Piet Hein Donner
Encyclopedia
Jan Pieter Hendrik "Piet Hein" Donner (born October 20, 1948) is a Dutch
politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA). He is the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Cabinet Rutte
since October 14, 2010.
He served as a Member of the Council of State from December 22, 1997 until July 22, 2002. He became Minister of Justice from July 22, 2002 until September 21, 2006 in the Cabinets Balkenende I
, II
and III
, he resigned in the wake of a Netherlands Safety Board enquiry into a fire at a cell block near Schiphol Airport. He served as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment
from February 22, 2007 until October 14, 2010 in the Cabinet Balkenende IV
.
judge
s. Piet Hein Donner's father, André Donner, was a judge at the European Court of Justice
in 1958-1979 and was part of the government commission that looked into Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands's dealing with the Lockheed Corporation
. His grandfather was Jan Donner
, who served as Minister of Justice for the Anti Revolutionary Party
in the first cabinet of Dirk Jan de Geer
and was later president of the Dutch Supreme Court. His uncle Jan Hein Donner
, however, was a chess grandmaster and colourful author. Piet Hein Donner studied Law
at the Free University of Amsterdam, obtaining a degree in 1974. During his study, he joined the student society L.A.N.X. in 1968.
song together with Meester G to explain his point of view on the Dutch soft-drug policy
. It was a reply to a song by Gerd Leers, Mayor
of Maastricht
, (with punk band Heideroosjes
), which called for a more progressive policy which would not only regulate the selling of soft drugs, but also legalise their production.
On 13 September 2006, Donner was the subject of controversy when he suggested Islamic law could be established in the Netherlands by democratic means. He responded by a clarification that he was not advocating such a scenario but warning against it.
That same month, a report of the investigative commission into a fire at Schiphol Airport jail was released, condemning Dutch government officials. Donner, as responsible justice minister, resigned in aftermath of the report's conclusions. His successor was Ernst Hirsch Ballin
, who had been justice minister in the third Lubbers cabinet
.
Four months later, Donner was appointed Minister of Social Affairs and Employment
in the new Cabinet, Balkenende IV.
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 Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
(CDA). He is the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Cabinet Rutte
Netherlands cabinet Rutte
The Rutte cabinet is the current Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Christian Democratic Appeal . The coalition is a minority cabinet, but is supported by the Party for Freedom to have a small majority in the House of...
since October 14, 2010.
He served as a Member of the Council of State from December 22, 1997 until July 22, 2002. He became Minister of Justice from July 22, 2002 until September 21, 2006 in the Cabinets Balkenende I
First Balkenende cabinet
The first cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende was in office in the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 16 October of the same year. The term of 87 days was the shortest since the fifth cabinet of Hendrikus Colijn .Following the 15 May 2002...
, II
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...
and III
Third Balkenende cabinet
The third Balkenende cabinet was formed on 7 July 2006 after a crisis in and the subsequent resignation of the second Balkenende cabinet. This demissionary minority cabinet of Christian Democratic Appeal and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy was negotiated by former prime minister Ruud...
, he resigned in the wake of a Netherlands Safety Board enquiry into a fire at a cell block near Schiphol Airport. He served as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment
Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment is the Dutch ministry of social affairs: it is occupied with employment, relations between employers and employees, the system of social security, and emancipation...
from February 22, 2007 until October 14, 2010 in the Cabinet Balkenende IV
Fourth Balkenende cabinet
The fourth Balkenende cabinet or Balkenende IV is the previous Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties Christian Democratic Appeal , Labour Party , and ChristianUnion . The cabinet succeeded the third Balkenende cabinet following the 2006 election, and was installed by Queen Beatrix...
.
Early life
The Donner family has produced a number of ProtestantReformed churches
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s. Piet Hein Donner's father, André Donner, was a judge at the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
in 1958-1979 and was part of the government commission that looked into Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands's dealing with the Lockheed Corporation
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
. His grandfather was Jan Donner
Jan Donner
Jan Donner was a Dutch politician.Donner was Minister of Justice from 1926 to 1933, President of the Dutch Supreme Court from 1946 to 1961, and was named Minister of State in 1971 for his services to the State.He was the father of the chess player Jan Hein Donner and the jurist André Donner and...
, who served as Minister of Justice for the Anti Revolutionary Party
Anti Revolutionary Party
The Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch Protestant Christian democratic political party. The ARP is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal. After 1917 the party never received more than twenty percent of the vote.-History before 1879:The anti-revolutionary parliamentary caucus...
in the first cabinet of Dirk Jan de Geer
Dirk Jan de Geer
Jonkheer Dirk Jan de Geer was a Dutch nobleman, lawyer, conservative statesman and prime minister of the Netherlands . He was disgraced for advocating a peace settlement between the Kingdom and Nazi Germany in 1940.Born in Groningen, he was a descendant of the de Geer family painted by Rembrandt...
and was later president of the Dutch Supreme Court. His uncle Jan Hein Donner
Jan Hein Donner
Johannes Hendrikus Donner was a Dutch chess grandmaster and writer. Donner was born in The Hague and won the Dutch Championship in 1954, 1957, and 1958. FIDE, the World Chess Federation, awarded him the GM title in 1959. He played 11 times for the Netherlands in the Chess Olympiads...
, however, was a chess grandmaster and colourful author. Piet Hein Donner studied Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the Free University of Amsterdam, obtaining a degree in 1974. During his study, he joined the student society L.A.N.X. in 1968.
Politics
In 2006, Piet Hein Donner recorded a rapHip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
song together with Meester G to explain his point of view on the Dutch soft-drug policy
Drug policy of the Netherlands
The drug policy of the Netherlands officially has four major objectives:# To prevent recreational drug use and to treat and rehabilitate recreational drug users.# To reduce harm to users....
. It was a reply to a song by Gerd Leers, 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 Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
, (with punk band Heideroosjes
Heideroosjes
Heideroosjes , is a punk rock band from Horst aan de Maas, Netherlands. The band is known for their energetic shows and songs with lyrics mostly in Dutch and English, and a few songs in German and Limburgs...
), which called for a more progressive policy which would not only regulate the selling of soft drugs, but also legalise their production.
On 13 September 2006, Donner was the subject of controversy when he suggested Islamic law could be established in the Netherlands by democratic means. He responded by a clarification that he was not advocating such a scenario but warning against it.
That same month, a report of the investigative commission into a fire at Schiphol Airport jail was released, condemning Dutch government officials. Donner, as responsible justice minister, resigned in aftermath of the report's conclusions. His successor was Ernst Hirsch Ballin
Ernst Hirsch Ballin
Ernst Maurits Henricus Hirsch Ballin is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Minister of Justice and Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs from November 7, 1989 until May 27, 1994 in the Cabinet Lubbers III...
, who had been justice minister in the third Lubbers cabinet
Netherlands cabinet Lubbers-3
The third Lubbers cabinet existed from 1989 to 1994, and was formed by a coalition of the Christian-Democrats and the Labour Party . The cabinet was formed with a view to social reform. This was impossible because of the then bad shape of the Dutch economy, which made large reductions in...
.
Four months later, Donner was appointed Minister of Social Affairs and Employment
Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment is the Dutch ministry of social affairs: it is occupied with employment, relations between employers and employees, the system of social security, and emancipation...
in the new Cabinet, Balkenende IV.