Balkenende started his career as a legal counsel at the Academic Council of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam from 1982 until 1984 , and as a researcher at the Christian Democratic Appeal think tank from 1984 until 1998 . He worked as a professor of Christian theology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam from 1993 until 2002 . Balkenende was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1998 , and served in the House of Representatives from 19 May 1998 until 22 July 2002 . After the Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal and Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives Jaap de Hoop Scheffer stepped down following an internal power struggle between him and Chairman of the Christian Democratic Appeal Marnix van Rij for the leadership , De Hoop Scheffer endorsed Balkenende as his successor . After De Hoop Scheffer stood down on 1 October 2001 , Balkenende was chosen to succeed him en became the Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal and Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives and the '' lijsttrekker '' ( top candidate ) of the party for the election of 2002 . The Christian Democratic Appeal became the surprising winner of the election , gaining 14 seats and becoming the largest party , now having 43 seats in House of Representatives . This success was in part owed to Balkenende 's neutral attitude in the debates with Pim Fortuyn , the eponymous leader of the Pim Fortuyn List party who was assassinated days before the election on 6 May 2002 . The following cabinet formation resulted in a coalition agreement between the Christian Democratic Appeal , the Pim Fortuyn List ( LPF ) and the People 's Party for Freedom and Democracy ( VVD ) , which formed the first Balkenende cabinet with Balkenende becoming Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of General Affairs on 22 July 2002
assassinated
Assassination of Pim Fortuyn
Jan Peter Balkenende