Hans Hillen
Johannes Stefanus Joseph "Hans" Hillen is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal party and journalist.
Biography
Early life
Hillen studied sociology at Utrecht University. He has been a journalist for the Nederlandse Omroep Stichting, a teacher and a civil servant before entering in politicsPolitics
From 1990 till 2002 he was a member of the House of Representatives and from 2007 till 2010 a member of the Senate. From October 14, 2010, to November 5, 2012, he was minister of Defence. He is in favor of a strong defence and close ties with NATO.Other activities
From 2003 till 2007 Hillen was president of CVZ, the Dutch council for the healthcare, and from 2005 till 2010 a member of the executive board of the Dutch employers' organization VNO-NCW. He also did some writing, he wrote columns for Elsevier and Katholiek Nieuwsblad.Furthermore, he is involved in the Edmund Burke Foundation, a Dutch conservative think tank. In 2004 he left the advisory council because a conflict of opinion with prominent co-member Bart Jan Spruyt, who wanted to found a new political party with Geert Wilders.