the [Jetten cabinet](/source/Jetten_cabinet). She was sworn in on 23 February 2026.

## Bibliography

- *Diensten met geheimen: Hoe de AIVD en MIVD Nederland veilig houden* (2023)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Over Willemijn Aerdts"](https://willemijnaerdts.nl/about/over-mij). *Willemijn Aerdts* (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-06-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Expert AIVD: 'Wel degelijk dreiging vanuit Cornelius Haga Lyceum'"](https://www.ad.nl/amsterdam/expert-aivd-wel-degelijk-dreiging-vanuit-cornelius-haga-lyceum~aa5d284f/162124071/). [Algemeen Dagblad](/source/Algemeen_Dagblad). 7 December 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Diensten met geheimen"](https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/agenda/2023/05/diensten-met-geheimen). [Universiteit Leiden](/source/Universiteit_Leiden). Retrieved 2023-06-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Willemijn Aerdts"](https://d66.nl/mensen/willemijn-aerdts/). D66. Retrieved 2023-06-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Kandidaten Eerste Kamer"](https://d66.nl/nieuws/kandidaten-eerste-kamer/). *D66*. 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2023-06-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Mr.drs. W.J.M. (Willemijn) Aerdts"](https://www.parlement.com/id/vlzlc88ke84g/w_j_m_willemijn_aerdts). *Parlement.com* (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-06-19.

## External links

- [Leiden University profile](https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/willemijn-aerdts)

- [Parlement.com profile](https://www.parlement.com/id/vlzlc88ke84g/w_j_m_willemijn_aerdts)

v t e Jetten cabinet (2026–present) Ministers General Affairs Rob Jetten (2026–present; Prime Minister) Foreign Affairs Tom Berendsen (2026–present) Justice and Security David van Weel (2026–present) Interior and Kingdom Relations Pieter Heerma (2026–present) Education, Culture and Science Rianne Letschert (2026–present) Finance Eelco Heinen (2026–present) Defence Dilan Yeşilgöz (2026–present; Deputy Prime Minister 2026–present) Infrastructure and Water Management Vincent Karremans (2026–present) Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Heleen Herbert (2026–present) Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature Jaimi van Essen (2026–present) Social Affairs and Employment Hans Vijlbrief (2026–present) Health, Welfare and Sport Sophie Hermans (2026–present) Ministers without portfolio Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (2026–present) Asylum and Migration Bart van den Brink (2026–present; Deputy Prime Minister 2026–present) Housing and Spatial Planning Elanor Boekholt-O'Sullivan (2026–present) Climate Policy and Green Growth Stientje van Veldhoven (2026–present) Work and Participation Thierry Aartsen (2026–present) Long-term Care, Youth and Sport Mirjam Sterk (2026–present) State Secretaries Justice and Security Claudia van Bruggen (2026–present) Interior and Kingdom Relations Eric van der Burg (2026–present) Education, Culture and Science Judith Tielen (2026–present) Finance Eelco Eerenberg (2026–present) Sandra Palmen (2026–present) Defence Derk Boswijk (2026–present) Infrastructure and Water Management Annet Bertram (2026–present) Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Willemijn Aerdts (2026–present) Jo-Annes de Bat (2026–present) Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature Silvio Erkens (2026–present) Preceded by: Schoof cabinet

v t e Members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2023–2027 Senate 13 June 2023 – present GroenLinks–Labour Party 14 seats Rosenmöller (leader) Crone Fiers Van Gurp Janssen-van Helvoort Karimi Kluit-Sledsens Martens Ramsodit Recourt Roovers Thijssen Veldhoen Vos (president, 2025–present) Farmer–Citizen Movement 12 seats Lagas (leader) Croll Goossen Griffioen Heijnen Jaspers Klopman Van Knapen Kroon Van Langen-Visbeek Lievense Marquart Scholtz Oplaat Panman Van Wijk Walenkamp People's Party for Freedom and Dem. 9 seats Schippers (leader, 2023–2025) Klip-Martin (leader, 2025–present) Van Ballekom Van den Berg Bruijn (president, 2023–2025) Geerdink Kaljouw Van der Linden Meijer Musa Petersen Van de Sanden Straus Vogels Democrats 66 7 seats Van Meenen (leader) Aerdts Belhirch Croll Dittrich Griffioen Kanis Kilic-Karaasian Moonen Christian Democratic Appeal 6 seats Bovens (leader) Bakker-Klein Doornhof Prins-Modderaar Rietkerk Van Toorenburg Party for Freedom 4 seats Faber-van de Klashorst (leader, 2023–2024) Van Hattem (leader, 2024–present) Bezaan Van Kesteren Van Strien JA21 2 seats Nanninga (leader, 2023–2025) Van Bijsterveld (leader, 2025–present) Baumgarten Socialist Party 3 seats Janssen (leader) Van Aelst-den Uijl Van Apeldoorn Kox Christian Union 3 seats Huizinga-Heringa (leader) Holterhues Talsma Forum for Democracy 3 seats Dessing (leader) Kemperman Van den Oetelaar Party for the Animals (de jure) 2 seats Koffeman (leader, 2023–2025) Visseren-Hamakers (leader, 2025) Nicolaï (leader, 2025–present) Volt 2 seats Perin-Gopie (leader) Hartog Reformed Political Party 2 seats Schalk (leader) Van Dijk De Vries 50Plus 1 seat Van Rooijen (leader) Independent Politics Netherlands 1 seat Van der Goot (leader) Beukering Group 1 seat Beukering (leader) Van de Sanden Group 1 seat Van de Sanden (leader) Visseren-Hamakers Group 1 seat Visseren-Hamakers (leader) Walenkamp Group 1 seat Walenkamp (leader) Van Gasteren Group 1 seat Van Gasteren (leader) See also: Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2021–2023 2023–2025 2025–present

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Willemijn Aerdts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willemijn_Aerdts) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willemijn_Aerdts?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.