Prof.Dr. J.P. (Jan Peter) Balkenende

Former Christian democratic prime-minister of The Netherlands, from 2002 to 2010. Jan Peter Balkenende led four coalition governments, each of different composition. It mirrored the unstable political climate in The Netherlands after the rise and murder of Pim Fortuyn in 2002. Having worked for the Christian democratics' scientific bureau, Jan Peter Balkenende was elected as member of the House of Commons in 1998. He was spokesperson for the party on public finance before becoming party leader in 2001. Jan Peter Balkende left politics after a disastrous election result in 2012. He currently works at university and as consultant.

Jan Peter Balkenende's ideological roots lie in a political movement that strongly advocate the responsibility of citizens. During his tenure he pursued an agenda to restore morals and values. Publicly, he was often perceived as clumsy, and yet – or maybe thanks to this – remained popular and successful for a long time.

1. Personal data

Name and surname

Jan Pieter (Jan Peter) Balkenende

Date of birth

May 7th 1956

Place of birth

Biezelinge (The Netherlands)

Family

J.P. Balkenende (father, director at a commercial enterprise)

Th.J. Sandee (mother, teacher)

B.

Hoogendijk (spouse, university professor)

One daughter

Religion

Protestant

Aliases

J.P.

Harry Potter

Selected honours and distinctions

Member in the order of Orange-Nassau, March 30st 1998

Knight-Great cross in the order of Orange-Nassau, November 23rd 2010

Several endowed professorships

2. Education

Secondary education

Athenaeum at “Christian Lyceum for Sealand” in Goes, 1968 to 1974

Academic

History at the Free University of Amsterdam, 1979 to 1982

Dutch Law at the Free University of Amsterdam, 1979 to 1982

Doctorate

Law, Free University of Amsterdam, February 21st 1992

3. Political Affiliation

CDA (Christian Democrat Appeal)

Party-political functions

-

member of an informal group of young CDA-ideologists called ‘het Schlemmer-beraad’ (several of its other members rose to political prominence as well)
-

group-Leader CDA at the Amstelveen city-council, from 1994 to 1998
-

staff member at the “Christian-democratic exploration” magazine
-

secretary of 'het strategisch beraad' (committee vital to setting out policies and strategems) of the CDA (mid-nineties)
-

vice parliamentary Group-Leader of the CDA in the House of Commons, from January 23d 2001 October 1st 2001
-

political leader CDA, from October 1st 2001 to June 9th 2010 (after the resignation of Jaap de Hoop Scheffer following internal party-political strife)
-

political leader of the CDA during the elections of 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2010

4. Career

-

staff member judicial affairs, bureau of the Academic Council, December 1st 1982 to april 1st 1984
-

member of the city council of Amstelveen, September 7th 1982 to April 1998
-

staff member at the CDA scientific institute, April 1st 1984 to May 19th 1998
-

endowed professorship on Christian Social Thought, Free University of Amsterdam, March 1st 1993 to July 22nd 2002
-

member of the House of Commons, May 19th 1998 to July 11th 2002
-

parliamentary group-leader CDA in the House of Commons, October 1st 2002 to july 11th 2002
-

prime-minister and minister of General Affairs, July 22nd 2002 to October 14th 2010
-

parliamentary group-leader CDA in the House of Commons, November 23rd 2006 to February 21st 2007
-

member of the House of Commons, November 30th 2006 to February 22nd 2007
-

endowed professorship on Governance, Institutions and Internationalisation, Erasmus School of Law and Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University, since December 1st 2010
-

partner at “Ernst & Young”, since April 1st 2011

5. Selection of additional functions

Current

-

Member of the Supervisory Board of NKI-AVL (Dutch Anti-Cancer Institute – Anthoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital) in Amsterdam, since May 2011
-

President of the International Advisory Board Rotterdam, since October 1st 2012
-

Member of the Supervisory Board of “Henrick Hamel Foundation”

Past

-

board member (and later vice-president) of NCRV (Dutch Christian Radio Association)
-

president of CJV (Christian association of legal professionals or people in public affairs with a legal background)
-

member of the Stichting Parlementaire Geschiedenis (the foundation for parliamentary history)

6. Selected publications

-

"Overheidsregelgeving en maatschappelijke organisaties" (dissertation, 1992)
-

"Vertrouwen in de economie: het debat" (co-author book, 1997)
-

"De kunst van het leven: de cultuuruitdaging van de 21e eeuw" (co-editor book, 1999)
-

various scientific publications, as well as co-author of political programmes of the CDA

7. Selected political achievements

-

Together with his ministers guided the "Crisis- en herstelwet" through parliament. The law was conceived in the aftermath of the political crisis and curtailed various civilian procedures and environmental safeguards in favour of infrastructural projects
-

Dealt with several scandals surrounding the royal family
-

Assumed a leading role in the new constitutional framework of the Kingdom of The Netherlands with regard to the position of the Dutch islands in the Carribean
-

It is rumoured he was a candidate for the post of president of the European Council in 2009, and that he actively pursued the post. Balkenende has always denied these rumours