David van Weel
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David van Weel | |
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_(cropped).jpg) Van Weel in 2022 | |
| Minister of Justice and Security | |
| Assumed office 2 July 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Dick Schoof |
| Preceded by | Dilan Yeşilgöz |
| NATO Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Cyber defence and Hybrid threats | |
| In office 1 November 2020 – 2 July 2024 | |
| Secretary General | Jens Stoltenberg |
| Preceded by | Antonio Missiroli |
| Succeeded by | Jean Ellermann-Kingombe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Martijn van Weel 4 August 1976 Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Political party | VVD (since 2018) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Amsterdam |
| Occupation |
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David Martijn van Weel (born 4 August 1976) is a Dutch diplomat, civil servant, and military veteran, currently serving as Minister of Justice and Security in the Schoof cabinet.[1]
Career
[edit]Van Weel started his career with the Royal Netherlands Navy, where after graduating from the Naval Academy (1994–1999) he served on a number of different frigates, including with the British Royal Navy as an exchange officer. He worked as a Staff Officer for Middle and Eastern European countries in the Defence Staff and ended his term at the Navy as a Primarily Warfare Officer and Navigation Officer. Van Weel holds a degree in history.[2]
Van Weel joined the Netherlands Ministry of Defence in 2004.[3] He worked as a senior policy officer for operations in Afghanistan and Libya, and he coordinated policy on NATO, nuclear policy and disarmament, special operations, as well as the preparation of the Dutch defence budget. He later served as Chief of Cabinet for the Minister of Defence and the Permanent Secretary (2012–2014) and as Director for International Affairs and Operations/Policy Director (2014 2016).[4]
Starting in 2016, Van Weel served as advisor on foreign affairs and defence to Prime Minister Mark Rutte.[5] In 2020, he became Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Cyber defence and Hybrid threats of NATO, under Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Broadcaster NOS noted that Van Weel had more frequent public appearances following the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.[2]
After the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB formed the Schoof cabinet, Van Weel was sworn in as Minister of Justice and Security on 2 July 2024, succeeding Dilan Yeşilgöz. He is serving on behalf of the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), which he joined in 2018.[2][6][7] Van Weel told that his priorities were to increase society's resilience in light of increased geopolitical tensions, to continue tackling subversive organized crime, and to increase trust in the rule of law. Responding to a clause in the coalition agreement, he said that he wanted to set limits on protests within the right to protest, citing highway blockades by the environmentalist movement Extinction Rebellion.[6]
He was working on an approach to combat antisemitism when the November 2024 Amsterdam attacks occurred, in which supporters of the Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. were targeted. Van Weel postponed the presentation of his plan, scheduled a week after the attack, to incorporate more recent suggestions.[8]
Personal life
[edit]Van Weel and his family moved back to Rotterdam when he became a minister.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "D.M. (David) van Weel". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ a b c "VVD'er David van Weel van de NAVO naar Justitie" [VVD member David van Weel from NATO to Justice]. NOS (in Dutch). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
- ^ Derix, Steven; Van den Dool, Pim; Stokmans, Derk; Vermeer, Oscar; Klumpenaar, Sjoerd; König, Eppo; Pelgrim, Christiaan; Bouwman, Boris (13 June 2024). "Van diplomaat tot Boer zoekt Vrouw-kandidaat: dit zijn de beoogde ministers van het kabinet-Schoof" [From diplomat to Farmer Wants Wife contender: These are the ministers-designate of the Schoof cabinet]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 June 2024.
- ^ NATO. "David van Weel, Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber". NATO. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ Zaken, Ministerie van Buitenlandse. "Interview met David van Weel - Assistant Secretary General bij de NAVO - Interview - De Veiligheidsdiplomaat". magazines.rijksoverheid.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Van Weel, David (13 August 2024). "De nieuwe minister van Justitie: 'Ik wil kijken of we binnen het demonstratierecht grenzen kunnen stellen'" [The new Minister of Justice: 'I want to examine if we can place limits within the right to protest']. de Volkskrant (Interview) (in Dutch). Interviewed by Remco Meijer. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Ministers en staatssecretarissen kabinet-Schoof beëdigd" [Ministers and state secretaries of Schoof cabinet sworn in]. NOS (in Dutch). 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ "Kabinet heeft langer nodig voor strategie tegen antisemitisme" [Cabinet needs more time for strategy against antisemitism]. NOS (in Dutch). 14 November 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
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