The Prime Minister can often be seen on his trusty sporty bike.
Mark Rutte is not only the longest-serving prime minister in the Netherlands, but also the prime minister we most often see riding a bicycle to work. Today the office holds 4311 days, which is one day longer than CDA Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers lasted during his premiership. Rutte became the first Prime Minister on October 14, 2010 after he won the party leader election from Rita Verdonk after a fierce battle.
Rutte was born in The Hague, the youngest of 7 children, and studied history at the University of Leiden. As a child, he dreamed of a career as a concert pianist in his youth. In the late 80s he became chairman of the VVD youth organization JOVD and has been political leader of the VVD since 2006. He first became Prime Minister on October 14, 2010.
Who
The well-known Mark Rutte bicycle is a sporty Koga F3 city bicycle that he often prefers to his official car. Even for his ride to Huis ten Bosch palace, he made no exception. The Prime Minister bought the bike at Bike Totaal Thijs Brand in Leidschendam and bicycle manufacturer Koga from Heerenveen also benefits from Rutte when the photos are circulated on social media. The Koga is a wonderful city bike with no less than 30 Shimano Deore gears. The Netherlands is a cycling country and our prime minister sets a good example for the rest of the world.
Especially the fact that Mark Rutte got on his bike to submit his resignation to the king, caused some stir in the media and the images went around the world. The mobility world around us has changed a lot due to the current situation. Many people want to be able to travel individually and no longer depend on public transport. The bicycle is also a good means for Rutte to relax.
“Before the purchase, Rutte's assistant came to the store three times. The first time he took a number of leaflets with him. The second time, he asked about the size for a six-foot-tall. I thought that was strange, because the man was quite small himself”
According to the digital magazine, the bicycle had to be twowieler.nl be delivered to the Torentje by Dennis Brand. That was quite a hassle. “You have to indicate which car you are coming with and who the driver is. I was guided all the way around the Binnenhof before I arrived at the Torentje. Mark Rutte was standing there and I adjusted the bike to his size and he tested a bit through the corridors next to the Torentje.” Dennis remembers the conversation well: "It was a nice conversation, he was very interested and approachable."
