A former journalist, Minister of Defense in the Netherlands
It is Hans Hillen (CDA) who now holds the position of Minister of Defense in the Netherlands in the new ruling coalition of Christian Democrats from the CDA and Liberals from the VVD, with the support without participation of the right-wing populist party, PVV . While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be held by Uri Rosenthal (VVD) and Ben Knapen (CDA), in charge more specifically of Development and European Affairs.
Born in The Hague on June 17, 1947, Hans Hillen graduated in journalism and sociology at the University of Utrecht. He worked as a journalist for public television for 14 years, first at Sport (1969-1973) then at the foreign desk at NOS News (1973-1977) and then (until 1983) as a political journalist, before going to the other side. He became director of information at the Ministry of Finance in 1983 and joined the Chamber of Deputies in 1990 under the banner of the Christian Democrats (CDA) until 2002. He chairs the CVZ health fund (College voor Zorgverzekeringen). In 2007, he became a senator. As a Member of Parliament, he worked in several committees (foreign affairs, media policy, finance, defence) and was also a member of the working group on the Hercules crash. He also chaired the parliamentary group from 1998. He is rather identified as belonging to the conservative wing of the party and belonged to the EBS foundation (Edmund Burke Stichting), a laboratory of conservative ideas, until the moment when its director, Bart Jan Spruyt, has announced that he is joining Wilders' PVV. He is considered a "wise man" of the party... and of the government.
In Foreign Affairs, it is Uri Rosenthal (VVD) who will officiate. A senator since 1999 and leader of the parliamentary group for much of that time, Rosenthal is considered a government "intellectual". Doctor in political science at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, he has been a professor since 1980. He is also president of the Institute for Security and Crisis Management - Instituut voor Veiligheids- en Crisismanagement (COT).
The Secretary of State for European Affairs and Development will be provided by Ben Knappen, journalist and historian, for whom this was his first ministerial post. Former editor of NRC Handelsblad, and former foreign correspondent, he was also a member of the Scientific Council for Policy (WRR)
