D66 nominated Lieutenant General Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan as Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning, the party announced on its website. She is the first woman to hold the rank of lieutenant general in the Dutch armed forces. Her nomination follows last week’s earlier announcements of Rianne Letschert for Education, Culture and Science, and Hans Vijlbrief for Social Affairs and Employment.
D66 states that Boekholt-O’Sullivan has held a wide range of managerial and strategic roles throughout her career. Providing her with extensive experience in organisational development, leadership, and social issues.
She will soon receive the Aletta Jacobs Prize. It is awarded every two years to a woman with an academic background who has made a significant contribution to emancipation. According to the jury, she is a woman “who has managed to hold her own in the male-dominated world of the armed forces, while remaining true to herself.”
As one of the senior leaders at the Ministry of Defence, Boekholt-O’Sullivan has helped introduce more female‑friendly splinter vests. Previously, only vests designed for men were available, which were often uncomfortable and unsafe for women.
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