After completing his high school education in Maastricht in 1985 he went to study biology at Utrecht University and graduated in 1992.

[1] Since 1993 he has worked as a policy officer for various foundations for animal rights, since 2006 for the Koningin Sophia-Vereeniging tot Bescherming van Dieren [nl].

[2] In November 2015 Esther Ouwehand temporarily resigned her seat in the House of Representatives for health reasons.

Wassenberg admitted an “incredibly stupid mistake” in missing the vote: “I had an appointment outside The Hague, and then something went wrong with the timetable.

The group tried to reach me, but I had my phone turned off during the conversation.”[6] Esther Ouwehand returned to the House of Representatives on 18 October 2016, ending Wassenberg's temporary replacement.