Democrats 66 is a social liberal political party in the Netherlands,which positions itself in the centre of the political spectrum. It is a member of the Liberal International (LI) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).
The second Balkenende cabinet was the executive branch of the Government of the Netherlands from 27 May 2003 until 7 July 2006. The cabinet was formed by the Christian-democratic Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA),the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD),and the social-liberal Democrats 66 (D66) after the election of 2003. The cabinet was a centre-right coalition and had a slim majority in the House of Representatives with Christian Democratic Leader Jan Peter Balkenende serving as Prime Minister. Liberal Leader Gerrit Zalm,a former Minister of Finance,served as Deputy Prime Minister and returned as Minister of Finance,while former Progressive-Liberal Leader Thom de Graaf served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio for the Interior.
Sandra Kalniete is a Latvian politician,author,diplomat and independence movement leader. She served as Foreign Minister of Latvia 2002–2004 and as European Commissioner for Agriculture,Rural Development and Fisheries in 2004. Since 2009,she has served as Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the European People's Party.
Rosemary Elizabeth Cooper is a British Labour Party politician who was first elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for West Lancashire in 2005.
This article lists some of the events that took place in the Netherlands in 2002.
Louse Wies Sija Anne Lilly Berthe "Lousewies" van der Laan is a retired Dutch politician of the Democrats 66 (D66) party and jurist.
Henri Frans "Hans" Dijkstal was a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and financial adviser.
General elections were held in the Netherlands on 22 November 2006 following the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet. The elections proved relatively successful for the governing Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) which remained the largest party with 41 seats,a loss of only three seats. The largest increase in seats was for the Socialist Party (SP),which went from nine to 25 seats. The main opposition party,the social-democratic Labour Party (PvdA) lost nine of its 42 seats,while the right-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the progressive liberal Democrats 66 lost a considerable portion of their seats,six of 28 and three of six,respectively. New parties,such as the right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV) of former VVD MP Geert Wilders and the animal rights party Party for the Animals (PvdD) were also successful,with the PVV winning nine seats and the PvdD winning two,thereby becoming the first animal rights group to enter a European parliament.
Johannes Franciscus "Hans" Hoogervorst is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and economist. He is the chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) since 1 July 2011.
Maria Cornelia Frederika "Rita" Verdonk is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and later founder of the Proud of the Netherlands (Trots) party and businesswoman.
Else "Els" Borst-Eilers was a Dutch politician of the Democrats 66 (D66) party and physician. She was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 21 December 2012.
Pauline Christine Krikke is a Dutch politician who served as Mayor of The Hague from 2017 until 2019. A member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD),she previously served as Mayor of Arnhem from 2001 to 2013. She started her career as a councillor (1994–1996) and alderwoman in Amsterdam (1996–2001) and was elected to the Senate between 2015 and 2017.
Gerardina Alida "Gerdi" Verbeet is a retired Dutch politician and political consultant who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 6 December 2006 to 19 September 2012. A member of the Labour Party (PvdA),she is the second officeholder elected independently by the House of Representatives after her predecessor Frans Weisglas. She served as a member of the House of Representatives from 26 July 2002 to 19 September 2012 and previously from 11 December 2001 until 22 May 2002.
Lodewijk Frans Asscher is a Dutch politician and jurist who served as Leader of the Labour Party (PvdA) from 2016 to 2021 and parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives from 2017 to 2021.
Andrée Christine van Es is a Dutch politician. She is currently chairwoman of the Dutch national UNESCO committee. She was previously wethouder (alderman) in the executive of the city of Amsterdam for GreenLeft until 2014. She was member of the House of Representatives for the Pacifist Socialist Party and GreenLeft.
Kati Piri is a Hungarian-born Dutch politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2021. A member of the Labour Party (PvdA),she previously was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) within the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats from 2014 until 2021.
Jkvr. Karin Hildur "Kajsa" Ollongren is a Dutch-Swedish politician of the Democrats 66 (D66) party,who served as second Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 14 May 2020 to 10 January 2022 and Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Third Rutte cabinet from 14 April 2020 to 10 January 2022. She is Minister of Defence in the IV Rutte Cabinet since 10 January 2022.
Michiel Frans van Hulten is Director of Transparency International EU and a former Dutch politician. He was a Member of the European Parliament (1999–2004) and was chairman of the Labour Party from December 2005 until April 2007.
Margot Kraneveldt is a Dutch politician who has served as an MP in the Dutch House of Representatives.
