Frans Timmermans
Frans Timmermans | |||||||||||||
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Timmermans in 2025 | |||||||||||||
| Leader of GroenLinks–PvdA in the House of Representatives | |||||||||||||
| In office 6 December 2023 – 3 November 2025 | |||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jesse Klaver | ||||||||||||
| Executive Vice President of the European Commission for the European Green Deal | |||||||||||||
| In office 1 December 2019 – 22 August 2023 | |||||||||||||
| Commission | Von der Leyen I | ||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Maroš Šefčovič | ||||||||||||
| European Commissioner for Climate Action | |||||||||||||
| In office 1 December 2019 – 22 August 2023 | |||||||||||||
| Commission | Von der Leyen I | ||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Miguel Arias Cañete | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Maroš Šefčovič (acting) | ||||||||||||
| First Vice President of the European Commission | |||||||||||||
| In office 1 November 2014 – 30 November 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Commission | Juncker | ||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Catherine Ashton | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Position abolished | ||||||||||||
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |||||||||||||
| In office 5 November 2012 – 17 October 2014 | |||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Mark Rutte | ||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Uri Rosenthal | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Bert Koenders | ||||||||||||
| State Secretary for European Affairs | |||||||||||||
| In office 22 February 2007 – 23 February 2010 | |||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Jan Peter Balkenende | ||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Atzo Nicolaï | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Ben Knapen | ||||||||||||
| Member of the House of Representatives | |||||||||||||
| In office 6 December 2023 – 11 November 2025 | |||||||||||||
| In office 9 June 2010 – 5 November 2012 | |||||||||||||
| In office 6 May 1998 – 22 February 2007 | |||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||
| Born | Franciscus Cornelis Gerardus Maria Timmermans 6 May 1961 | ||||||||||||
| Party | Labour (since 1990) | ||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Democrats 66 (1985) | ||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Irene Timmermans (m. 2000) | ||||||||||||
| Children | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Education | Radboud University (BA, MA) Nancy 2 University (LLM, MA) | ||||||||||||
| Signature | |||||||||||||
| Military service | |||||||||||||
| Allegiance | Netherlands | ||||||||||||
| Branch/service | Royal Netherlands Army | ||||||||||||
| Years of service | 1986–1987 | ||||||||||||
| Unit | Military Intelligence and Security Service | ||||||||||||
Franciscus Cornelis Gerardus Maria "Frans" Timmermans (Dutch: [frɑnˈsɪskʏs kɔrˈneːlɪs xeːˈrɑrdʏs frɑns ˈtɪmərˌmɑns]; born 6 May 1961) is a Dutch politician who was the leader of GroenLinks–PvdA in the House of Representatives from 2023 to 2025.
From 2019 to 2023, Timmermans was Executive Vice President of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and European Commissioner for Climate Action in the von der Leyen I Commission. Prior to that, he was First Vice-President under Jean-Claude Juncker (2014–2019), overseeing Better Regulation, Interinstitutional Relations, the Rule of Law, and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. He was also the Party of European Socialists’ lead candidate for the European Commission presidency in the 2019 European elections.
Before his roles in Brussels, Timmermans served as Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs (2012–2014) in the Second Rutte cabinet and as State Secretary for European Affairs (2007–2010) in the Fourth Balkenende cabinet. He was a member of the House of Representatives for the Labour Party from 1998 to 2007 and again from 2010 to 2012. Earlier in his career, from 1987 to 1998, he worked as a diplomat in the Dutch foreign service.
Timmermans resigned from the European Commission in 2023 to lead the joint GroenLinks–PvdA alliance in the 2023 Dutch general election. The alliance emerged as the second-largest parliamentary group, with Timmermans now serving as its leader in the House of Representatives. After disappointing results at the 2025 general election, Timmermans announced his resignation as leader of the alliance.