# Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal

The Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal is the most senior politician within the Christian Democratic Appeal (Dutch: Christen-Democratisch Appèl, CDA) in the Netherlands.The current leader has been Henri Bontenbal since 14 August 2023.

## History

The leaders outwardly act as the figurehead and the main representative of the party. Within the party, they must ensure political consensus. At election time the leader is always the lead candidate of the party list. Outside election time the officeholder can serve as the Leader of the Opposition. In the Christian Democratic Appeal the leader is often the parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives. Some Christian Democratic Appeal leaders became a Minister in a cabinet.
| Leader | Leader | Term of office | Age as leader | Position(s) as leader | Further position(s) | Former affiliation | Religion | Lead candidate |
| | Dries van Agt (1931–2024) | 10 December 1976 – 25 October 1982 (5 years, 319 days) | 45–51 | Minister of Justice (1971–1977) Deputy Prime Minister (1973–1977) Member of the House of Representatives (1977, 1981, 1982–1983) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1977, 1981) Prime Minister (1977–1982) President of the European Council (1981) Minister of Foreign Affairs (1982) | Member of the House of Representatives (1973) Queen's Commissioner of North Brabant (1983–1987) Ambassador of the European Union to Japan (1987–1990) Ambassador of the European Union to the United States (1990–1995) | KVP | Catholic | 1977 1981 1982 |
| | Ruud Lubbers (1939–2018) | 25 October 1982 – 29 January 1994 (11 years, 96 days) | 43–54 | Member of the House of Representatives (1977–1982, 1986, 1989) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1981–1982, 1986, 1989) Prime Minister (1982–1994) President of the European Council (1986, 1991) Minister for Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Affairs (1989, 1994) | Minister of Economic Affairs (KVP) (1973–1977) Member of the House of Representatives (1977) Minister of State (1995–2018) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2001–2005) | KVP | Catholic | 1986 1989 |
| | Elco Brinkman (born 1948) | 29 January 1994 – 16 August 1994 (199 days) | 45–46 | Member of the House of Representatives (1989–1995) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1989–1994) | Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture (1982–1986) Member of the House of Representatives (1986) Member of the Social and Economic Council (1995–2011) Member of the Senate (2011–2019) Parliamentary leader in the Senate (2011–2019) | | Protestant | 1994 |
| | Enneüs Heerma (1944–1999) | 16 August 1994 – 27 March 1997 (2 years, 254 days) | 49–52 | Member of the House of Representatives (1994–1997) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1994–1997) | State Secretary for Economic Affairs (1986) State Secretary for Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (1986–1994) Member of the House of Representatives (1989) | ARP | Protestant | |
| | Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (born 1948) | 27 March 1997 – 1 October 2001 (4 years, 157 days) | 48–53 | Member of the House of Representatives (1986–2002) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1997–2001) | Minister of Foreign Affairs (2002–2003) Secretary General of NATO (2003–2009) Minister of State (since 2018) | D66 | Catholic | 1998 |
| | Dr. Jan Peter Balkenende (born 1956) | 1 October 2001 – 9 June 2010 (8 years, 251 days) | 46–54 | Member of the House of Representatives (1998–2002, 2003, 2006–2007) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2001–2002, 2003, 2006–2007) Prime Minister (2002–2010) President of the European Council (2004) | | | Protestant | 2002 2003 2006 2010 |
| | Maxime Verhagen (born 1956) | 9 June 2010 – 30 June 2012 (2 years, 21 days) | 53–55 | Member of the House of Representatives (2010) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2010) Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation Deputy Prime Minister (2010–2012) | Member of the European Parliament (1989–1994) Member of the House of Representatives (1994–2007) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2002–2003, 2003–2006, 2007) Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007–2010) Minister for Development Cooperation (2010) Member of the Social and Economic Council (since 2015) | | Catholic | |
| | Sybrand van Haersma Buma (born 1965) | 30 June 2012 – 22 May 2019 (6 years, 326 days) | 46–53 | Member of the House of Representatives (2002–2019) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2010–2019) | Mayor of Leeuwarden (since 2019) | | Protestant | 2012 2017 |
| | Hugo de Jonge (born 1977) | 15 July 2020 – 10 December 2020 (148 days) | 42–43 | Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Deputy Prime Minister (2017–2022) | Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning (since 2022) | | Protestant | |
| Vacant (10 December 2020 – 11 December 2020) ||||||||||
| | Wopke Hoekstra (born 1975) | 11 December 2020 – 14 August 2023 (2 years, 246 days) | 45–47 | Minister of Finance (2017–2022) Member of the House of Representatives (2021–2022) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2021–2022) Minister of Foreign Affairs Deputy Prime Minister (since 2022) | Member of the Senate (2011–2017) | | Remonstrant | 2021 |
| | Henri Bontenbal (born 1982) | 14 August 2023 – Incumbent (1 year, 68 days) | 40–41 | Member of the House of Representatives (since 2022) | Member of the House of Representatives (2021, 2021) | | Protestant | 2023 |