Ank Bijleveld

Ank Bijleveld
Bijleveld in 2018
Mayor of Almere
Acting
Assumed office 10 January 2022
Preceded by	Franc Weerwind
Minister of Defence
In office 26 October 2017 – 17 September 2021
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Klaas Dijkhoff
Succeeded by	Ferdinand Grapperhaus (acting)
King's Commissioner of Overijssel
In office 1 January 2011 – 26 October 2017
Monarchs	Beatrix Willem-Alexander
Preceded by	Geert Jansen
Succeeded by	Andries Heidema
State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations
In office 22 February 2007 – 14 October 2010
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Rob Hessing
Succeeded by	Raymond Knops (2017)
Mayor of Hof van Twente
In office 1 January 2001 – 22 February 2007
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Hans Kok
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 17 June 2010 – 1 January 2011
In office 16 November 1989 – 16 January 2001
Personal details
Born	Anna Theodora Bernardina Schouten (1962-03-17) 17 March 1962 (age 62) IJsselmuiden, Netherlands
Political party	Christian Democratic Appeal
Spouse	Riekele Bijleveld ​ (m. 1984)​
Children	2
Education	University of Twente (BPA, MPA)

Anna Theodora Bernardina "Ank" Bijleveld-Schouten (born 17 March 1962) is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) who has been serving as acting mayor of Almere since 10 January 2022. She served as Minister of Defence in the third cabinet of Prime Minister Mark Rutte from 26 October 2017^[1] to 17 September 2021.^[2]

A civil servant by occupation, she served as a member of the House of Representatives from 16 November 1989 until 16 January 2001, when she was appointed Mayor of Hof van Twente, serving from 1 January 2001 until 22 February 2007. She resigned after she was appointed as State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Fourth Balkenende cabinet, serving from 22 February 2007 until 14 October 2010. After the election of 2010, Bijleveld returned to the House of Representatives serving from 17 June 2010 until 1 January 2011 when she resigned after she was appointed as King's Commissioner of Overijssel. Following the election of 2017 Bijleveld was asked to become Minister of Defence in the Third Rutte cabinet. Bijleveld accepted and resigned as King's Commissioner of Overijssel the same day she took office as the new Minister of Defence on 26 October 2017.