# Leader of the Democrats 66

The Leader of the Democrats 66 is the most senior politician within the Democrats 66 (Dutch: Democraten 66, D66) party in the Netherlands. The post is currently held by Rob Jetten who was elected on 12 August 2023 and led the party into the 2023 Dutch general election. Jetten previously served as parliamentary leader of D66 in the House of Representatives from 2018 to 2021 and as Minister for Climate and Energy in the fourth Rutte government.

## 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. In the Democrats 66, the leader is often the parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives. Some Democrats 66 leaders became a Minister in a cabinet.

## Leaders

| Leader | Leader | Term of office | Age as leader | Position(s) as leader | Further position(s) | Professional background | Lead candidate |
| | Hans van Mierlo (1931–2010) | 14 September 1966 – 1 September 1973 (6 years, 352 days) | 35–42 | Chairman of the Democrats 66 (1966–1967) Member of the House of Representatives (1967–1977, 1986–1994) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1967–1973, 1986–1994) Member of the Senate (1983–1986) Minister of Foreign Affairs Deputy Prime Minister (1994–1998) | Minister of Defence (1981–1982) Member of the House of Representatives (1998) Minister of State (1998–2011) | Journalist | 1967 1971 1972 1986 1989 1994 |
| | Dr. Jan Terlouw (born 1931) | 1 September 1973 – 8 September 1982 (9 years, 7 days) | 41–50 | Member of the House of Representatives (1971–1981) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1973–1981) Minister of Economic Affairs Deputy Prime Minister (1981–1982) | Queen's Commissioner of Gelderland (1991–1996) Member of the Senate (1999–2003) | Nuclear physicist Astrophysicist Mathematician Researcher Author professor | 1977 1981 1982 |
| | Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (born 1937) | 8 September 1982 – 10 November 1982 (63 days) | 45 | Member of the House of Representatives (1977–1982) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1981–1982) | State Secretary for Foreign Affairs (1973–1977) Ambassador of the European Union to Japan (1982–1987) Member of the European Parliament (1994–1999) Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries (1999–2002) Minister of Economic Affairs (2003–2006) Deputy Prime Minister (2005–2006) | Lawyer Researcher Professor | |
| | Maarten Engwirda (born 1943) | 10 November 1982 – 25 January 1986 (3 years, 76 days) | 39–42 | Member of the House of Representatives (1977–1989) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1982–1986) | Member of the House of Representatives (1971–1972) Member of the European Parliament (1971–1973) Member of the European Court of Auditors (1996–2011) | Economist Mathematician civil servant | |
| | Hans van Mierlo (1931–2010) | 25 January 1986 – 15 February 1998 (12 years, 21 days) | 54–66 | Chairman of the Democrats 66 (1966–1967) Member of the House of Representatives (1967–1977, 1986–1994) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1967–1973, 1986–1994) Member of the Senate (1983–1986) Minister of Foreign Affairs Deputy Prime Minister (1994–1998) | Minister of Defence (1981–1982) Member of the House of Representatives (1998) Minister of State (1998–2011) | Journalist | 1967 1971 1972 1986 1989 1994 |
| | Dr. Els Borst (1932–2014) | 15 February 1998 – 30 May 1998 (104 days) | 65–66 | Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (1994–2002) Member of the House of Representatives (1998) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1998) | Deputy Prime Minister (1998–2002) Minister of State (2012–2014) | Physician Researcher Hospital administrator Professor | 1998 |
| | Thom de Graaf (born 1957) | 30 May 1998 – 22 January 2003 (4 years, 237 days) | 40–45 | Member of the House of Representatives (1994–2003) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1998–2003) | Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (1997–1998) Minister without Portfolio for the Interior Deputy Prime Minister (2003–2005) Mayor of Nijmegen (2007–2012) Member of the Senate (2011–2018) Parliamentary leader in the Senate (2015–2018) Vice-President of the Council of State (since 2018) | Jurist Researcher Civil servant | 2002 2003 |
| | Boris Dittrich (born 1955) | 22 January 2003 – 3 February 2006 (3 years, 12 days) | 47–50 | Member of the House of Representatives (1994–2006) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2003–2006) | Member of the Senate (since 2019) | Lawyer Judge Activist | |
| Vacant (3 February 2006 – 24 June 2006) |||||||||
| | Alexander Pechtold (born 1965) | 24 June 2006 – 6 October 2018 (12 years, 104 days) | 40–52 | Member of the House of Representatives (2006–2018) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2006–2018) | Chairman of the Democrats 66 (2002–2005) Mayor of Wageningen (2003–2005) Minister without Portfolio for the Interior (2005–2006) | Auctioneer Art historian Civil servant | 2006 2010 2012 2017 |
| Vacant (6 October 2018 – 4 September 2020) |||||||||
| | Sigrid Kaag (born 1961) | 4 September 2020 – 12 August 2023 (2 years, 342 days) | 58–61 | Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation (2017–2021) Member of the House of Representatives (2021–2022) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2021, 2021–2022) Minister of Foreign Affairs (2021) Minister of Finance (2022–2024) Deputy Prime Minister (2022–2024) | United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (2015–2017) United Nations Special Coordinator for Syria (2013–2014) Minister of Foreign Affairs (2018) United Nations Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza (since 2024) | Diplomat Civil servant | 2021 |
| | Rob Jetten (born 1987) | 12 August 2023 – Incumbent (1 year, 120 days) | 36–37 | Minister for Climate and Energy Policy (2022–2024) Member of the House of Representatives (since 2023) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (since 2023) Minister of Finance (2024) Deputy Prime Minister (2024) | Member of the House of Representatives (2017–2022) Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives (2018–2021, 2021) | Political consultant | 2023 |
    $^{Note}$ After Boris Dittrich stepped down Lousewies van der Laan took over as Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives. The 2006 Democrats 66 leadership election elected Alexander Pechtold as lead candidate for the 2006 general election on 24 June 2006.
    $^{Note}$ After Alexander Pechtold stepped down Rob Jetten took over as parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives on 10 October 2018.