Halbe Zijlstra

Halbe Zijlstra
Zijlstra in 2017
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 26 October 2017 – 13 February 2018
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Bert Koenders
Succeeded by	Sigrid Kaag (ad interim)
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the House of Representatives
In office 13 October 2017 – 25 October 2017
Preceded by	Mark Rutte
Succeeded by	Klaas Dijkhoff
In office 1 November 2012 – 23 March 2017
Preceded by	Mark Rutte
Succeeded by	Mark Rutte
State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science
In office 14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Marja van Bijsterveldt
Succeeded by	Sander Dekker
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 20 September 2012 – 26 October 2017
In office 30 November 2006 – 14 October 2010
Personal details
Born	Halbe Zijlstra (1969-01-21) 21 January 1969 (age 55) Oosterwolde, Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (since 1994)
Spouse	Ingrid de Bondt ​ (m. 1999)​
Children	1 son
Residence(s)	Wassenaar, Netherlands
Alma mater	University of Groningen (Bachelor of Social Science, Master of Social Science, Bachelor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration)
Occupation	Politician · Management consultant

Halbe Zijlstra (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦɑlbə ˈzɛilstraː]; born 21 January 1969) is a retired Dutch politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 26 October 2017 to 13 February 2018 in the Third Rutte cabinet. He is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Zijlstra, a management consultant by occupation, was elected as a member of the House of Representatives after general election of 2006 serving from 30 November 2006 until 14 October 2010 when he was appointed as State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the First Rutte cabinet, serving until 5 November 2012. Following the election of 2012, he returned to the House of Representatives, serving from 20 September 2012 until 26 October 2017; he was chosen as parliamentary leader, serving from 1 November 2012 until 23 March 2017. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 26 October 2017 to 13 February 2018.^[1]