Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert
Hennis-Plasschaert in 2015
United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon
Assumed office
20 May 2024
Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres
Preceded byJoanna Wronecka
Special Representative for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq
In office
1 November 2018 – 17 May 2024
Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres
Preceded byJán Kubiš
Minister of Defence
In office
5 November 2012 – 4 October 2017
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byHans Hillen
Succeeded byKlaas Dijkhoff
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
23 March 2017 – 13 September 2018
In office
17 June 2010 – 5 November 2012
Member of the European Parliament
In office
20 July 2004 – 17 June 2010
ConstituencyNetherlands
Personal details
Born
Jeanine Antoinette Plasschaert

(1973-04-07) 7 April 1973 (age 51)
Heerlen, Netherlands
Political partyPeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Other political
affiliations
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
Spouse
Erik-Jan Hennis
(m. 2003)
Children1 stepson
EducationEuropean Secretarial Academy
Military service
Allegiance Netherlands
Branch/serviceRoyal Netherlands Navy
Years of serviceReserve (2018–present)
RankCommander Commander

Jeanine Antoinette Hennis-Plasschaert (born 7 April 1973) is a Dutch politician and diplomat who has been serving as United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon since May 2024. She is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Hennis-Plasschaert, a civil servant by occupation, was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group (ALDE) after the European Parliament election of 2004 on 20 July 2004; she was reelected after the European Parliament election of 2009. She was elected as a member of the House of Representatives after the general election of 2010 and resigned as a Member of the European Parliament the same day she took office as a Member of the House of Representatives on 17 June 2010.

Following the election of 2012 and after the cabinet formation the Second Rutte cabinet was formed with Hennis-Plasschaert becoming Minister of Defence. She stepped down as a member of the House of Representatives on 5 November 2012, the same day she took office as Minister of Defence.[1] She served as Minister of Defence until her resignation on 4 October 2017.[2][3] After the election of 2017 she returned as a member of the House of Representatives, serving from 23 March 2017 until 13 September 2018. She was appointed Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq on 1 November 2018.

  1. ^ (in Dutch) Rutte II: 'alle namen van het nieuwe kabinet', RTL, 25 October 2012.
  2. ^ (in Dutch) 'Alle ministers zijn nu bekend', NOS, 28 October 2012.
  3. ^ "Dutch defense minister resigns over peacekeepers' deaths in Mali". Reuters. 3 October 2017.