Former Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende entered into talks with a group of participants of the young professionals' programme of Socires and Stichting Thomas More. The Professor Governance, Institutions and Internationalisation at Erasmus University Rotterdam had two hours to share his experience in a small-scale meeting.
Jan Peter Balkende and Ward Huetink (Socires) with participants in the programme.
In a very frank meeting Professor Balkenende told about the development of his social and academic career, and the role his Christian background played in this. He spoke about his youth, his choice of studies history and rights at VU, the beginning of his social career in the city council of Amstelveen and his work at the scientific bureau of the then newly founded CDA. After his PhD in 1992 and a first professorship Christian Social Thinking (VU), he became MP in 1998, and in 2002 Prime Minister of the Netherlands. After the 2010 elections, he left Dutch politics to take over the professorship and become a partner with Ernst&Young.
Even after his political career, Balkenende remained socially involved. For example, he plays a major role in the development of the sustainable growth agenda in his role as advocate of the Sustainable Development Goals. He is also working on a report on the future of the European market economy. A key word in his life is responsibility; Every man's mission is charity, and that has to do with the way we organize society. Thus, Christian inspiration is decisive in the choices he makes, both administratively and personally. At the request of the young people, he reflected on his prime ministership and the problems facing the Netherlands today, stressing the importance of hope and trust.
The conversation with Balkenende was the second in the series. In July, the group spoke to Professor Wim van de Donk, Rector Magnificus of Tilburg University and former Commissioner of the King. In October, a conversation with Annemarie Hinten followed, after which this cycle ended with a meeting on October 21. More information about the young professionals program can be found here: https://www.thomasmore.nl/young-professionals/.