Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert
Hennis-Plasschaert in 2015
United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 May 2024
Secretary-General	António Guterres
Preceded by	Joanna Wronecka
Special Representative for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq
In office 1 November 2018 – 17 May 2024
Secretary-General	António Guterres
Preceded by	Ján Kubiš
Minister of Defence
In office 5 November 2012 – 4 October 2017
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Hans Hillen
Succeeded by	Klaas Dijkhoff
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 23 March 2017 – 13 September 2018
In office 17 June 2010 – 5 November 2012
Member of the European Parliament
In office 20 July 2004 – 17 June 2010
Constituency	Netherlands
Personal details
Born	Jeanine Antoinette Plasschaert (1973-04-07) 7 April 1973 (age 51) Heerlen, Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Other political affiliations	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
Spouse	Erik-Jan Hennis ​ (m. 2003)​
Children	1 stepson
Education	European Secretarial Academy
Military service
Allegiance	Netherlands
Branch/service	Royal Netherlands Navy
Years of service	Reserve (2018–present)
Rank	Commander

Jeanine Antoinette Hennis-Plasschaert (born 7 April 1973) is a Dutch politician and diplomat who has been serving as United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon since May 2024. She is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Hennis-Plasschaert, a civil servant by occupation, was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group (ALDE) after the European Parliament election of 2004 on 20 July 2004; she was reelected after the European Parliament election of 2009. She was elected as a member of the House of Representatives after the general election of 2010 and resigned as a Member of the European Parliament the same day she took office as a Member of the House of Representatives on 17 June 2010.

Following the election of 2012 and after the cabinet formation the Second Rutte cabinet was formed with Hennis-Plasschaert becoming Minister of Defence. She stepped down as a member of the House of Representatives on 5 November 2012, the same day she took office as Minister of Defence.^[1] She served as Minister of Defence until her resignation on 4 October 2017.^[2][3] After the election of 2017 she returned as a member of the House of Representatives, serving from 23 March 2017 until 13 September 2018. She was appointed Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq on 1 November 2018.