Alexander Pechtold facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alexander Pechtold
Pechtold in 2013
Leader of the Democrats 66 in the House of Representatives
In office 30 November 2006 – 10 October 2018
Preceded by	Lousewies van der Laan
Succeeded by	Rob Jetten
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 30 November 2006 – 10 October 2018
Leader of the Democrats 66
In office 24 June 2006 – 6 October 2018
Preceded by	Boris Dittrich
Succeeded by	Sigrid Kaag (2020)
Minister for the Interior
In office 31 March 2005 – 3 July 2006
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Thom de Graaf
Succeeded by	Atzo Nicolaï
Mayor of Wageningen
In office 1 October 2003 – 31 March 2005
Preceded by	Geke Faber
Succeeded by	Chris Rutten (ad Interim)
Chair of the Democrats 66
In office 16 November 2002 – 31 March 2005
Leader	Thom de Graaf (2002–2003) Boris Dittrich (2003–2005)
Preceded by	Gerard Schouw
Succeeded by	Jan Hoekema (ad Interim)
Personal details
Born	Alexander Pechtold (1965-12-16) 16 December 1965 (age 59) Delft, Netherlands
Political party	Democrats 66 (since 1989)
Spouse	Froukje Idema ​ ​ (m. 1997; div. 2018)​
Children	One son, one daughter
Residences	Scheveningen, The Hague, Netherlands
Alma mater	Leiden University (BA, MA)
Occupation	Politician · Civil servant · Auctioneer · Art historian

Alexander Pechtold (born 16 December 1965) is a Dutch politician who is now retired. He was a leader of the Democrats 66 (D66) political party. He also worked as an art historian.

Pechtold studied Archaeology and History of Dutch Art at Leiden University. He earned a Master of Arts degree. Before becoming a full-time politician, he worked as an auctioneer. He also served as an Alderman in Leiden.

He became the chairman of the D66 party in 2002. Later, he was appointed mayor of Wageningen. In 2005, he became a Minister in the Dutch government. He led the D66 party from 2006 until 2018. During this time, he was also a member of the House of Representatives. He retired from politics in 2018.

Early Life and Education

Alexander Pechtold was born on 16 December 1965 in Delft, a city in the Netherlands. He grew up with his older brother in the village of Rhoon. He went to high school in Rotterdam.

Pechtold studied art history and archaeology at Leiden University. He focused on 17th-century paintings. He earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree in 1996. While studying, he also became a certified auctioneer. He worked for an auction house during his university years.

Political Career

Joining Democrats 66

Pechtold joined the Democrats 66 (D66) party in 1989. This was the start of his long political journey. In 1994, he was elected as a local council member in Leiden. Two years later, in 1996, he became an alderman in the same city. An alderman is like a city council member with specific responsibilities.

Leading the Party

On 16 November 2002, Pechtold was chosen to be the Chairman of the D66. His main job was to help the party recover after a difficult election in 2002. He also prepared the party for the next election in 2003.

Mayor of Wageningen

On 1 October 2003, Alexander Pechtold became the mayor of Wageningen. Even though he was mayor, he continued to serve as the chairman of the D66 party.

Becoming a Minister

In 2005, a D66 minister named Thom de Graaf resigned. Alexander Pechtold was asked to take his place as a Minister. He became the Minister for Government Reform and Kingdom Relations. He took office on 31 March 2005. On the same day, he stepped down as party chairman and mayor.

In June 2006, the D66 party decided to stop supporting the government. Because of this, Pechtold resigned as Minister on 3 July 2006.

In the House of Representatives

On 24 June 2006, Pechtold was elected as the new Leader of the D66 party. He then became the lead candidate for the party in the 2006 Dutch general election. He was elected to the House of Representatives. He became the leader of the D66 group in parliament on 30 November 2006.

Pechtold was the lead candidate for D66 in the 2010, 2012, and 2017 general elections. Under his leadership, the D66 party gained more seats in parliament over time. For example, in the 2010 election, D66 won ten seats. In 2012, they won twelve seats, and in 2017, they won nineteen seats. This showed the growing support for the party.

In 2007, parliamentary journalists voted Pechtold as the "Dutch politician of the year." He was known for his strong debates. He often spoke about the importance of social liberalism. This means he believed the government should provide services like education and healthcare fairly.

In October 2018, Pechtold announced that he would be leaving national politics. He stepped down as party leader and parliamentary leader on 10 October 2018. Rob Jetten took over his role as parliamentary leader.

After Politics

After leaving politics at age 52, Alexander Pechtold started working in the public sector. He became a director for non-profit organizations. He also serves on several government commissions and councils.

In October 2019, Pechtold was appointed as the Director-General of the Centraal Bureau Rijvaardigheidsbewijzen (CBR). This organization is responsible for driving licenses in the Netherlands. Since March 2021, he has also presented a TV program called De Achterkant van het Gelijk for the broadcaster BNNVARA. He also became the chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Dutch Lottery in April 2021.

Personal Life

Alexander Pechtold is divorced and has two children, a son and a daughter.

Electoral Summary

Alexander Pechtold was the lead candidate for the Democrats 66 party in several general elections for the House of Representatives.

• In the 2006 Dutch general election, he led the party to win 3 seats.
• In the 2010 Dutch general election, the party won 10 seats.
• In the 2012 Dutch general election, the party won 12 seats.
• In the 2017 Dutch general election, the party achieved its best result under his leadership, winning 19 seats.
• In the 2023 Dutch general election, he participated in a symbolic position on the party list, and the party won 9 seats.