Eduardus Hermannus Theresia Maria Nijpels (born 1 April 1950) is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and nonprofit director.^[1][2]

Ed Nijpels
Nijpels in 1982
Member of the Social and Economic Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 August 2014
Chair	Wiebe Draijer (2014) Mariëtte Hamer (from 2014)
Queen's Commissioner of Friesland
In office 1 January 1999 – 1 May 2008
Monarch	Beatrix
Preceded by	Gerard van Klaveren (Ad Interim)
Succeeded by	John Jorritsma
Mayor of Breda
In office 1 April 1990 – 1 July 1995
Preceded by	Frans Feij
Succeeded by	Chris Rutten
Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment
In office 14 July 1986 – 7 November 1989
Prime Minister	Ruud Lubbers
Preceded by	Pieter Winsemius
Succeeded by	Hans Alders
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
In office 20 April 1982 – 9 July 1986
Deputy	See list Rudolf de Korte Loek Hermans Gijs van Aardenne
Preceded by	Hans Wiegel
Succeeded by	Rudolf de Korte
Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives
In office 20 April 1982 – 9 July 1986
Preceded by	Hans Wiegel
Succeeded by	Joris Voorhoeve
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 14 September 1989 – 4 April 1990
In office 8 June 1977 – 14 July 1986
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Personal details
Born	Eduardus Hermannus Theresia Maria Nijpels (1950-04-01) 1 April 1950 (age 74) Den Helder, Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (from 1968)
Spouses	Ingrid Pieters ​ ​ (m. 1983; div. 1995)​ Elsbeth Janmaat ​ (m. 1997)​
Children	2 sons
Residence(s)	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Alma mater	Utrecht University (BSL, MSL)
Occupation	Politician civil servant Jurist businessperson Corporate director nonprofit director trade association executive teacher lobbyist activist

Nijpels studied Civil law at the Utrecht University obtaining a Master of Studies in Law degree. Nijpels served as chairman of the political youth organisation JOVD from February 1974 until November 1975. Nijpels worked as a civics teacher in Roosendaal from August 1974 until June 1977. After the election of 1977 Nijpels was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives on 8 June 1977 serving as a frontbencher chairing the House Committee on Law enforcement and spokesperson for Justice and the Ombudsman. After the Party Leader and Parliamentary leader Hans Wiegel announced he was stepping down he endorsed Nijpels as his successor and he was anonymously selected as his successor on 20 April 1982.

For the elections of 1982 Nijpels served as Lijsttrekker (top candidate) and following a cabinet formation with Christian-democratic Leader Ruud Lubbers formed the Cabinet Lubbers I with Nijpels opting to remain as Parliamentary leader. For the election of 1986 Nijpels again served as Lijsttrekker but shortly thereafter announced that he was stepping down following disappointed election results on 9 July 1986. After a cabinet formation the coalition continued and Nijpels was appointed as Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment in the Cabinet Lubbers II taking office on 14 July 1986. After the election of 1989 Nijpels returned to the House of Representatives on 14 September 1989 and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Spatial Planning and the Environment. In March 1990 Nijpels was nominated as the Mayor of Breda serving from 1 April 1990 until 1 July 1995 when he was appointment as director-general for the Occupational Health Service Agency of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. In December 1998 Nijpels was nominated as the next Queen's Commissioner of Friesland serving from 1 January 1999 until 1 May 2008.

Nijpels semi-retired from active politics and became active in the private and public sectors as a corporate and non-profit director and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government, and workes as a trade association executive serving as Chairman of the Engineering association from May 2008 until May 2015, the GeoBusiness association since September 2009 and for the Industry and Employers confederation (VNO-NCW) from July 2008 until March 2015 and became a Member of the Social and Economic Council in August 2014. Nijpels continues to be active an advocate, lobbyist and activist for Environmentalism, Sustainable development, Conservation and Climate change.^[3][4]