Balkenende, Jan Peter

1956 - Balkenende was born on the 7th of May in Kapelle.

1976 - Studied law and history at the Free University of Amsterdam.

1986 - Worked as a staff of the research institute of the political party Christen Democratisch Appel (CDA).

1988 - He was elected city councilor in Amstelveen.

1998 - On the 19th of May, Balkenende first entered the Tweede Kamer (lower house) of the Netherlands Parliament.

2001 - He was elected chairman of the parliamentary CDA party.

2002 - Queen Beatrix asked Balkenende to form a new government and it was later known as Balkenende I.

         - Balkenende became the Prime Minister of the Netherlands and assumed office on the 22th of July.

2006 - Offered his resignation as Prime Minister after his lost in the Dutch parliament.