Jan de Koning | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Jan de Koning in 1978 | |
| Extraordinary Member of the Council of State | |
| In office 1 January 1990 – 8 October 1994 | |
| Vice President | Willem Scholten |
| Minister of the Interior | |
| In office 3 February 1987 – 6 May 1987 Ad interim | |
| Prime Minister | Ruud Lubbers |
| Preceded by | Frits Korthals Altes (ad interim) |
| Succeeded by | Kees van Dijk |
| Minister of Social Affairs and Employment | |
| In office 6 May 1987 – 7 November 1989 | |
| Prime Minister | Ruud Lubbers |
| Preceded by | Louw de Graaf (ad interim) |
| Succeeded by | Bert de Vries |
| In office 4 November 1982 – 3 February 1987 | |
| Prime Minister | Ruud Lubbers |
| Preceded by | Louw de Graaf |
| Succeeded by | Louw de Graaf (ad interim) |
| Minister for Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Affairs | |
| In office 4 November 1982 – 7 November 1989 | |
| Prime Minister | Ruud Lubbers |
| Preceded by | Himself as Minister for Netherlands Antilles Affairs |
| Succeeded by | Ruud Lubbers (ad interim) |
| Minister for Netherlands Antilles Affairs | |
| In office 29 May 1982 – 4 November 1982 | |
| Prime Minister | Dries van Agt |
| Preceded by | Joop den Uyl |
| Succeeded by | Himself as Minister for Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Affairs |
| Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries | |
| In office 11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982 | |
| Prime Minister | Dries van Agt |
| Preceded by | Gerrit Braks |
| Succeeded by | Gerrit Braks |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 4 March 1978 – 8 March 1978 Ad interim | |
| Prime Minister | Dries van Agt |
| Preceded by | Roelof Kruisinga |
| Succeeded by | Willem Scholten |
| Minister for Development Cooperation | |
| In office 19 December 1977 – 11 September 1981 | |
| Prime Minister | Dries van Agt |
| Preceded by | Jan Pronk |
| Succeeded by | Kees van Dijk |
| Chairman of the Anti-Revolutionary Party | |
| In office 11 May 1973 – 13 December 1975 | |
| Leader | Barend Biesheuvel (1973) Willem Aantjes (1973–1975) |
| Preceded by | Antoon Veerman |
| Succeeded by | Hans de Boer |
| Member of the European Parliament | |
| In office 22 September 1971 – 19 December 1977 | |
| Parliamentary group | Christian Democratic Group |
| Constituency | Netherlands |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 3 June 1986 – 14 July 1986 | |
| In office 16 September 1982 – 4 November 1982 | |
| In office 10 June 1981 – 9 September 1981 | |
| In office 10 May 1971 – 19 December 1977 | |
| Member of the Senate | |
| In office 16 September 1969 – 10 May 1971 | |
| Member of the Social and Economic Council | |
| In office 1 February 1964 – 16 September 1969 | |
| Chairman | See list
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jan de Koning 31 August 1926 Zwartsluis, Netherlands |
| Died | 8 October 1994 (aged 68) Leiden, Netherlands |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Political party | Christian Democratic Appeal (from 1980) |
| Other political affiliations | Anti-Revolutionary Party (until 1980) |
| Spouse |
Molly Rellum (m. 1956) |
| Children | 2 sons |
| Alma mater | Utrecht University (B.Soc.Sc, MSSc) |
| Occupation | Politician · Civil servant · Social geographer · Researcher · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Trade association executive · Professor · Soldier |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Netherlands |
| Branch/service | Royal Netherlands East Indies Army |
| Years of service | 1945–1948 (Active duty) 1948–1952 (Reserve) |
| Rank |  Corporal |
| Battles/wars | |
Jan de Koning (31 August 1926 – 8 October 1994) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and later the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and social geographer.[1]
De Koning joined the Dutch resistance against the German occupation in September 1943, at the time barely 17 years old. Following the end of World War II, he volunteered and enlisted in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army as a corporal serving in the Dutch East Indies from August 1945 until June 1948. He studied Social geography at the Utrecht University and obtained a Master of Social Science degree. He worked as a trade association executive for the Christian Farmers and Gardeners association (CBTB) from February 1955 until May 1971 and as a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences from November 1961 until January 1964. In the 1969 Senate election, De Koning was elected to the Senate on 16 September 1969, and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for agriculture. After the 1971 general election, he was elected to the House of Representatives on 10 May 1971 and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for agriculture and development cooperation. He was also selected as a Member of the European Parliament on 22 September 1971 and dual served in both positions and served as Party Chairman from 11 May 1973 until 13 December 1975.
After the 1977 general election, De Koning was appointed Minister for Development Cooperation in the Van Agt–Wiegel cabinet, taking office on 19 December 1977. After the 1981 general election, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in the Van Agt II cabinet taking office on 11 September 1981. The cabinet fell just seven months into its term and was replaced by the caretaker Van Agt III cabinet, with De Koning retaining his position and also taking over the portfolio of Netherlands Antilles Affairs, taking office on 29 May 1982. After the 1982 general election, De Koning was appointed Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and also retained the portfolio of Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Affairs in the Lubbers I cabinet, taking office on 4 November 1982. After the 1986 general election, De Koning again continued his offices in the Lubbers II cabinet. He was appointed acting Minister of the Interior following a cabinet reshuffle, serving from 3 February 1987 until 6 May 1987. In July 1989, De Koning announced that he would not stand for the 1989 general election and declined to serve in new cabinet.
De Koning continued to be active in politics and in December 1989 was nominated as a member of the Council of State on 1 January 1990. De Koning also became active in the public sector as non-profit director and serves on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government, and worked as a distinguished professor of Social geography at the University of Groningen from January 1991. In August 1994, De Koning was diagnosed with terminal cancer and died just three months later in October 1994 at the age of 68. De Koning was known for his abilities as a skilful manager and effective consensus builder. He holds the distinction as the longest-serving Minister of Social Affairs with 7 years, 3 days in Dutch history.
| Military decorations | ||||
| Ribbon bar | Decoration | Country | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Medal for Order and Peace | Netherlands | 10 December 1948 | |
|
Resistance Memorial Cross | Netherlands | 30 April 1982 | |
| Honours | ||||
| Ribbon bar | Honour | Country | Date | Comment |
|
Commander of the Legion of Honour | France | 12 November 1979 | |
|
Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion | Netherlands | 26 October 1981 | |
|
Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown | Belgium | 6 July 1986 | |
|
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau | Netherlands | 20 November 1989 | |
