Piet Hein Donner

Piet Hein Donner

Jan Pieter Hendrik "Piet Hein" Donner (born October 20, 1948) is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He is the Vice President of the Council of State since February 1, 2012. He previously served as a Member of the Council of State from December 22, 1997 until July 22, 2002. He became Minister of Justice serving from July 22, 2002 until September 21, 2006 in the Cabinets Balkenende I, II and III. He and Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment Sybilla Dekker resigned in the wake of a Dutch Safety Board enquiry into a fire at a cell block near Schiphol Airport. He then became a Member of the House of Representatives, serving from November 30, 2006 until February 22, 2007 when he became Minister of Social Affairs and Employment in the Cabinet Balkenende IV, serving until October 14, 2010 when he became Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Cabinet Rutte I. He resigned on December 16, 2011 after he was elected the new Vice President of the Council of State succeeding Herman Tjeenk Willink, he was replaced as Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations by fellow Christian Democratic Appeal party member Liesbeth Spies.