Jan Peter Balkenende was Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 12 October 2002 until 14 November 2010. He was born in 1952 in the village of Haren, Drenthe, Netherlands. He studied law at Leiden University, but switched to economics after his first year. As a student he was involved in the movement for Dutch independence from Indonesia and supported the Indonesian National Revolution
At this time he is said to have become a member of the Communist Party. After university he worked as an employee of the Dutch government. In 1985 he entered politics as a member of parliament for the Labour Party (PvdA).
He remained an MP until 1994, when he became Minister of Finance under Prime Minister Wim Kok. When Kok retired in 1998, Balkenende became Prime Minister of the first Balkenende cabinet. He resigned on 12 October 2002 after his party had lost its parliamentary majority to the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA).
The CDA remained in office with Balkenende as caretaker Prime Minister until the Dutch general election on 22 November 2002, when it lost both its parliamentary majority and its position as largest party in government. Following this, Balkenende remained on the political scene as leader of his own party D66, which has remained in office since 2004. On 14 November 2010 he resigned once again after his party had lost its parliamentary majority for a third time to the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).
Bitter experience has taught us how fundamental our values are and how great the mission they represent.Jan Peter Balkenende
Our society is the product of several great religious and philosophical traditions. The ideas of the Greeks and Romans, Christianity, Judaism, humanism and the Enlightenment have made us who we are.Jan Peter Balkenende
Freedom is a universal value.Jan Peter Balkenende
