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Balkenende

Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Peter Balkenende 2006.jpg
41st Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office
22 July 2002 – 14 October 2010
Monarch Beatrix
Deputy
Preceded by Wim Kok
Succeeded by Mark Rutte
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal
In office
1 October 2001 – 9 June 2010
Preceded by Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Succeeded by Maxime Verhagen
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives
In office
30 November 2006 – 21 February 2007
Preceded by Maxime Verhagen
Succeeded by Pieter van Geel
In office
30 January 2003 – 21 May 2003
Preceded by Maxime Verhagen
Succeeded by Maxime Verhagen
In office
1 October 2001 – 11 July 2002
Preceded by Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Succeeded by Maxime Verhagen
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
30 November 2006 – 22 February 2007
In office
30 January 2003 – 27 May 2003
In office
19 May 1998 – 22 July 2002
Personal details
Born Jan Pieter Balkenende, Jr.
(1956-05-07) 7 May 1956 (age 61)
Biezelinge, Netherlands
Political party Christian Democratic Appeal
Spouse(s) Bianca Hoogendijk (1996–present)
Children Amelie
Alma mater VU University Amsterdam
Signature

Jan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende, Jr. (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈjɑn ˈpeːtər ˈbɑlkənˌɛndə]; born 7 May 1956) is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 14 October 2010.

Balkenende, a jurist by occupation, worked for the and the from 1982 until 1998. Balkenende became a professor of Christian theology at the VU University Amsterdam in 1993. He was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the Dutch general election of 1998, serving from 19 May 1998 until 22 July 2002. After the then Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal and Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Jaap de Hoop Scheffer stepped down after an internal power struggle between him and then Party chair Marnix van Rij, Balkenende was selected to succeed him in both positions, and became the Lijsttrekker (top candidate) for the Dutch general election of 2002. The Christian Democratic Appeal became the surprising winner of the election, gaining 14 seats becoming the largest party in the House of Representatives. This success was in part owed to Balkenende's neutral attitude in the debates with Pim Fortuyn, the eponymous leader of the Pim Fortuyn List party who was assassinated during the national election campaign on 6 May 2002.


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