Hans Hillen

Hans Hillen
Minister of Defence
In office
14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byEimert van Middelkoop
Succeeded byJeanine Hennis-Plasschaert
Member of the Senate
In office
12 June 2007 – 14 October 2010
Parliamentary groupChristian Democratic Appeal
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
20 March 1990 – 23 May 2002
Parliamentary groupChristian Democratic Appeal
Personal details
Born
Johannes Stefanus Joseph Hillen

(1947-06-17) 17 June 1947 (age 77)
The Hague, Netherlands
Political partyChristian Democratic Appeal (from 1980)
Other political
affiliations
Catholic People's Party
(until 1980)
Residence(s)Hilversum, Netherlands
Alma materUtrecht University
(Bachelor of Social Science, Master of Social Science)
OccupationPolitician · Civil servant · Political consultant · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Trade association executive · Teacher · Journalist · Editor · Television presenter · Author · Columnist · Political pundit · Lobbyist

Johannes Stefanus Joseph "Hans" Hillen (born 17 June 1947) is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and journalist.

Biography

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Early life

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Hillen studied sociology at Utrecht University. He has been a (sports) journalist for the Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS), a teacher and a civil servant (in the eighties he was spokesman for the minister of Finance Onno Ruding and defender of his outspoken budget cuts) before entering in politics

Politics

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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

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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

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Hillen is married and resides in Hilversum. He is a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

Decorations

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Honours
Ribbon bar Honour Country Date Comment
Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 7 December 2012 Elevated from Knight (22 May 2002)

References

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  1. ^ His father worked in the army.
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Official
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