Ank Bijleveld

Anna Theodora Bernardina "Ank" Bijleveld-Schouten (born 17 March 1962) is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) who has been serving as Minister of Defence in the third cabinet of Prime Minister Mark Rutte since 26 October 2017.[1]

Her Excellency

Ank Bijleveld
Bijleveld in 2019
Minister of Defence
Assumed office
26 October 2017
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byKlaas Dijkhoff
King's Commissioner of Overijssel
In office
1 January 2011 – 26 October 2017
MonarchBeatrix (2011–2013)
Willem-Alexander (2013–2017)
Preceded byGeert Jansen
Succeeded byAndries Heidema
State Secretary for the Interior
and Kingdom Relations
In office
22 February 2007 – 14 October 2010
Prime MinisterJan Peter Balkenende
Preceded byRob Hessing
Succeeded byRaymond Knops (2017)
Mayor of Hof van Twente
In office
1 January 2001 – 22 February 2007
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byHans Kok
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
17 June 2010 – 1 January 2011
In office
16 November 1989 – 16 January 2001
Personal details
Born
Anna Theodora Bernardina Schouten

(1962-03-17) 17 March 1962
IJsselmuiden, Netherlands
NationalityDutch
Political partyChristian Democratic Appeal
Spouse(s)
Riekele Bijleveld
(
m. 1984)
Children2 daughters
ResidenceGoor, Netherlands
Alma materUniversity of Twente
(Bachelor of Public Administration, Master of Public Administration)
OccupationPolitician · Civil servant
WebsiteMinister of Defence

A civil servant by occupation, she served as a member of the House of Representatives from 16 November 1989 until 16 January 2001, when she was appointed Mayor of Hof van Twente, serving from 1 January 2001 until 22 February 2007. She resigned after she was appointed as State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Fourth Balkenende cabinet, serving from 22 February 2007 until 14 October 2010. After the election of 2010, Bijleveld returned to the House of Representatives serving from 17 June 2010 until 1 January 2011 when she resigned after she was appointed as King's Commissioner of Overijssel. Following the election of 2017 Bijleveld was asked to become Minister of Defence in the Third Rutte cabinet. Bijleveld accepted and resigned as King's Commissioner of Overijssel the same day she took office as the new Minister of Defence on 26 October 2017.

Early life and education

Bijleveld was born in the Dutch province of Overijssel. Between 1980 and 1986, she studied public administration at the University of Twente.

Political career

In 1986 Bijleveld became a member of the Enschede municipal council for the Christian Democratic Appeal. She served as a Member of the House of Representatives from 16 November 1989 until 16 January 2001. She was Mayor of Hof van Twente from 1 January 2001 until 22 February 2007, when she resigned to become the State secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Fourth Balkenende cabinet until 14 October 2010. On 17 June 2010 she again became a member of the House of Representatives. She was an MP till 1 January 2011 when she became King's Commissioner of Overijssel.[2]

Minister of Defence, 2017–present

Bijleveld left that position in 2017 as she was appointed to be Minister of Defence.

Early in her tenure, Bijleveld oversaw Dutch efforts to disrupt a 2018 attempt by Russian intelligence agents to hack the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).[3][4]

Personal life

Bijleveld is married to Riekele Bijleveld since 1984 and has two daughters. She is a Roman Catholic.

Decorations

References
  1. "Defensieminister Ank Bijleveld (CDA) kent Den Haag op haar duimpje" (in Dutch). NOS. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  2. (in Dutch) Ank Bijleveld-Schouten benoemd tot CdK Overijssel
  3. Anthony Deutsch and Stephanie van den Berg (October 4, 2018), Dutch government says it disrupted Russian attempt to hack chemical weapons watchdog Reuters.
  4. David Bond, Mehreen Khan and Kadhim Shubber (October 4, 2018), West hits back at Russian spying activities Financial Times.
Official
Political offices
Preceded by
Office established		 Mayor of Hof van Twente
2001–2007		 Succeeded by
Hans Kok
Preceded by
Rob Hessing		 State Secretary for the Interior
and Kingdom Relations
2007–2010		 Succeeded by
Raymond Knops
(2017)
Preceded by
Geert Jansen		 King's Commissioner of Overijssel
2011–2017		 Succeeded by
Andries Heidema
Preceded by
Klaas Dijkhoff		 Minister of Defence
2017–present		 Incumbent
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