Maria Martens

Maria Johanna Theodora Martens (born 8 January 1955 in Doetinchem, Gelderland) is a Dutch politician. She is a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal. From 2011 until 2019 she was a member of the Dutch Senate.

From 1999 to 2009 she was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). There she was a member of the bureau of the EPP-ED group in the European Parliament and sat on the European Parliament's Committee on Development.

She was also a substitute for the Subcommittee on Security and Defence and a member of the delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

Career Higher degree in theology (1984) NIMA (Netherlands Marketing Institute) A and B diplomas Lecturer in Life Philosophy (1984) Foreign Affairs Secretary, Netherlands Mission Council (1984–1988) Study secretary, VKMO (Association of Catholic Social Organisations) (1988–1999) Chairwoman, Nijmegen CDA Member of the party council Member of the editorial team of CD Verkenningen Chairwoman, European Forum of National Committees of the Laity (1996–2000) Chairwoman, Netherlands Episcopal Committee for the year 2000 (1996–2000) Member of the governing board of the Catholic Theological University, Utrecht (since 1998) Commissioner for recreation in the Veluwe area (RGV) Member of the executive board of the World Population Fund (WPF) Member of the European Parliament (since 1999) Awarded knighthood in the Order of Orange-Nassau (2009) Decorated in Order of St. Gregory the Great (2024).