Economic affairs minister Maria van der Hoeven is to leave active politics at the next election, she said in Amsterdam at the weekend.

Van der Hoeven had been tipped to take over as mayor of Maastricht following the resignation of Gerd Leers.
‘I have heard the rumours, but even more, I don’t want to be included on the Christian Democrats’ list of MPs either,’ she was quoted as saying by the Telegraaf. ‘I have been an MP for 11 years and minister since 2002. That is enough.’
The next election is due to take place in 2011.