Jeroen Dijsselbloem facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeroen Dijsselbloem
Dijsselbloem in 2015
Mayor of Eindhoven
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 September 2022
Preceded by	John Jorritsma
Chairman of the Dutch Safety Board
In office 1 May 2019 – 13 September 2022
Preceded by	Tjibbe Joustra
Succeeded by	Vacant
President of the Eurogroup
In office 21 January 2013 – 12 January 2018
Preceded by	Jean-Claude Juncker
Succeeded by	Mário Centeno
Minister of Finance
In office 5 November 2012 – 26 October 2017
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Jan Kees de Jager
Succeeded by	Wopke Hoekstra
Leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives
In office 20 February 2012 – 20 March 2012
Preceded by	Job Cohen
Succeeded by	Diederik Samsom
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 23 March 2017 – 25 October 2017
In office 20 November 2002 – 5 November 2012
In office 28 March 2000 – 23 May 2002
Personal details
Born	Jeroen René Victor Anton Dijsselbloem (1966-03-29) 29 March 1966 (age 59) Eindhoven, Netherlands
Political party	Labour Party
Domestic partner	Gerda Grave (1992–present)
Children	1 son 1 daughter
Education	Wageningen University (ir.) University College Cork

Jeroen René Victor Anton Dijsselbloem (born 29 March 1966) is a Dutch politician and economist. He has been the Mayor of Eindhoven since September 13, 2022. Before this, he held several important positions in the Dutch government and in Europe. He is a member of the Labour Party (PvdA). Since April 1, 2019, he has also been the Chairman of the supervisory board of Wageningen University.

From 2012 to 2017, Dijsselbloem was the Minister of Finance for the Netherlands. He also led the Eurogroup from 2013 to 2018. The Eurogroup is a meeting of finance ministers from countries that use the euro currency. He was also the Chairman of the Dutch Safety Board from 2019 to 2022.

Early Life and Education

Jeroen Dijsselbloem was born in Eindhoven, Netherlands, on March 29, 1966. Both of his parents were schoolteachers. He grew up in a Roman Catholic family.

He attended primary school in Son en Breugel and secondary school in Eindhoven. From 1985 to 1991, he studied at Wageningen University. He earned a degree in agricultural economics. He focused on business economics and agricultural policy. After that, he did research at University College Cork in Ireland.

Political Journey

Jeroen Dijsselbloem became interested in politics around 1983. This was a time when many young people in the Netherlands protested against certain missiles. In 1985, he joined the Labour Party (PvdA).

From 1993 to 1996, he worked for the Labour Party's group in parliament. He was also a member of the local council in Wageningen from 1994 to 1996. Later, he worked at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Fishery.

From 2000 to 2012, Dijsselbloem was a member of the House of Representatives for the Labour Party. This is like being a member of parliament. He briefly left after the 2002 elections but returned later that year. In 2007, he led an investigation into education reform. He focused on topics like youth care and special education.

Minister of Finance (2012–2017)

Jeroen Dijsselbloem on Prinsjesdag in 2014, a day when the Dutch government presents its plans.

On November 15, 2012, Jeroen Dijsselbloem became the Minister of Finance in the Dutch government. He was part of the Second Rutte cabinet. As Minister of Finance, he focused on keeping government spending under control.

In February 2013, he took over a financial institution called SNS Reaal to prevent it from going bankrupt. This was a big step to protect the country's financial system. By December 2013, the Dutch press named him "politician of the year." They described him as smart and good at finding solutions.

He finished his term as Minister of Finance on October 26, 2017. Wopke Hoekstra took over his role.

Leading the Eurogroup (2013–2018)

Dijsselbloem in 2017.

Benoît Cœuré and Pierre Moscovici with Jeroen Dijsselbloem in 2017.

On January 21, 2013, Dijsselbloem became the President of the Eurogroup. This group includes the finance ministers from countries in the Eurozone, which are countries that use the euro currency. He took over from Jean-Claude Juncker.

Early in his term, he faced challenges, especially during the financial crisis in Cyprus in March 2013. He helped negotiate a plan to rescue banks there. He explained that financial institutions and investors needed to understand the risks they were taking.

As the Eurogroup head, Dijsselbloem also worked with Greece during its financial difficulties. He represented the European countries that were helping Greece with bailout packages. These were loans to help Greece's economy. After a public vote in Greece in July 2015, a new bailout deal was finally agreed upon.

In July 2015, Dijsselbloem was reappointed for a second term as President of the Eurogroup. He promised to work on reforms to help the euro currency union run smoothly. On December 4, 2017, Mário Centeno was chosen as his successor.

Discussion on Responsibility

In March 2017, Dijsselbloem made comments about how countries manage their finances. He emphasized that countries receiving financial help also have responsibilities. He said that support from other countries is not just a gift. Instead, it comes with conditions to help countries get their finances in order.

His comments caused strong reactions from some European leaders. They felt his words were not respectful. In response, Dijsselbloem clarified his message. He said he was sorry if his choice of words caused offense. However, he stood by the idea that countries must be responsible with their money. He believed that agreements must be kept for the Eurozone to work well.

Other Activities

Jeroen Dijsselbloem has also been involved in several international and non-profit organizations.

International Organizations

• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): He was a member of the Board of Governors from 2016 to 2017.
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD): He was a member of the Board of Governors from 2012 to 2017.
• European Investment Bank (EIB): He was a member of the Board of Governors from 2012 to 2017.
• World Bank: He was a member of the Board of Governors from 2012 to 2017.

Non-profit Organizations

• World Economic Forum (WEF): He has been a member of the Europe Policy Group since 2017.

Personal Life

Jeroen Dijsselbloem lives in Wageningen with his partner, Gerda Grave. They have a son and a daughter.

See also

In Spanish: Jeroen Dijsselbloem para niños