Editing Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (section)

== Political career ==
=== Member of the House of Representatives ===
De Hoop Scheffer was a member of the social liberal [[Democrats 66]] (D66) party from 1979 until 1982 until he became a member of the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA). In the [[1986 Dutch general election|1986 general election]] De Hoop Scheffer was elected to the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]] on 3 June 1986 and served as a frontbencher chairing the [[Parliamentary committee of the Dutch parliament|parliamentary committees]] for Development Cooperation and for Foreign Affairs and was spokesperson for foreign affairs, European affairs, [[NATO]], development cooperation and [[development aid]].

=== Leader of Christian Democratic Appeal (1997–2001) ===
After the [[Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal]] and Parliamentary leader of the CDA in the House of Representatives [[Enneüs Heerma]] announced that he was stepping down as leader and parliamentary leader following increasing criticism on his leadership, the CDA leadership approached De Hoop Scheffer as a candidate to succeed him. De Hoop Scheffer accepted and became leader and parliamentary leader on 27 March 1997.

For the [[1998 Dutch general election|1998 general election]] De Hoop Scheffer served as [[lead candidate]] and the CDA suffered a loss, losing 5 seats and now had 29 seats in the House of Representatives. On 1 October 2001 De Hoop Scheffer announced that he was stepping down as leader and parliamentary leader following an internal power struggle with the [[List of party chairs of the Christian Democratic Appeal|party chairman]] [[Marnix van Rij]] and that he would not stand for the election of 2002.

=== Dutch Foreign Minister ===
The CDA won in the [[2002 Dutch general election|2002 general elections]] and played the leading role in the formation of a new coalition government. The new Prime Minister [[Jan Peter Balkenende]] appointed De Hoop Scheffer as foreign minister in his short-lived [[First Balkenende cabinet|first cabinet]], a position he retained in the [[second Balkenende cabinet]] after the [[2003 Dutch general election|elections of 22 January 2003]].

In 2003, the foreign policy of the Netherlands was largely determined by De Hoop Scheffer and Balkenende. Its main foreign policy decision was to contribute to [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]], although its formulation ("political" but not "military" support) gave it an ambivalent character. However, [[Royal Netherlands Army#Iraq|1,100 Dutch servicemen]] were deployed as part of the [[Stabilisation Force Iraq]] in the southern province of [[Al Muthanna]] from 2003 till 2005, and [[Casualties of the Iraq War|two of them were killed in action]].

In 2003 Jaap de Hoop Scheffer was also the Chairman-in-Office of the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]].

=== NATO Secretary General (2004–2009) ===
He became the 11th [[Secretary General of NATO]] on 5 January 2004, succeeding [[George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen|Lord Robertson]], who held the post from 1999 until 2003. The announcement was made on 22 September 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nato.int/docu/update/2004/01-january/e0105a.htm|title=New Secretary General takes up office|publisher=NATO|date=7 January 2004}}</ref> As Secretary General, De Hoop Scheffer urged NATO members to contribute more to NATO operations such as the [[International Security Assistance Force]] in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3820979.stm|title=Nato boss pleads for Afghan focus|publisher=BBC|date=19 June 2004}}</ref> He "informed a NATO conference that 'NATO troops have to guard pipelines that transport oil and gas that is directed for the West,' and more generally to protect sea routes used by tankers and other 'crucial infrastructure' of the energy system".<ref>[[Noam Chomsky|Chomsky, Noam]] (2011-04-21) [http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/04/21/global_empire_united_states_iraq_noam_chomsky Is the world too big to fail?], ''[[Salon.com]]''</ref>

On 21 June 2007, De Hoop Scheffer attended an economic conference in [[Montreal]] where he encouraged Canada to continue its military mission in [[Afghanistan]] past its 2009 withdrawal date. He said, "I think more time is necessary to create those conditions for reconstruction and development to go on."<ref name=cbcdhs>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/canada-should-stay-in-afghanistan-past-2009-nato-chief-says-1.634640?ref=rss | work=CBC News | title=Canada should stay in Afghanistan past 2009, NATO chief says | date=21 June 2007}}</ref> His visit coincided with the death of three more Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. "I know how dramatic it is if Canadian soldiers pay the highest price, but I still say, you are there for a good cause."<ref name=acbc>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/canada-should-stay-in-afghanistan-past-2009-nato-chief-says-1.634640?ref=rss | work=CBC News | title=Canada should stay in Afghanistan past 2009, NATO chief says | date=21 June 2007}}</ref> De Hoop Scheffer's comments were made as the [[Harper government]] was under pressure by opposition politicians to define the length of Canada's commitment to the mission in Afghanistan.

It has been alleged by [[Iran]] that Jaap de Hoop Scheffer met [[Jundallah (Iran)|Jundallah]] leader [[Abdolmalek Rigi]] while he was visiting [[Afghanistan]] in 2008 amid Iranian accusations that the [[CIA]] was backing the terrorist group. This accusation was later denied by NATO.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/7300767/Iran-arrests-most-wanted-man-after-police-board-civilian-flight.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=Iran arrests most wanted man after police board civilian flight | first1=Richard | last1=Spencer | first2=Andrew | last2=Osborn | first3=Bruno | last3=Waterfield | date=23 February 2010}}</ref>

On 21 July 2009 De Hoop Scheffer suffered a [[heart attack]]. He underwent [[angioplasty]] after which he was reported to be in stable condition.<ref name=adnl>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ad.nl/binnenland/3384865/De_Hoop_Scheffer_gedotterd_na_hartaanval.html|title=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nu.nl/algemeen/2046357/de-hoop-scheffer-gaat-goed-vooruit.html|title = De Hoop Scheffer gaat goed vooruit|date = 22 July 2009}}</ref>

His successor, [[Anders Fogh Rasmussen]], took office on 1 August 2009.