Alexander Pechtold facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander Pechtold
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Pechtold in 2013
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| Leader of the Democrats 66 in the House of Representatives |
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| In office 30 November 2006 – 10 October 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Lousewies van der Laan |
| Succeeded by | Rob Jetten |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 30 November 2006 – 10 October 2018 |
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| Leader of the Democrats 66 | |
| In office 24 June 2006 – 6 October 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Boris Dittrich |
| Succeeded by | Sigrid Kaag (2020) |
| Minister for the Interior | |
| In office 31 March 2005 – 3 July 2006 |
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| 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 |
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| Preceded by | Geke Faber |
| Succeeded by | Chris Rutten (ad Interim) |
| Chair of the Democrats 66 | |
| In office 16 November 2002 – 31 March 2005 |
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| 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
16 December 1965 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 and expert in art history. He is a member of the political party Democrats 66.
Pechtold studied Archaeology and the History of Dutch Art at Leiden University. He earned a Master of Arts degree. Before becoming a politician, Pechtold worked as an auctioneer. He also served as an Alderman in Leiden. From 2002 to 2005, he was the leader of the Democrats 66 party. He then became the mayor of Wageningen in 2003. In 2005, he was appointed as a Minister for the Interior. He became the main leader of the Democrats 66 party in 2006. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2006. He led his party in several elections until he retired from politics in 2018.
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Early Life and Education
Alexander Pechtold was born on 16 December 1965 in Delft, a city in the Netherlands. He grew up in the village of Rhoon with his older brother, Roland. He attended a high school called a Lyceum in Rotterdam.
Studying Art and History
Pechtold went to Leiden University. There, he studied art history and archaeology. 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 a company called Van Stockum's Veilingen.
Political Career
Alexander Pechtold joined the Democrats 66 (D66) party in 1989. This was the start of his long career in Dutch politics.
Becoming a Party Leader
In 1994, he was elected as a local council member in Leiden. Two years later, in 1996, he became an alderman. An alderman is like a city council member with more responsibilities. On 16 November 2002, he was chosen to be the Chairman of the D66 party. His job was to help the party improve after a difficult election in 2002. He also helped prepare the party for the next election in 2003.
Serving as Mayor
On 1 October 2003, Pechtold became the mayor of Wageningen. He continued to be the chairman of the D66 party at the same time.
Becoming a Minister
In 2005, a fellow D66 politician, Thom de Graaf, resigned from his role as Minister for Government Reform. Alexander Pechtold was asked to take his place. On 31 March 2005, Pechtold became the new Minister for Government Reform and Kingdom Relations. He stopped being the party chairman and mayor on the same day.
In June 2006, the D66 party decided to no longer support the government. Because of this, Pechtold resigned as Minister on 3 July 2006.
Working in Parliament
On 24 June 2006, Alexander Pechtold was elected as the new Leader of the D66 party. He won against Lousewies van der Laan. He then became the party's leader in the House of Representatives. This is where laws are made in the Netherlands.
In 2007, journalists who cover parliament chose Pechtold as the "Dutch politician of the year."
Leading in Elections
Pechtold was the main candidate for D66 in the 2006, 2010, 2012, and 2017 general elections. In the 2006 election, D66 lost some seats. But in 2010, under Pechtold's leadership, the party gained ten seats. In 2012, they gained two more seats. In 2017, D66 had a very successful election, winning 19 seats. Pechtold chose to remain the party leader in parliament.
In October 2018, Pechtold announced he was leaving national politics. He stepped down as party leader on 10 October 2018. Rob Jetten took over his role as parliamentary leader.
Sharing Ideas
In 2010, Pechtold debated with Mark Rutte, another important politician. Pechtold spoke about social liberalism. He said that the government should provide services like education and healthcare. He believed fairness was more important than just being efficient in these areas.
In December 2017, it was reported that Pechtold received an apartment as a gift. He explained that it was a private gift from a friend he knew outside of politics. He said it did not need to be listed on the official gift register.
Life 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 committees and councils. In October 2019, Pechtold was appointed as the Director-General of the Central Bureau of Driving Licenses (CBR). Since March 2021, he has presented a TV show called De Achterkant van het Gelijk. Since April 2021, he has been the chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Dutch Lottery. On 5 June 2025, Pechtold was nominated to become the mayor of his hometown, Delft.
Personal Life
Alexander Pechtold is divorced. He has two children, a son and a daughter.
