Elected to the House of Representatives from 2010 to 2012, she focused on matters of culture, senior citizens, disabled people and medical ethics.

Previously she was State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment under the Fourth Balkenende cabinet (2008–2010) and an alderwoman of the municipality of The Hague (1998–2008).

After Wim Deetman stepped down, she was mayor ad interim of The Hague and so became the first woman in that function.

[citation needed] In December 2008 she succeeded fellow Labour Party politician Ahmed Aboutaleb as State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment in the Fourth Balkenende cabinet.

[4][5] She was State Secretary until February 2010, when the Labour Party withdrew its support for Balkenende's government.