Early life Hillen studied
sociology at
Utrecht University. He has been a (sports) journalist for the
Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS), a teacher and a civil servant (in the eighties he was spokesman for the minister of Finance
Onno Ruding and defender of his outspoken budget cuts) before entering politics.
Politics From 1990 till 2002 he was a member of the
House of Representatives and from 2007 till 2010 a member of the
Senate. From October 14, 2010, to November 5, 2012, he was minister of Defence. He is in favor of a strong defence and close ties with
NATO.
Other activities From 2003 till 2007 Hillen was president of
CVZ, the Dutch council for the
healthcare, and from 2005 till 2010 a member of the executive board of the Dutch
employers' organization VNO-NCW. He also did some writing, he wrote columns for
Elsevier and
Katholiek Nieuwsblad. Furthermore, he is involved in the
Edmund Burke Foundation, a Dutch
conservative think tank. In 2004 he left the advisory council because a conflict of opinion with prominent co-member
Bart Jan Spruyt, who wanted to found a new political party with
Geert Wilders.
Personal life Hillen is married and resides in
Hilversum. He is a member of the
Roman Catholic Church. ==Decorations==