The thirty new senators who were sworn in to the upper house of parliament on Tuesday include a number of known faces, and eight of them already have ‘other’ jobs advising government ministries, broadcaster Nos reports.

Being a member of the senate is seen as a part-time job and senators have always had outside interests. However, the upper house has become more political now the cabinet no longer has a majority.

Senators have now become pure-blooded politicians, researcher Leo Huberts told Nos. ‘Now they choose what the government can and cannot do, and that means they have to think more carefully about the consequences of their new role.’

Among the new boys and girls with other jobs are Labour senator Ruud Vreeman who advises the defence ministry on a poison paint scandal, and Pauline Krikke (VVD) who advises the infrastructure ministry on consumer transport issues.

Niek Jan van Kestern (CDA) is a member of the SER, which advises the government on new legislation and economic issues.

Alexander Rinnooy Kan (D66) leads the committee charged with evaluating the new national police organisation, and Paul Schnabel (D66) is a member of a health ministry think-tank on suicide.

Older men

The new-look senate also includes a number of former ministers and mayors. Almere mayor Annemarie Jorritsma, for instance, was also a minister of transport and a minister of economic affairs.

Three-quarters of the 75 senators are male and most live in the west of the country. Their average age is 56 but there is 47 years between the youngest (Christine Teunissen, 29, of the pro-animal PvdD) and Jan Nagel of 50Plus who is about to turn 76.