Arthur Docters van Leeuwen
Encyclopedia
Arthur Docters van Leeuwen (born May 8, 1945) is a Dutch
politician
, jurist
and civil servant. He is member of the liberal political party VVD
. Between 1999 and 2007 he was chairman of the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets
, an agency of the Dutch government, which supervises Dutch financial markets.
. After studying law (degree 1969) and various functions for the Dutch government, he became head of the Domestic Security Service, the Dutch secret service
(currently the AIVD
), in 1989. In 1995, he was succeeded by Nico Buis, after Docters van Leeuwen became a member and chairman of the Board of Procurators General in The Hague (a board which supervises Dutch public prosecutors).
As a member of this board, Docters van Leeuwen came in a conflict in 1998 with justice minister Winnie Sorgdrager
(D66
). The question was about a conflict of interest of another member of the board, Dato Steenhuis, who was on the pay-roll of the company that looked into the workings of the public prosecution in the region of which Date Steenhuis, as board member, was responsible for. Doctors van Leeuwen supported Steenhuis against Sorgdrager; the ensuing breach of confidence between the two resulted in Doctors van Leeuwen being fired from the Board. Shortly thereafter, in 1999, Doctors van Leeuwen became chairman of the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets.
In June 2007 Docters van Leeuwen stepped down as chairman of the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. After his retirement as a civil servant he became chairman of the Holland Financial Centre, research fellow
at the Netherlands School for Public Administration and chairman of the advisory board of IRS, a company active in the field of security, investigations and integrity management.
, Doctors van Leeuwen became a member of the VVD
, for which he co-authored the new foundational program, the Liberal Manifest. In 2006, he was a candidate for the VVD for the Dutch general election
. He removed himself from the list though, after he obtained a lower (#10) position on the list than Fred Teeven
(#5). Fred Teeven is a public prosecutor in Amsterdam. Doctors van Leeuwen reasoned with his lower position than Teeven's on the candidacy list that "clearly the VVD chooses a direction that is not mine."
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
and civil servant. He is member of the liberal political party VVD
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
. Between 1999 and 2007 he was chairman of the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets
Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets
The Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets is the financial services regulatory authority for the Netherlands. Its role is comparable to the role of the SEC in the United States.-History:...
, an agency of the Dutch government, which supervises Dutch financial markets.
Career
Docters van Leeuwen was born in The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. After studying law (degree 1969) and various functions for the Dutch government, he became head of the Domestic Security Service, the Dutch secret service
Secret service
A secret service describes a government agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. For instance, a country may establish a secret service which has some...
(currently the AIVD
General Intelligence and Security Service
Algemene Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdienst , formerly known as the BVD is the General Intelligence and Security Service or The Secret service of the Netherlands. The office is in Zoetermeer...
), in 1989. In 1995, he was succeeded by Nico Buis, after Docters van Leeuwen became a member and chairman of the Board of Procurators General in The Hague (a board which supervises Dutch public prosecutors).
As a member of this board, Docters van Leeuwen came in a conflict in 1998 with justice minister Winnie Sorgdrager
Winnie Sorgdrager
Winnifred Sorgdrager is a Dutch jurist and former politician.-References:...
(D66
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...
). The question was about a conflict of interest of another member of the board, Dato Steenhuis, who was on the pay-roll of the company that looked into the workings of the public prosecution in the region of which Date Steenhuis, as board member, was responsible for. Doctors van Leeuwen supported Steenhuis against Sorgdrager; the ensuing breach of confidence between the two resulted in Doctors van Leeuwen being fired from the Board. Shortly thereafter, in 1999, Doctors van Leeuwen became chairman of the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets.
In June 2007 Docters van Leeuwen stepped down as chairman of the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. After his retirement as a civil servant he became chairman of the Holland Financial Centre, research fellow
Research fellow
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research position at a university or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator...
at the Netherlands School for Public Administration and chairman of the advisory board of IRS, a company active in the field of security, investigations and integrity management.
Political career
Although at first a member of the social liberal D66Democrats 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...
, Doctors van Leeuwen became a member of the VVD
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
, for which he co-authored the new foundational program, the Liberal Manifest. In 2006, he was a candidate for the VVD for the Dutch general election
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....
. He removed himself from the list though, after he obtained a lower (#10) position on the list than Fred Teeven
Fred Teeven
Fredrik "Fred" Teeven is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He is the State Secretary for Security and Justice in the Cabinet Rutte since October 14, 2010....
(#5). Fred Teeven is a public prosecutor in Amsterdam. Doctors van Leeuwen reasoned with his lower position than Teeven's on the candidacy list that "clearly the VVD chooses a direction that is not mine."