A native of Maastricht, Verhagen studied contemporary history at Leiden University, obtaining a Master of Arts degree.

After the election Verhagen returned to the House of Representatives as Parliamentary leader on 17 June 2010 and following a successful cabinet formation with Liberal Leader Mark Rutte formed the Cabinet Rutte I with Verhagen appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation taking office on 14 October 2010.

The Cabinet Rutte I fell 18 months into its term and shortly thereafter Verhagen unexpectedly announced his retirement and that he wouldn't stand for the election of 2012.

[1][2] Maxime Jacques Marcel Verhagen was born on 14 September 1956 in Maastricht in the Netherlands Province of Limburg in a Roman Catholic family.

For a brief period during his college years, Verhagen was associated with both left-wing radicalism and the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

During the Cabinets Balkenende I, II en III Verhagen became the unofficial Deputy leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal.

He later expressed concern at the lifting of the excommunication of controversial bishop Richard Williamson, a member of the Society of Saint Pius X.