Hans_Hillen
Hans Hillen
Dutch politician (born 1947)
Johannes Stefanus Joseph "Hans" Hillen (born 17 June 1947) is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and journalist.
Hans Hillen | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012 | |
| Prime Minister | Mark Rutte |
| Preceded by | Eimert van Middelkoop |
| Succeeded by | Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert |
| Member of the Senate | |
| In office 12 June 2007 – 14 October 2010 | |
| Parliamentary group | Christian Democratic Appeal |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 20 March 1990 – 23 May 2002 | |
| Parliamentary group | Christian Democratic Appeal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Johannes Stefanus Joseph Hillen (1947-06-17) 17 June 1947 (age 76) The Hague, Netherlands |
| Political party | Christian Democratic Appeal (from 1980) |
| Other political affiliations | Catholic People's Party (until 1980) |
| Residence(s) | Hilversum, Netherlands |
| Alma mater | Utrecht University (Bachelor of Social Science, Master of Social Science) |
| Occupation | Politician · Civil servant · Political consultant · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Trade association executive · Teacher · Journalist · Editor · Television presenter · Author · Columnist · Political pundit · Lobbyist |
Early life
Hillen studied sociology at Utrecht University. He has been a (sports) journalist for the Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS), teacher and civil servant (in the eighties he was spokesman of minister of Finance Onno Ruding and defender of his outspoken budget cuts) before entering in politics
Politics
From 1990 till 2002 he was a member of the House of Representatives and from 2007 till 2010 a member of the Senate. From October 14, 2010, to November 5, 2012, he was minister of Defence.[1] He is in favor of a strong defence and close ties with NATO.
Other activities
From 2003 till 2007 Hillen was president of CVZ, the Dutch council for the healthcare, and from 2005 till 2010 a member of the executive board of the Dutch employers' organization VNO-NCW. He also did some writing, he wrote columns for Elsevier and Katholiek Nieuwsblad.
Furthermore, he is involved in the Edmund Burke Foundation, a Dutch conservative think tank. In 2004 he left the advisory council because a conflict of opinion with prominent co-member Bart Jan Spruyt, who wanted to found a new political party with Geert Wilders.
Personal life
Hillen is married and resides in Hilversum. He is a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
| Honours | ||||
| Ribbon bar | Honour | Country | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau | Netherlands | 7 December 2012 | Elevated from Knight (22 May 2002) | |
- His father worked in the army.
- Official
- (in Dutch) Drs. J.S.J. (Hans) Hillen Parlement & Politiek
- (in Dutch) Drs. J.S.J. Hillen (CDA) Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal
| Civic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Unknown |
Chairman of the Council for Healthcare Insurance 2003–2007 |
Succeeded by Unknown |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of Defence 2010–2012 |
Succeeded by |
| Non-profit organization positions | ||
| Preceded by Eric Fischer |
Chairman of the Council for Training and Education 2013–present |
Incumbent |