Editing Jan Peter Balkenende

{{Short description|Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 2002 to 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Jan Peter Balkenende
| image               = File:Jan Peter Balkenende 2006.jpg
| caption             = Balkenende in 2006
| office              = [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands]]
| monarch             = [[Beatrix of the Netherlands|Beatrix]]
| deputy              = {{List collapsed|title=''See list''|1= [[Eduard Bomhoff]]<br>{{small|(2002)}}<br>[[Johan Remkes]]<br>{{small|(2002–2003)}}<br>[[Roelf de Boer]]<br>{{small|(2002–2003)}}<br>[[Gerrit Zalm]]<br>{{small|(2003–2007)}}<br>[[Thom de Graaf]]<br>{{small|(2003–2005)}}<br>[[Laurens Jan Brinkhorst]]<br>{{small|(2005–2006)}}<br>[[Wouter Bos]]<br>{{small|(2007–2010)}}<br>[[André Rouvoet]]<br>{{small|(2007–2010)}}}}
| term_start          = 22 July 2002
| term_end            = 14 October 2010
| predecessor         = [[Wim Kok]]
| successor           = [[Mark Rutte]]
| office1             = [[Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal]]
| term_start1         = 1 October 2001
| term_end1           = 9 June 2010
| predecessor1        = [[Jaap de Hoop Scheffer]]
| successor1          = [[Maxime Verhagen]]
| office2             = Leader of the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| term_start2         = 30 November 2006
| term_end2           = 9 February 2007
| predecessor2        = [[Maxime Verhagen]]
| successor2          = Maxime Verhagen
| term_start3         = 30 January 2003
| term_end3           = 21 May 2003
| predecessor3        = Maxime Verhagen
| successor3          = Maxime Verhagen
| term_start4         = 1 October 2001
| term_end4           = 11 July 2002
| predecessor4        = [[Jaap de Hoop Scheffer]]
| successor4          = Maxime Verhagen
| office5             = Member of the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| term_start5         = 30 November 2006
| term_end5           = 22 February 2007
| term_start6         = 30 January 2003
| term_end6           = 27 May 2003
| term_start7         = 19 May 1998
| term_end7           = 22 July 2002
| birth_name          = Jan Pieter Balkenende Jr.
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|df=y|1956|5|7}}
| birth_place         = [[Biezelinge]], Netherlands
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] {{small|(1980–present)}}
| spouse              = {{marriage|Bianca Hoogendijk|1996}}
| children            = 1
| education           = [[Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam|Free University Amsterdam]] {{small|([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]], [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[Master of Laws|LLM]], [[Master of Arts|MA]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])}}
| signature           = Jan Peter Balkenende Signature.png
| honorific_prefix    = [[Excellency|His Excellency]]
}}
'''Jan Pieter '''"'''Jan Peter'''"''' Balkenende Jr.''' ({{IPA|nl|jɑm ˈpeːtər ˈbɑlkənˌɛndə|-|Nl-Jan Peter Balkenende.ogg}} {{IPA|nl|- ˈbɑlkəˌʔɛndə|label=or}}; born 7 May 1956) is a [[politics of the Netherlands|Dutch politician]] of the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA) party and jurist who served as [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands]] from 22 July 2002 to 14 October 2010.

Balkenende studied History and Law at the [[Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam|Free University Amsterdam]] obtaining Master of Arts and [[Master of Law|law]] degrees and worked as a legal counsel for the academic council of his alma mater before finishing his thesis and graduated as a PhD in governmental studies and worked as a professor of Christian theology at his alma mater from April 1993 until May 2002. After the [[1998 Dutch general election|election of 1998]], Balkenende was elected as a [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Member of the House of Representatives]] on 19 May 1998 and served as a [[frontbencher]] and spokesperson for [[Ministry of Finance (Netherlands)|Finances]] and as [[Parliamentary leader|deputy parliamentary leader]]. After [[Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal|Party Leader]] and [[Parliamentary leader]], [[Jaap de Hoop Scheffer]] stepped down before an upcoming [[2002 Dutch general election|election]] Balkenende announced his candidacy and was selected as his successor on 1 October 2001. For the [[2002 Dutch general election|election of 2002]], Balkenende served as [[lead candidate]] and after a [[2002 Dutch cabinet formation|cabinet formation]] with the [[Pim Fortuyn List]] and the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] formed the [[First Balkenende cabinet|Cabinet Balkenende I]] and became [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands]] taking office 22 July 2002.

The cabinet of Balkenende I fell just 87 days into its term. For the [[2003 Dutch general election|election of 2003]], Balkenende again served as lead candidate and following a [[2003 Dutch cabinet formation|cabinet formation]] with the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] and [[Democrats 66]], they formed the [[Second Balkenende cabinet|Cabinet Balkenende II]] and continued as prime minister. This second cabinet fell on 30 June 2006 and was replaced with the [[Caretaker government|caretaker]] [[Third Balkenende cabinet|Cabinet Balkenende III]] on 7 July 2006. For the [[2006 Dutch general election|election of 2006]], Balkenende once again served as lead candidate and following a [[2006–07 Dutch cabinet formation|cabinet formation]] with [[Leader of the Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Leader]] [[Wouter Bos]] and fellow [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian-democrats]], formed the [[Fourth Balkenende cabinet|Cabinet Balkenende IV]] and continued as prime minister for another term. This fourth cabinet fell exactly 3 years into its term. For the [[2010 Dutch general election|election of 2010]], Balkenende once again served as lead candidate but suffered a large defeat and announced his retirement and stepped down as Leader on 9 June 2010. Balkenende left office following the installation of the [[First Rutte cabinet|Cabinet Rutte I]] on 14 October 2010.

Balkenende retired from active politics at 54 and became active in the private sector as a corporate director and also works as a professor of Governance, Institutions and Internationalisation at the [[Erasmus University Rotterdam]] since December 2010. During his premiership, his cabinets were responsible for several major reforms to the [[Education in the Netherlands|education system]], [[Integration law for immigrants to the Netherlands|immigration laws]] and reducing the [[Government budget balance|deficit]] following the [[2008 financial crisis]]. He is the fourth [[List of prime ministers of the Netherlands|longest-serving]] Prime Minister after World War II, and his premiership is consistently [[Historical rankings of prime ministers of the Netherlands|regarded]] both by scholars and the public to have been above average.<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.geschiedenis24.nl/nieuws/2006/januari/Willem-Drees-gekozen-tot-D-premier-na-WO-II.html Willem Drees gekozen tot ‘Dé premier na WO II’], Geschiedenis24.nl, 15 January 2006</ref><ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2013/09/28/nrc-enquete-drees-en-lubbers-beste-premiers-sinds-1900/ NRC-enquête: Drees en Lubbers beste premiers sinds 1900], NRC Handelsblad, 28 September 2013</ref><ref>{{in lang|nl}} [https://www.ioresearch.nl/actueel/mark-rutte-gezien-als-beste-premier-sinds-woii/ I&O Research], I&O Research, 13 March 2020</ref> Balkenende was granted the honorary title of [[Minister of State (Netherlands)|Minister of State]] on 14 October 2022 exactly twelve years after leaving office.

==Early life==
Jan Pieter Balkenende Jr. was born on 7 May 1956 in [[Biezelinge]] in the [[Provinces of the Netherlands|province]] of [[Zeeland]] in a family belonging to the [[Reformed Churches in the Netherlands|Reformed]] faith, the son of Jan Pieter Balkenende Sr. a cereal grains merchant and Thona Johanna Sandee, a teacher.

During his childhood, Balkenende was an active supporter of the Dutch football team [[PSV Eindhoven]], and along with his father, he frequented many matches. He also regularly visited the local music school and theatre. Balkenende went to a [[Reformed Churches in the Netherlands|Reformed Protestant]] primary school in [[Kapelle]]. He attended secondary school at the "Christian Lyceum for [[Zeeland]]" in [[Goes]], graduating in 1974.<ref name="biography">{{cite web |title = Mr. Dr. J.P. Balkenende |url = http://www.parlement.com |publisher =Leiden University|access-date = 7 June 2007 |language=nl}}</ref>{{nonspecific|date=June 2021}}

He studied at the [[Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam]] where he received an [[Master of Arts|MA]] degree in history in 1980, subsequently an [[Master of Laws|LLM]] degree in [[Law of the Netherlands|Dutch law]] in 1982, and finally a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] in law in 1992.<ref name="biography"/>

Balkenende resides with his wife, Bianca Hoogendijk, and his daughter, Amelie, in [[Capelle aan den IJssel]]. During his tenure as prime minister, he did not use the [[Catshuis]], the formal residency of the Prime Minister.

==Early political career==
[[File:Silvio Berlusconi and Jan Peter Balkenende.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and [[Prime Minister of Italy]] [[Silvio Berlusconi]] in Moscow on 31 May 2003.]] 
[[File:Aleksander Kwasniewski i Jan Peter Balkenende.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and [[President of Poland]] [[Aleksander Kwaśniewski]] in Warsaw on 27 October 2003.]]
[[File:Vladimir Putin in the Netherlands 25 November 2004-2.jpg|thumb|left|Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende with [[President of Russia]] [[Vladimir Putin]], [[President of the European Commission]] [[José Manuel Barroso]] and [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy|High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy]] [[Javier Solana]] at the EU–Russia Summit in The Hague, 25 November 2004.]] 
[[File:Jan Peter Balkenende, Dutch Prime Minister and President in office of the Council, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkish Prime Minister, and Abdullah Gül, Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs.jpg|thumb|220px|Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and [[Prime Minister of Turkey]] [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] and [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Turkey)|Minister of Foreign Affairs Turkey]] [[Abdullah Gül]] in Brussels on 17 December 2004.]]
[[File:Flickr - europeanpeoplesparty - EPP Sumiit 15 May 2006 (33).jpg|thumb|left|220px|[[Chancellor of Austria]] [[Wolfgang Schüssel]] and Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende at a [[European People's Party]] summit in [[Meise]] on 15 June 2006.]]
[[File:Balkenende visits Bush June 2008.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and President of the United States [[George W. Bush]] in the [[Oval Office]] on 5 June 2008.]]
[[File:Flickr - europeanpeoplesparty - EPP Congress Warsaw (990).jpg|thumb|left|220px|[[List of Prime Ministers of Luxembourg|Prime Minister of Luxembourg]] [[Jean-Claude Juncker]] and Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende at a [[European People's Party]] congress in [[Warsaw]] on 29 April 2009.]]
[[File:Jan Peter Balkenende with Obamas.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[First Lady of the United States]] [[Michelle Obama]], Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and President of the United States [[Barack Obama]] at the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] on 23 September 2009.]]
[[File:Dmitry Medvedev in the United States 14 April 2010-6.jpeg|thumb|right|220px|Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, [[President of Russia]] [[Dmitry Medvedev]] and President of France [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] at the [[2010 Nuclear Security Summit]] in Washington, D.C., on 14 April 2010.]]
[[File:Cristina Fernandez and Dutch PM Jan Peter Balkenende.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[President of Argentina]] [[Cristina Fernández de Kirchner]], [[President of the European Commission]] [[José Manuel Barroso]] and Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende in [[Toronto]] on 10 June 2010.]]
[[File:Flickr - europeanpeoplesparty - EPP Summit June 2010 (8).jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[Prime Minister of Hungary]] [[Viktor Orbán]], Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and [[Prime Minister of Belgium]] [[Yves Leterme]] [[European People's Party]] summit in [[Meise]] on 16 June 2010.]]

He began his career on the staff of the research institute of the CDA and as a city councilman in [[Amstelveen]]. As a councilman, he proposed the [[Krokettenmotie]], which gave council members the right to a croquette if the council went past 23:00, and it was passed. In 1992, he received his PhD with a thesis on "Governance regulation and social organisations" (Overheidsregelgeving en maatschappelijke organisaties), which was strongly inspired by the [[Communitarian]] ideas of [[Amitai Etzioni]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.progressive-governance.net/uploadedFiles/Articles/Becker%20and%20Cuperus%20article(1).pdf |title = The Political Center under Pressure: Elections in the Netherlands |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080226204234/http://www.progressive-governance.net/uploadedFiles/Articles/Becker%20and%20Cuperus%20article(1).pdf |archive-date = 26 February 2008 |df = dmy-all }}</ref> One year later in 1993, he became an extraordinary professor of Christian-Social Thought at the Free University of Amsterdam.

Balkenende first entered the [[House of Representatives of the Netherlands|House of Representatives]] on 19 May 1998 while the CDA was in opposition. He became the CDA's financial spokesman and was also involved with social affairs, justice, and domestic affairs. In this role, he advocated a substantial reduction of the national debt and sound public finances.

He was elected Chairman of the CDA parliamentary fraction on 1 October 2001, succeeding [[Jaap de Hoop Scheffer]]. On 3 November 2001, he was appointed lead candidate for the CDA in the tumultuous May 2002 parliamentary elections. These elections restored the CDA's former position as the largest political party in the House of Representatives.

==Prime Minister of the Netherlands==
===First cabinet===
{{Main|First Balkenende cabinet}}
On 4 July 2002, [[Beatrix of the Netherlands|Queen Beatrix]] asked Balkenende to form a new government after the general elections following the resignation of Prime Minister [[Wim Kok]]. The coalition cabinet included the [[Pim Fortuyn List]] (LPF) party, whose leader ([[Pim Fortuyn]]) was assassinated just days before the election. It collapsed after just 87 days in office because of internal conflicts within the LPF that destabilised the government.

===Second cabinet===
{{Main|Second Balkenende cabinet}}
After early elections in 2003, Balkenende formed his [[Second Balkenende cabinet|second government]] with the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA), the liberal [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (VVD) and the [[Progressivism|progressive]] liberal [[Democrats 66|D66]]. Once again leader of a centre-right coalition, Balkenende's policies centred on reform of the Dutch public services, social security, pre-pension facilities, public health, reducing crime, a tough immigration policy and historically large cuts in public spending. The measures gave rise to large public anger and bad results in opinion polls for his CDA party. While his party remained the largest Dutch delegation in the [[European Parliament]] after the [[2004 European Parliament election|European elections]], beating the general expectation of a huge loss in parliamentary seats, the party suffered strong losses during [[2006 Dutch municipal elections|Dutch municipal elections of 2006]], losing their position as the largest party in many municipalities. Despite his unpopularity among Dutch voters (polls in 2006 showed that only 26–33% of the voters had confidence in him as prime minister), his position as leader of the CDA remained stable. In the beginning of 2006, some CDA members tried to replace Balkenende as leader with Agriculture Minister [[Cees Veerman]]. Veerman did not accept the proposition and offered his support to Balkenende. Balkenende's popularity recovered since then, surpassing that of his main competitor [[Wouter Bos]] in the autumn of 2006. By then, 53% preferred Balkenende as Prime Minister of the Netherlands while 40% preferred Bos.<ref>{{cite news|title=Balkenende als premier populairder dan Bos |url=http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/politiek/nieuwsbericht/asp/artnr/114307/index.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080210021601/http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/politiek/nieuwsbericht/asp/artnr/114307/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 February 2008 |publisher=[[Elsevier (magazine)|Elsevier]] |date=10 September 2006 |language=nl }}</ref> The switch in public opinion is sometimes explained by the steady recovery of the Dutch economy during the last year of his administration and the positive effects of the reformed policy of the Balkenende cabinet, combined with declining confidence in Bos as a good alternative for the position of prime minister.

On 1 July 2004, Balkenende took up the rotating presidency of the [[European Union]].

===Third cabinet===
{{Main|Third Balkenende cabinet}}
On 30 June 2006, the Democrats 66, the smallest coalition party, withdrew its support of the government over the way Immigration Minister [[Rita Verdonk]] had handled the crisis around the naturalisation of [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]], a member of the House of Representatives. Balkenende resigned for the second time as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, announced early elections and presented his third government a week later. This [[rump cabinet]], formed of a minority coalition of CDA and VVD, stayed in office until the elections of 22 November 2006.

===Fourth cabinet===
{{Main|Fourth Balkenende cabinet}}
Though his old coalition partners, VVD and D66, fared badly in the parliamentary elections of 2006, Balkenende managed to defend the dominant position of his CDA. Needing alternative coalition partners to form a new majority government, he formed a social-Christian coalition with the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (PvdA) and the orthodox-Protestant [[Christian Union (Netherlands)|Christian Union]]. The [[Fourth Balkenende cabinet]] was [[2006–2007 Dutch cabinet formation|formed]] after Balkenende was appointed ''[[formateur]]'' by [[Beatrix of the Netherlands|Queen Beatrix]] on 9 February 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.nos.nl/nos/artikelen/2007/02/art000001C74C011F6335E9.html |title = Balkenende benoemd tot formateur |date = 9 February 2007 |publisher = [[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]].nl |language = nl |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070211174622/http://www.nos.nl/nos/artikelen/2007/02/art000001C74C011F6335E9.html |archive-date = 11 February 2007 |df = dmy-all }}</ref> His cabinet was announced on 13 February and was scheduled to be in office until 2011, but it fell in the early morning of 20 February 2010 as the result of disagreement between the majority of the parliament and the coalition partners CDA and PvdA over the extension of the Dutch [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]]-mission in [[Afghanistan]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/dutch-government-falls-over-afghanistan-mission|title=Dutch government falls over Afghanistan mission|last=Tyler|first=John|date=20 February 2010|publisher=[[Radio Netherlands Worldwide]]|access-date=20 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100223001603/http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/dutch-government-falls-over-afghanistan-mission|archive-date=23 February 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> In contrast to the formation of a new caretaker cabinet with full responsibility (Balkenende III after the fall of Balkenende II), Balkenende IV continued as a demissionary cabinet, a caretaker cabinet with limited responsibility. Balkenende government opposed Ukraine and Georgia becoming NATO action plan members at [[2008 Bucharest summit]].<ref name="divided">{{cite news |work=Euractiv 
|date= Apr 2, 2008 |title='Old' and 'new' Europe divided at NATO Summit 
|access-date=March 19, 2023 |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/security/news/old-and-new-europe-divided-at-nato-summit/ }}</ref> "Ukraine is seen by Russia as part of its own historic and cultural domain," [[Jan Marinus Wiersma|Dutch politician]] stated.<ref name="divided"/>

==2010 election and resignation==
Despite serious criticism by former prime ministers from the CDA, Balkenende was the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] [[lead candidate]] for the [[2010 Dutch general election|Dutch general election of 2010]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1351146.ece/Balkenende_weer_lijsttrekker_CDA|title=Balkenende weer lijsttrekker CDA}}</ref>
Balkenende raised mild controversy during his campaign for the 2010 Dutch elections. While appearing in a television show, Balkenende was asked by a female presenter what parties he would most likely form a [[coalition]] with. Balkenende first gave evasive answers, then when asked again by the presenter, responded saying "U kijkt zo lief" (English: "You look so cute"). The comment was regarded as [[Sexism|sexist]] and criticised by several people, including [[Opzij]] chief-editor Margriet van der Linden and [[GroenLinks]] leader [[Femke Halsema]] (who stated that "[the prime minister] deserves a knee to the groin" (in Dutch: "een knietje verdient")).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nd.nl/artikelen/2010/mei/27/balkenende-excuseert-zich-voor-u-kijkt-zo-lief- |title=Balkenende excuseert zich voor 'u kijkt zo lief' |date = 27 May 2010 |publisher = [[Nederlands Dagblad]]|language=nl}}</ref> Balkenende apologised for the comment later.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.nrcnext.nl/blog/2010/05/27/wat-zeg-je-terug-op-u-kijkt-zo-lief/ |title =Wat zeg je terug op "U kijkt zo lief"? |date = 27 May 2010 |publisher = [[NRC Next]]|language=nl}}</ref>

On 9 June 2010, Balkenende resigned his position as leader of the CDA as well as his seat in the newly elected parliament, taking political responsibility for the CDA's disappointing election results in the 2010 general election.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/6906044/__Balkenende_weg_als_CDA-leider__.html?sn=binnenland,buitenland |author= De Telegraaf |title= Balkenende weg als CDA-leider |access-date= 9 June 2010}}</ref>

==Other issues==
In 2004, during his second cabinet, Balkenende was diagnosed with [[Necrotizing fasciitis|necrotising fasciitis]]. He was treated through surgical [[debridement]] and made a full recovery after several weeks in hospital.

On 4 June 2005, the [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Belgium)|Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs]] [[Karel De Gucht]] said in the [[Flanders|Flemish]] newspaper ''Het Laatste Nieuws'' (The Latest News) that "Balkenende is a mix of [[Harry Potter (character)|Harry Potter]] and a [[petite bourgeoisie|petty rigid bourgeois]] mentality". This comparison caused a small diplomatic controversy, and the Belgian ambassador had to apologise to [[Ben Bot]], the [[Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs]].<ref>{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4613087.stm | title = Belgian Potter jibe upsets Dutch | date = 6 June 2005 | work = BBC News}}</ref> Retired deputy prime minister [[Hans Wiegel]] commented he preferred Harry Potter to ''[[Manneken Pis]]''.

Balkenende has a close relationship with the Dutch people from [[Suriname]] and the [[Netherlands Antilles]]. He has visited several [[Keti Koti]] celebrations in recent years.

Balkenende's [[nickname]]s were "JP" and "Harry Potter", among others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/kijk-het-is-zo-je-hebt-te-maken-met-jp-het-is-goed-om-dat-nog-eens-te-zeggen~befb0ae4/|title=Kijk, het is zo, je hebt te maken met JP, het is goed om dat nog eens te zeggen|last=van Gorp|first=Cyntha|date=18 May 2008|website=[[Trouw]]|access-date=2 June 2021|language=Dutch}}</ref>

He was a member of the [[Reformed Churches in the Netherlands]] and, since 1 May 2004, a member of the [[Protestant Church in the Netherlands]].

==Honours and decorations==
=== National honours ===
* [[File:Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Knight Grand Cross.svg|55px]] Knight Grand Cross of the [[Order of Orange-Nassau]] (23 November 2010)

=== Foreign honours ===
* {{flag|Belgium}}: Commander of the [[Order of Leopold (Belgium)|Order of Leopold]]<ref>[http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/26170856/__Balkenende_in_Leopoldsorde__.html ''De Telegraph'' article] (in Dutch).</ref>
* {{flag|Brazil}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Southern Cross]]
* {{flag|Chile}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Bernardo O'Higgins]]
* {{flag|Germany}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
* {{flag|Ghana}}: Companion of the [[Order of the Star of Ghana]]
* {{flagicon|Habsburg monarchy}} [[House of Habsburg]]: Honorary Knight of the [[Order of St. George (Habsburg-Lorraine)|Order of St. George]]
* {{flag|Jordan}}: Grand Cordon of the [[Order of Independence (Jordan)|Order of Independence]]
* {{flag|Luxembourg}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg]]
* {{flag|Poland}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland]]<ref>[http://www.haga.msz.gov.pl/en/news/decoration_of_former_dutch_prime_minister_h_e__jan_peter_balkenende Decoration of former Dutch Prime Minister H.E. Jan Peter Balkenende] – website Embassy of the Republic of Poland in The Hague</ref>
* {{flag|Romania}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Star of Romania]]
* {{flag|Sweden}}: Commander Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Polar Star]]

===Awards===
* Golden Honorary Medal, of the municipality [[Amstelveen]] (Netherlands, 30 May 1998)

===Honorary degrees===
* Honorary doctorate in laws, [[Hope College]] ([[Holland, Michigan]], United States, 7 September 2012)
* Honorary doctorate in human letters, [[Hofstra University]] ([[Hempstead, New York|Hempstead]], New York, United States, 22 May 2011)
* Honorary doctorate in sociology, [[Yonsei University]] ([[Seoul]], [[South Korea]], 27 April 2010)
* Honorary doctorate in systems, design and management, [[Keio University]] (Tokyo, Japan, 27 October 2009)
* Honorary doctorate in theology, [[Károli Gáspár University of the Hungarian Reformed Church]] ([[Budapest]], [[Hungary]], 10 October 2005)

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{in lang|nl}} [http://www.parlement.com/id/vg09lljrp5z5/j_p_jan_peter_balkenende Prof.Mr.Dr. J.P. (Jan Peter) Balkenende] Parlement & Politiek
* {{in lang|nl}} [http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/regering/over-de-regering/kabinetten-sinds-1945/kabinet-balkenende-i Kabinet Balkenende I] Rijksoverheid
* {{in lang|nl}} [http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/regering/over-de-regering/kabinetten-sinds-1945/kabinet-balkenende-ii Kabinet-Balkenende II] Rijksoverheid
* {{in lang|nl}} [http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/regering/over-de-regering/kabinetten-sinds-1945/kabinet-balkenende-iii Kabinet-Balkenende III] Rijksoverheid
* {{in lang|nl}} [http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/regering/over-de-regering/kabinetten-sinds-1945/kabinet-balkenende-iv Kabinet-Balkenende IV] Rijksoverheid

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{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|rows=2|before=[[Jaap de Hoop Scheffer]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal]]|years=2001–2010}}
{{s-aft|rows=3|after=[[Maxime Verhagen]]}}
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{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]|years=2001–2002}}
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{{s-bef|rows=2|before=[[Maxime Verhagen]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]|years=2003}}
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{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]|years=2006–2007}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Pieter van Geel]]}}
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{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Wim Kok]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Prime Minister of the Netherlands]] <br/> [[Ministry of General Affairs|Minister of General Affairs]]|years=2002–2010}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Mark Rutte]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Prime Ministers of the Netherlands}}
{{Ministers of State of the Netherlands}}
{{Presidents of the European Council}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2006–2010}}
{{Demissionary Fourth Balkenende cabinet}}
{{Fourth Balkenende cabinet}}
{{Third Balkenende cabinet}}
{{Second Balkenende cabinet}}
{{First Balkenende cabinet}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balkenende, Jan Peter}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Christian Democratic Appeal politicians]]
[[Category:Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star]]
[[Category:Dutch biblical scholars]]
[[Category:Dutch Calvinist and Reformed theologians]]
[[Category:Dutch corporate directors]]
[[Category:Dutch management consultants]]
[[Category:Dutch public administration scholars]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Erasmus University Rotterdam]]
[[Category:Ernst & Young people]]
[[Category:Governmental studies academics]]
[[Category:Grand Cordons of the Order of Independence (Jordan)]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:International relations scholars]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Christian Democratic Appeal]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Dutch MPs 2006–2010]]
[[Category:Ministers of general affairs of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Ministers of state of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Municipal councillors of Amstelveen]]
[[Category:People from Capelle aan den IJssel]]
[[Category:People from Kapelle]]
[[Category:Presidents of the European Council]]
[[Category:Prime ministers of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Protestant Church Christians from the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Star of Ghana]]
[[Category:Reformed Churches Christians from the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch educators]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch jurists]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch scientists]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch businesspeople]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch educators]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch jurists]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch scientists]]