Elco Brinkman

Leendert Cornelis "Elco" Brinkman (born 5 February 1948) is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and businessman.

Elco Brinkman
Elco Brinkman in 2008
Parliamentary leader in the Senate
In office 7 June 2011 – 11 June 2019
Preceded by	Jos Werner
Succeeded by	Ben Knapen
Parliamentary group	Christian Democratic Appeal
Member of the Senate
In office 7 June 2011 – 11 June 2019
Parliamentary group	Christian Democratic Appeal
Member of the Social and Economic Council
In office 1 June 1995 – 1 July 2013
Chairman	See list Theo Quené (1995–1996) Klaas de Vries (1996–1998) Herman Wijffels (1999–2006) Alexander Rinnooy Kan (2006–2012) Wiebe Draijer (2012–2013)
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal
In office 29 January 1994 – 16 August 1994
Preceded by	Ruud Lubbers
Succeeded by	Enneüs Heerma
Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives
In office 7 November 1989 – 16 August 1994
Preceded by	Ruud Lubbers
Succeeded by	Enneüs Heerma
Parliamentary group	Christian Democratic Appeal
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 14 September 1989 – 26 April 1995
In office 3 June 1986 – 14 July 1986
Parliamentary group	Christian Democratic Appeal
Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture
In office 4 November 1982 – 7 November 1989
Prime Minister	Ruud Lubbers
Preceded by	Til Gardeniers-Berendsen as Minister of Health and Environment Til Gardeniers-Berendsen as Minister of Culture, Recreation and Social Work (Ad interim)
Succeeded by	Hedy d'Ancona
Personal details
Born	Leendert Cornelis Brinkman (1948-02-05) 5 February 1948 Dirksland, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	Christian Democratic Appeal (from 1980)
Spouse(s)	Janneke Salentijn (m. 1977)
Children	3 children
Father	Bram Brinkman (1915–2009)
Relatives	Leendert Cornelis Brinkman (grand-father)
Residence	Leiden, Netherlands
Alma mater	Free University Amsterdam (Bachelor of Social Science, Bachelor of Laws, Master of Social Science, Master of Laws)
Occupation	Politician · Civil servant · Jurist · Researcher · Businessman · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Trade association executive · Lobbyist

Brinkman attended the Johan de Witt Gymnasium in Dordrecht from May 1960 until June 1966 and applied at the Free University Amsterdam in July 1966 majoring in Political science and Law and obtaining an Bachelor of Social Science degree in June 1968 and an Bachelor of Laws degree in June 1969 before graduating with an Master of Social Science degree in June 1972 and an Master of Laws degree in July 1974. Brinkman worked as a researcher at the Free University Amsterdam from September 1970 until July 1974. Brinkman worked as a civil servant for the Ministry of the Interior from July 1974 until November 1982 for the department of Administrative Affairs from July 1974 until February 1979 and as Deputy Director-General of the department for Administrative Affairs from September 1977 until February 1979 and as Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Interior from February 1979 until May 1980 and as Director-General of the department for Public Administration from May 1980 1980 until November 1982.

After the election of 1982 Brinkman was appointed Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture in the Cabinet Lubbers I, taking office on 4 November 1982. Brinkman was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1986, taking office on 3 June 1986. Following the cabinet formation of 1986 Brinkman continued as Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture in the Cabinet Lubbers II, taking office on 14 July 1986. The Cabinet Lubbers II fell on 3 May 1989 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity. After the election of 1989 Brinkman returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 14 September 1989. Following the cabinet formation of 1989 Brinkman per her own request asked not to be considered for a cabinet post in the new cabinet, he was seen as a rising star by the Christian Democratic Appeal leadership and was considered as the favorite son to succeed Ruud Lubbers as the next Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal. The Cabinet Lubbers II was replaced by the Cabinet Lubbers III on 7 November 1989 and Brinkman was selected as the Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives that same day. In December 1993 the Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal Lubbers announced he was stepping down as Leader and that he wouldn't stand for the election of 1994, the Christian Democratic Appeal leadership approached Brinkman as a candidate to succeed him, Brinkman accepted and became the Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal and Lijsttrekker (top candidate) for the election, taking office on 29 January 1994. The Christian Democratic Appeal suffered a big loss, losing 20 seats and fell back as the second largest party and now had 34 seats in the House of Representatives. On 16 August 1994 Brinkman announced he was stepping down as Leader and Parliamentary leader taking responsibility for the defeat but continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a frontbencher chairing the parliamentary committee for Kingdom Relations.

In March 1995 Brinkman was nominated as Chairman of the trade association Construction association, he resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives the same day he was installed as Chairman serving from 26 April 1995 until 1 July 2013. Brinkman also became active in the private sector and public sector and occupied numerous seats as a corporate director and nonprofit director on several boards of directors and supervisory boards (Philip Morris International, DSM Company, Energy Research Centre, Philadelphia Care Foundation, International Architecture Biennal Rotterdam, APG Group, Triodos Bank and the Royal Library) and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government (Public Pension Funds APB, Statistics Netherlands, Netherlands Cadastre Agency, Staatsbosbeheer, Public Pension Funds PFZW and the Social and Economic Council). Brinkman was elected as a Member of the Senate after the Senate election of 2011 and was selected as Parliamentary leader in the Senate, taking office on 7 June 2011. In August 2018 Brinkman announced that he wouldn't stand for the Senate election of 2019 and continued to serve until the end of the parliamentary term on 11 June 2019.[1]

Brinkman retired after spending 36 years in national politics but remained active in the private sector and public sector and continues to occupy numerous seats as a corporate director and nonprofit director on several boards of directors and supervisory boards and as an advocate and lobbyist for the private sector.