Frits Korthals Altes

His Excellency Frits Korthals Altes
President of the Senate of the Netherlands
In office 11 March 1997 – 2 October 2001
Preceded by	Herman Tjeenk Willink
Succeeded by	Gerrit Braks
Member of the Senate
In office 11 June 1991 – 2 October 2001
Parliamentary leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the Senate
In office 13 June 1995 – 11 March 1997
Preceded by	David Luteijn
Succeeded by	Leendert Ginjaar
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 14 September 1989 – 11 June 1991
Minister of Justice
In office 4 November 1982 – 7 November 1989
Prime Minister	Ruud Lubbers
Preceded by	Job de Ruiter
Succeeded by	Ernst Hirsch Ballin
Minister of the Interior
In office 26 January 1987 – 3 February 1987
Prime Minister	Ruud Lubbers
Preceded by	Kees van Dijk
Succeeded by	Jan de Koning
Minister of the Interior
In office 20 February 1986 – 12 March 1986
Prime Minister	Ruud Lubbers
Preceded by	Koos Rietkerk
Succeeded by	Rudolf de Korte
Member of the Senate
In office 10 June 1981 – 4 November 1982
Party chair of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
In office 15 March 1975 – 22 May 1981
Leader	Hans Wiegel
Preceded by	Haya van Someren
Succeeded by	Jan Kamminga
Personal details
Born	Frederik Korthals Altes (1931-05-15) 15 May 1931 Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Spouse(s)	Married
Children	3 sons
Residence	Rotterdam, Netherlands
Alma mater	Leiden University (LL.M.)
Occupation	Politician Jurist Lawyer
Religion	Remonstrants

Frederik "Frits" Korthals Altes (born 15 May 1931) is a Dutch politician, who served as justice minister (1982–1989) during the first and second cabinets of prime minister Ruud Lubbers. He is an honorary member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Korthals Altes studied law at Leiden University, obtaining a degree in 1957 and then becoming practitioner for several years. In 1975, he became a chairman of the VVD, and he was elected to the Dutch Senate in 1981. He became a justice minister in the first and second cabinets of prime minister Ruud Lubbers, and was temporarily Minister of the Interior after minister Koos Rietkerk died suddenly in office.

After the second Lubbers cabinet fell because of a parliamentary motion of no confidence by the VVD faction, new elections were called, and Korthals Altes was elected to the Dutch House of Representatives. In 1991, he was elected back again to the Dutch Senate, where he became a Chairman of the Senate in 1997. From 1990 to 1997, he was also practising law again, with the Dutch firm Nauta Dutilh.

With his resignation from the senate in 2001, he was nominated as Minister of State. Earlier in 1997, the VVD gave him an honorary membership. From 1997 until 2001, he was President of the Senate. The Dutch Queen nominated Korthals Altes, alongside Rein Jan Hoekstra (CDA), as informateur, after a first round of talks between the CDA and Labour Party (PvdA) to form a new cabinet failed. The second Balkenende cabinet between the VVD, CDA and D66, was installed in May 2003.

Korthals Altes chaired a commission in 2007 that looked into the Dutch election process. The final report of the commission advised the government to abandon electronic voting machines, as they lack a paper trail.

Honours

• Netherlands: Order of Orange-Nassau
  • Officer (13 May 1981)
  • Commander (20 November 1989)
• Netherlands: Minister of State (26 October 2001)
• France: Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (6 February 1984)
• France: Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (28 February 2000)
• Germany: Commander's Cross (Grand Merit Cross) of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (30 May 1985)
• Japan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure (12 May 2000)
• Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (2 October 1989)

References

Political offices
Preceded by Job de Ruiter	Minister of Justice 1982–1989	Succeeded by Ernst Hirsch Ballin
Preceded by Herman Tjeenk Willink	President of the Senate 1997–2001	Succeeded by Gerrit Braks
Party political offices
Preceded by Haya van Someren	Chairman of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy 1975–1981	Succeeded by Jan Kamminga
Preceded by David Luteijn	Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the Senate 1995–1997	Succeeded by Leendert Ginjaar