Sophie Hermans

Sophia Theodora Monique "Sophie" Hermans (born 1 May 1981) is a Dutch politician currently serving as Second Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Climate and Green Growth in the Schoof cabinet. Hermans previously served as a member of the House of Representatives representing People's Party for Freedom and Democracy between 2017 and 2024.

Early life and education
Hermans is the daughter of former politician Loek Hermans.

She completed her vwo, studied political science in Amsterdam and completed postdoctoral courses at San Francisco State University and London Business School.

Career
Hermans's first job was as a consultant in Utrecht. She served as political assistant to Minister Stef Blok and Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Hermans entered on the House of Representatives on 23 March 2017, and she was her party's spokesperson for healthcare. She served as deputy parliamentary leader of the VVD. She acted as negotiator during the 2021-2022 cabinet formation. She became parliamentary leader on 11 January 2022, when Rutte resigned from the House to become Prime Minister in his new cabinet.

In June 2022, Hermans held a personal speech at the party congress. She denied owing her position to her father or her work as Rutte's assistant. During a subsequent debate, Geert Wilders (PVV) asked her how long she intended to remain Rutte's "bag bearer" (tassendrager). Hermans was moved by this remark. Speaker Vera Bergkamp asked Wilders to stay with the subject-matter. Hermans's response was met with the approval of the chamber, and several other parliamentary leaders condemned Wilders' comment.

In July 2023, in the aftermath of Prime Minister Mark Rutte's resignation from national politics and as leader of the VVD, Hermans declined to run to become the next Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. Following the November 2023 general election, she served as spokesperson for AIVD, medical ethics, and long-term care and as acting parliamentary leader of the VVD, while party leader Dilan Yeşilgöz was still demissionary Minister of Justice and Security. Alongside Eelco Heinen, Hermans assisted Yeşilgöz in talks to form a new governing coalition in 2023–24.

In June 2024, she was nominated to serve as Minister of Climate and Green Growth and as Deputy Prime Minister in the new Schoof cabinet. When past climate change denial by members of the fellow coalition party PVV was raised during her confirmation hearing, Hermans declared that she was committed to climate change mitigation and that she wanted to promote an optimistic message of green growth. On 2 July 2024, Hermans succeeded Minister for Climate and Energy Policy Rob Jetten.

Political positions
She opposed government efforts to ban laughing gas for recreational use, comparing it to "shooting a mosquito with a cannon". In 2024, Hermans re-introduced a proposal of her party to ban unvaccinated children from attending day care in response to declining vaccination rates and recent cases of the measles and whooping cough.

Personal life
Hermans is single.

Her sister Caroliene was the political assistant of Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte for various years.

She played hockey.