The leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal is the most senior politician within the Christian Democratic Appeal (, CDA) in the Netherlands.The current leader has been Henri Bontenbal since 14 August 2023.
History The leaders outwardly act as the figurehead and the main representative of the party. Within the party, they must ensure political consensus. At election time the leader is always the lead candidate of the party list. Outside election time the officeholder can serve as the leader of the opposition. In the Christian Democratic Appeal the leader is often the parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives. Some Christian Democratic Appeal leaders became a Minister in a cabinet.
Leader Term of office Age as leader Position(s) Religion Lead candidate Dries van Agt 11 December 1976 – 25 October 1982 45–51 Minister of Justice Member of the House of Representatives Deputy Prime Minister Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Prime Minister Minister of Foreign Affairs Queen's Commissioner of North Brabant Ambassador of the EU to Japan Ambassador of the EU to the United States Catholic 1977 1981 1982 Ruud Lubbers 25 October 1982 – 29 January 1994 43–54 Minister of Economic Affairs Member of the House of Representatives Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Prime Minister Minister for Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Affairs United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Minister of State Catholic 1986 1989 Elco Brinkman 29 January 1994 – 16 August 1994 45–46 Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture Member of the House of Representatives Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Member of the Social and Economic Council Member of the Senate Parliamentary leader in the Senate Protestant 1994 Enneüs Heerma 16 August 1994 – 27 March 1997 49–52 Member of the Municipal council of Amsterdam Alderman of Amsterdam State Secretary of Economic Affairs State Secretary of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment Member of the House of Representatives Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Protestant Jaap de Hoop Scheffer 27 March 1997 – 1 October 2001 48–53 Member of the House of Representatives Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Minister of Foreign Affairs Secretary General of NATO Minister of State Catholic 1998 Jan Peter Balkenende 1 October 2001 – 9 June 2010 46–54 Member of the Municipal council of Amstelveen Member of the House of Representatives Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Prime Minister Minister of State Protestant 2002 2003 2006 2010 Maxime Verhagen 10 June 2010 – 30 June 2012 53–55 Member of the Municipal council of Oegstgeest Member of the European Parliament Member of the House of Representatives Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister for Development Cooperation Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation Deputy Prime Minister Member of the Social and Economic Council Catholic Sybrand van Haersma Buma 30 June 2012 – 22 May 2019 46–53 Member of the Municipal council of Leidschendam-Voorburg Member of the House of Representatives Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Mayor of Leeuwarden Protestant 2012 2017 Hugo de Jonge 15 July 2020 – 10 December 2020 42–43 Alderman of Rotterdam Member of the Municipal council of Rotterdam Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations King's commissioner of Zeeland Protestant Wopke Hoekstra (born 1975) 11 December 2020 – 14 August 2023 45–47 Member of the Senate Minister of Finance Member of the House of Representatives Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Minister of Foreign Affairs Deputy Prime Minister European commissioner Protestant 2021 Henri Bontenbal (born 1982) 14 August 2023 – Incumbent 40– Member of the House of Representatives Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Protestant 2023 2025
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