[Seriously?] Adema: ‘Work and private life are easy to combine’

Piet Adema became the new Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) last week. A great leap forward in his career, given that his previous posts were as acting mayor of Achtkarspelen and chair of Schoonmakend Nederland, the branch association for cleaning and window-cleaning companies.

Resource spoke to Adema after the nitrogen debate in Parliament. Dressed in a sky-blue Oger suit nicely paired with a matching Corneliani tie, he managed to look fabulous even after a heated debate.

Minister Adema, you have four children. How do you plan to combine being a minister with your family?
‘That is a challenge, yes. We have taken on a housekeeper to cook for the children on weekdays and my wife has a day off on Fridays. It will be an adjustment for everyone, but fortunately my children are all grown up so we hope they won’t find this new situation too hard to get used to.’

How does your wife feel about this?
‘She was a bit taken aback at first, because of course I am now the real breadwinner in the house. She will have to take on some of the housework.’

Did you always aim for a career or did you also consider staying at home after the children were born?
‘If I’m honest, my career always came first for me, but it was not easy. My parents pushed me to be at home a lot. They believe fathers should quite simply be there for the children. I am glad that I can talk through these kinds of issues in my men’s support group, which is really empowering.’

You used to be president of the association of the cleaning branch. What have you learnt from that job?
‘I learned there that no matter how much of a mess has been made, it can always be cleaned up with the right tools and enough effort. The whole of the Veluwe is full of nitrogen, but I think we can get it clean again. After that, it is a matter of making sure we absorb the new nitrogen before it is emitted.’

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