Piet Hein Donner

Infobox Politician
name = Piet Hein Donner


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office = Minister of Social Affairs and Employment
term_start = 2007
term_end =
predecessor = Aart Jan de Geus
successor = Incumbent
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office2 = Minister of Justice
term_start2 = 2002
term_end2 = 2007
predecessor2 = Benk Korthals
successor2 = Ernst Hirsch Ballin
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birth_date = Birth date and age|1948|10|20|df=y
birth_place = Amsterdam, Netherlands
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party = Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA)
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religion = Protestant [http://www.parlement.com/9291000/biof/02380]


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Jan Pieter Hendrik Donner (born 20 October 1948 in Amsterdam) is Dutch Minister of Social Affairs and Employment in the Fourth Balkenende cabinet as member of the Dutch Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He previously served as Minister of Justice in the third, second and first Balkenende cabinet and was member of the Dutch Council of State.

The Donner family is one of justices. Piet Hein Donner's father, André Donner, was a judge of the European Court of Justice in the period 1958-1979 and was part of the government commission that looked into the dealings of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands 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 "Hoge Raad", the supreme body of judiciary review in the Netherlands.

Piet Hein Donner studied law at the Free University of Amsterdam, obtaining a degree in 1974.

In 2006 Piet Hein Donner recorded a rap song together with Meester G to explain his point of view on the Dutch soft drug policy. [ [http://www.nu.nl/news/682688/11/'Don'_Donner_rapt_de_dope_van_straat.html 'Don' Donner rapt de dope van straat] , "Nu.nl", 25 February 2006] It was a reply to a song by mayor Gerd Leers of Maastricht (with punk band The Heideroosjes), who asks for a more progressive policy which would not only regulate the selling of soft drugs, but also legalise the 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. [ [http://www.westernresistance.com/blog/archives/002945.html Netherlands: Minister Warns Islamic Law Could Happen Via Democracy] , "Western Resistance", 13 September 2006] That same month, a report of the investigative commission into a fire at a Schiphol jail was released, condemning Dutch government officials. [ [http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=19&story_id=33231 Official failings led to deaths in Schiphol fire - report] , "Expatica", 21 September 2006] Donner, as responsible justice minister, resigned in aftermath of the report's conclusions. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5367056.stm Dutch ministers quit over blaze] , "BBC News", 21 September 2006] His successor is Ernst Hirsch Ballin, who was already justice minister in the third Lubbers cabinet. [ [http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/politiek/nieuwsbericht/asp/artnr/116520/index.html Hirsch Ballin en Winsemius volgen ministers op] , "Elsevier", 22 September 2005]

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