Alexander Pechtold
Encyclopedia
Alexander Pechtold is a Dutch
politician of the Democrats 66
(Democraten 66 - D66) party. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 30 November 2006 as well as Parliamentary group leader
since 23 November 2006. He has also been party leader
since 24 June 2006.
Pechtold served as Minister for Government Reform and Kingdom Relations in the Cabinet Balkenende II from 31 March 2005 to 3 July 2006, following the resignation of D66 party leader Thom de Graaf
. Before entering into national politics he was mayor
of Wageningen
from 1 October 2003 to 31 March 2005.
, Pechtold grew up in the village of Rhoon
. Pechtold studied art history
and archaeology
with a specialization in 17th-century painting at Leiden University
, obtaining a Masters
degree in 1996. He also obtained a certification as auction
eer and worked for the Van Stockum's Veilingen during his studies. He was elected chairman of D66 in 2002. At that time he was alderman
of Leiden, where earlier he functioned as councillor
. He was appointed mayor
of Wageningen
in 2003. In 2005 he became Minister for Government Reform and Kingdom Relations in the second cabinet
of Jan Peter Balkenende
.
for D66 in the Dutch elections of 2006
, after he beat parliamentary leader Lousewies van der Laan
and others in the 2006 D66 leadership election
. Pechtold, as well as Laurens-Jan Brinkhorst, resigned from his minister post after the second Balkenende cabinet
came in crisis on 29 June 2006. The next day, Balkenende offered the resignation of the full cabinet to the Queen Beatrix
. In 2007 the parliamentarian press chose Pechtold with 31% of the votes as the 'Dutch Politician of the Year 2007'.
During the Cabinet Balkenende IV administration Pechtold served as opposition leader against the cabinet. After the Dutch elections of 2010
, the D66 won seven-seats in the House of Representatives which reporters claimed was due to Pechtolds leadership during the Balkenende IV time. After the 2010 Dutch cabinet formation
the D66 again remained in opposition.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
politician of the Democrats 66
Democrats 66
Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
(Democraten 66 - D66) party. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 30 November 2006 as well as Parliamentary group leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
since 23 November 2006. He has also been party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
since 24 June 2006.
Pechtold served as Minister for Government Reform and Kingdom Relations in the Cabinet Balkenende II from 31 March 2005 to 3 July 2006, following the resignation of D66 party leader Thom de Graaf
Thom de Graaf
Thomas Carolus de Graaf is a Dutch jurist and politician. He is a member of social liberal party Democrats 66 . Since January 2007 he has been mayor of the city of Nijmegen and since 7 June 2011 also a member of the Senate...
. Before entering into national politics he was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Wageningen
Wageningen
' is a municipality and a historical town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland. It is famous for Wageningen University, which specializes in life sciences. The city has 37,414 inhabitants , of which many thousands are students...
from 1 October 2003 to 31 March 2005.
Early life
Born in the city of DelftDelft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
, Pechtold grew up in the village of Rhoon
Rhoon
thumb|200px|Castle Rhoonthumb|200pxRhoon is a village that borders the municipality of the city of Rotterdam, South Holland, the Netherlands.According to its history it was established in 1199 and was ruled by the lords of Duiveland...
. Pechtold studied art history
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
and archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
with a specialization in 17th-century painting at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, obtaining a Masters
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in 1996. He also obtained a certification as auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
eer and worked for the Van Stockum's Veilingen during his studies. He was elected chairman of D66 in 2002. At that time he was alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of Leiden, where earlier he functioned as councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
. He was appointed mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Wageningen
Wageningen
' is a municipality and a historical town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland. It is famous for Wageningen University, which specializes in life sciences. The city has 37,414 inhabitants , of which many thousands are students...
in 2003. In 2005 he became Minister for Government Reform and Kingdom Relations in the second cabinet
Second Balkenende cabinet
The second cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands formed on 27 May 2003. It consisted of three political parties: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy , Christian Democratic Appeal , and Democrats 66 , which is the smallest of the three.On 29 June 2006, D66 dropped its support for...
of Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Peter Balkenende
Jan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende is a Dutch politician of the party Christian Democratic Appeal .He was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 14 October 2010, having led four coalition governments, cabinets Balkenende I, II, III and IV, none of which served a full...
.
Politics
Pechtold was the lijsttrekkerLijsttrekker
Lijsttrekker is a Dutch term for the top candidate of a party on a party list. He or she is almost always the party's political leader. After an election, this person usually leads the party's faction in the States-General, or serves in a senior position in the Cabinet if his party is part of...
for D66 in the Dutch elections of 2006
Dutch general election, 2006
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
, after he beat parliamentary leader Lousewies van der Laan
Lousewies van der Laan
Louse Wies Sija Anne Lilly Berthe van der Laan is a former Dutch politician and the leader of the parliamentary group of the social liberal Democrats 66 in the House of Representatives for six months in 2006...
and others in the 2006 D66 leadership election
2006 D66 leadership election
The Dutch social liberal party, Democrats 66 , has held a lijsttrekker election for June 24, 2006. The elections were won by the Minister for Government Reform and Kingdom Relations Alexander Pechtold, runner up was the chair of the parliamentary party Lousewies van der Laan.-Background:The...
. Pechtold, as well as Laurens-Jan Brinkhorst, resigned from his minister post after the second Balkenende cabinet
Second Balkenende cabinet
The second cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands formed on 27 May 2003. It consisted of three political parties: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy , Christian Democratic Appeal , and Democrats 66 , which is the smallest of the three.On 29 June 2006, D66 dropped its support for...
came in crisis on 29 June 2006. The next day, Balkenende offered the resignation of the full cabinet to the Queen Beatrix
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
. In 2007 the parliamentarian press chose Pechtold with 31% of the votes as the 'Dutch Politician of the Year 2007'.
During the Cabinet Balkenende IV administration Pechtold served as opposition leader against the cabinet. After the Dutch elections of 2010
Dutch general election, 2010
The 2010 Dutch general election was held on Wednesday, 9 June 2010. After the fall of the cabinet Balkenende IV on 20 February, Queen Beatrix accepted the resignation of the Labour Party ministers on 23 February...
, the D66 won seven-seats in the House of Representatives which reporters claimed was due to Pechtolds leadership during the Balkenende IV time. After the 2010 Dutch cabinet formation
2010 Dutch cabinet formation
Following the Dutch general election of 2010, held on June 9, a process of cabinet formation started, which typically involves 3 phases:# exploring with which parties to form a coalition,# negotiating to draft a coalition agreement ,...
the D66 again remained in opposition.