Jozias van Aartsen
Encyclopedia
Jozias Johannes van Aartsen (born December 25, 1947) is a Dutch
politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
(VVD). He is the Mayor of the Hague since March 27, 2008.
He served as the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
from August 22, 1994 until August 3, 1998 in the Cabinet Kok I. He became a Member of the House of Representatives for a short periode serving from May 19, 1998 until August 3, 1998. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs
from August 3, 1998 until July 22, 2002 in the Cabinet Kok II. He returned to the Member of the House of Representatives serving from May 23, 2002 until November 30, 2006, when the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
party leader
and parliamentary leader
in the House of Representatives Gerrit Zalm
became Minister of Finance
and Deputy Prime Minister
in the Cabinet Balkenende II
, Van Aartsen became the parliamentary leader
serving from May 27, 2003 until March 8, 2006. After disagreeing with Zalm
about his position that the party leader
shouldn't be a member of the cabinet
unless that person is the Prime Minister
, the parliamentary leader
in the House of Representatives should be the party leader
. After months of discussions and arguing, Van Aartsen took over as party leader
from Zalm
in all but name. After poor results in the Dutch municipal elections of 2006
he stepped down as parliamentary leader
and party leader
and was succeeded in both positions by Mark Rutte
. In August 2006 Van Aartsen announced he would not run as a candidate for the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
for the upcoming Dutch general election of 2006
. In 2008 he was nominated to succeed Wim Deetman
as Mayor of The Hague and took office on March 27, 2008.
, son of Jan van Aartsen
a politician of the Anti Revolutionary Party
(ARP), who served as Minister of Transport and Water Management, Minister of Housing and Construction
and Queen's Commissioner
of Zeeland
. After completing the Gymnasium-a
he studied law
at the Vrije Universiteit
but did not graduate. At the age of 22 van Aartsen moved to The Hague
to work in politics.
When Hans Wiegel
became party leader, in 1971, van Aartsen was asked to work for Hans Wiegel
as employee of the party in the House of Representatives. In 1974 he became General Manager of the Teldersstichting
, the scientific institute of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
. In 1978 Van Aartsen became Chef de Bureau of the Secretary General of Interior. He did this under ministers Rietkerk, van Dijk, de Korte, de Koning, Dales and de Graaf. In 1985 he became Secretary General of Interior himself. He was minister of Agriculture from 1994-1998 in the First cabinet of Wim Kok
. In the Second cabinet of Wim Kok
he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. When the cabinet fell as a direct result of the NIOD report about the fall of Srebrenica
, he became parliamentary leader in the Dutch parliament.
On April 1, 2004 an attempt was made to overrun van Aartsen by a car when he and a co-worker were doing a photoshoot in front of Hotel Des Indes in The Hague
. Van Aartsen was not hurt but the co-worker did sustain a shoulder injury. The assailant, a 41 year old lawyer by the name of Frederiek de Jongh and an employee of Bureau Rechtshulp in Utrecht
confessed her action was politically motivated.
In a letter to party leader Mark Rutte
he expressed his disappointment with the demise of the Second Balkenende cabinet
which in his view was uncalled for. He also warned for VVD interparty warring between a populist fraction with a no-nonsense attitude and focus on tax cuts and law and order and a liberal fraction focused on personal freedoms, rule of law, international orientation and education. Jozias van Aartsen is a member of the Bilderberg Group.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
(VVD). He is the Mayor of the Hague since March 27, 2008.
He served as the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality was formerly the ministry of agriculture of the Netherlands...
from August 22, 1994 until August 3, 1998 in the Cabinet Kok I. He became a Member of the House of Representatives for a short periode serving from May 19, 1998 until August 3, 1998. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs: it is occupied with the external relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including European cooperation and International development...
from August 3, 1998 until July 22, 2002 in the Cabinet Kok II. He returned to the Member of the House of Representatives serving from May 23, 2002 until November 30, 2006, when the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
and parliamentary leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
in the House of Representatives Gerrit Zalm
Gerrit Zalm
Gerrit Zalm is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister from May 27, 2003 until February 22, 2007 in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III. He served earlier as Minister of Finance in the Cabinets Kok I and...
became Minister of Finance
Ministry of Finance (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Finance is the Dutch ministry of finance: it is occupied with the national budget, taxation and financial economic policy, including supervision of financial markets...
and Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the official Deputy of the Head of Government of the Netherlands. In the absence of the Prime Minister the deputy prime minister takes over his functions, such as chairing the Cabinet of the Netherlands...
in the Cabinet Balkenende II
Second Balkenende cabinet
The second cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands formed on 27 May 2003. It consisted of three political parties: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy , Christian Democratic Appeal , and Democrats 66 , which is the smallest of the three.On 29 June 2006, D66 dropped its support for...
, Van Aartsen became the parliamentary leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
serving from May 27, 2003 until March 8, 2006. After disagreeing with Zalm
Gerrit Zalm
Gerrit Zalm is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister from May 27, 2003 until February 22, 2007 in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III. He served earlier as Minister of Finance in the Cabinets Kok I and...
about his position that the party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
shouldn't be a member of the cabinet
Cabinet of the Netherlands
The cabinet of the Netherlands is the main executive body of the Dutch government. The current cabinet of the Netherlands is the Rutte cabinet.-Composition and role:...
unless that person is the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government...
, the parliamentary leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
in the House of Representatives should be the party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
. After months of discussions and arguing, Van Aartsen took over as party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
from Zalm
Gerrit Zalm
Gerrit Zalm is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister from May 27, 2003 until February 22, 2007 in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III. He served earlier as Minister of Finance in the Cabinets Kok I and...
in all but name. After poor results in the Dutch municipal elections of 2006
Dutch municipal elections, 2006
The Dutch municipal elections of 2006 were held on March 7, 2006. About 11.8 million people could vote in 419 municipalities. Due to local redistricting, 15 municipalities have already held elections in January 2006 and 24 municipalities will hold elections in November 2006...
he stepped down as parliamentary leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
and party leader
Party leader
In politics, the party leader is the most powerful official within a political party.The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election...
and was succeeded in both positions by Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician who has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 October 2010, as well as Minister of General Affairs in the Rutte cabinet...
. In August 2006 Van Aartsen announced he would not run as a candidate for the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
for the upcoming Dutch general election of 2006
Dutch general election, 2006
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
. In 2008 he was nominated to succeed Wim Deetman
Wim Deetman
Willem Joost "Wim" Deetman is a Dutch politician and statesman, former minister of education and mayor of The Hague...
as Mayor of The Hague and took office on March 27, 2008.
Biography
Jozias Johannes van Aartsen born on December 25, 1947 in The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, son of Jan van Aartsen
Jan van Aartsen
Johannes van Aartsen , was a Dutch politician.-Career:Van Aartsen was a lawyer in The Hague and a member of the Anti Revolutionary Party. He became minister of Transportation and Water Management of the Netherlands in November 1958, at the end of the fourth cabinet of Prime Minister Willem Drees...
a politician of the Anti Revolutionary Party
Anti Revolutionary Party
The Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch Protestant Christian democratic political party. The ARP is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal. After 1917 the party never received more than twenty percent of the vote.-History before 1879:The anti-revolutionary parliamentary caucus...
(ARP), who served as Minister of Transport and Water Management, Minister of Housing and Construction
Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment was a Dutch ministry. It was responsible for policies on public housing, spatial planning, the environment and the housing of national government agencies...
and Queen's Commissioner
Queen's Commissioner
The Queen's Commissioner is the head of a province in the Netherlands, who is chairman of both the Provinciale Staten and the Gedeputeerde Staten , but only has a right to vote in the latter...
of Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
. After completing the Gymnasium-a
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
he studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the Vrije Universiteit
Vrije Universiteit
The Vrije Universiteit is a university in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch name is often abbreviated as VU and in English the university uses the name "VU University". The university is located on a compact urban campus in the southern part of Amsterdam in the Buitenveldert district...
but did not graduate. At the age of 22 van Aartsen moved to The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
to work in politics.
When Hans Wiegel
Hans Wiegel
Hans Wiegel is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from April 18, 1967 until December 19, 1977...
became party leader, in 1971, van Aartsen was asked to work for Hans Wiegel
Hans Wiegel
Hans Wiegel is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from April 18, 1967 until December 19, 1977...
as employee of the party in the House of Representatives. In 1974 he became General Manager of the Teldersstichting
Teldersstichting
The Telders Stichting is a Dutch think tank linked to People's Party for Freedom and Democracy.The foundation is named after liberal Jurist Ben Telders, a member of the Dutch resistance who during World War II....
, the scientific institute of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
. In 1978 Van Aartsen became Chef de Bureau of the Secretary General of Interior. He did this under ministers Rietkerk, van Dijk, de Korte, de Koning, Dales and de Graaf. In 1985 he became Secretary General of Interior himself. He was minister of Agriculture from 1994-1998 in the First cabinet of Wim Kok
First cabinet of Wim Kok
The First cabinet of Wim Kok , also called the "Purple Coalition" because of its social-democrat and liberal components, was a Dutch government formed by the political parties PVDA, VVD and D66. D66 had won its greatest political victory with the slogan that the Christian Democratic Appeal should...
. In the Second cabinet of Wim Kok
Second cabinet of Wim Kok
The Second cabinet of Wim Kok was the government of the Netherlands headed by Prime Minister Wim Kok during 1998 to 2002.After the elections to the House of Representatives on 6 May 1998, the allocation of the 150 seats was:...
he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. When the cabinet fell as a direct result of the NIOD report about the fall of Srebrenica
Srebrenica
Srebrenica is a town and municipality in the east of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska. Srebrenica is a small mountain town, its main industry being salt mining and a nearby spa. During the Bosnian War, the town was the site of the July 1995 massacre,...
, he became parliamentary leader in the Dutch parliament.
On April 1, 2004 an attempt was made to overrun van Aartsen by a car when he and a co-worker were doing a photoshoot in front of Hotel Des Indes in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. Van Aartsen was not hurt but the co-worker did sustain a shoulder injury. The assailant, a 41 year old lawyer by the name of Frederiek de Jongh and an employee of Bureau Rechtshulp in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
confessed her action was politically motivated.
In a letter to party leader Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician who has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 October 2010, as well as Minister of General Affairs in the Rutte cabinet...
he expressed his disappointment with the demise of the Second Balkenende cabinet
Second Balkenende cabinet
The second cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands formed on 27 May 2003. It consisted of three political parties: People's Party for Freedom and Democracy , Christian Democratic Appeal , and Democrats 66 , which is the smallest of the three.On 29 June 2006, D66 dropped its support for...
which in his view was uncalled for. He also warned for VVD interparty warring between a populist fraction with a no-nonsense attitude and focus on tax cuts and law and order and a liberal fraction focused on personal freedoms, rule of law, international orientation and education. Jozias van Aartsen is a member of the Bilderberg Group.