Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

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People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

The Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is the most senior politician within the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Dutch: Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie, VVD) in the Netherlands. The post is currently held by Mark Rutte, who succeeded Jozias van Aartsen after the leadership election of 2006 and who has also been the serving Prime Minister of the Netherlands since the Dutch general election of 2010 and was reelected as Prime Minister of the Netherlands after the Dutch general election of 2012.[1][2]

History[]

The Leaders outwardly act as the 'figurehead' and the main representative of the party. Within the party, they must ensure political consensus. At election time the Leader is always the Lijsttrekker (top candidate) of the party list. Outside election time the Leader can serve as the Opposition leader. In the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy the Leader is often the Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives. Some People's Party for Freedom and Democracy leaders became a Minister in a Cabinet.

Leaders[]

Leader Term of office Age as Leader Position(s) as Leader Further position(s) Civil/
Diplomatic/
Judiciary
Function(s)
International
Function(s)
Former
Affiliation
Professional
Function(s)
Lijsttrekker
Pieter Oud Pieter Oud
(1886–1968)
28 January 1948 –
30 March 1963
(15 years, 61 days)[1]
61–76 Mayor of Rotterdam
(1945–1952)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1948–1963)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(1948–1963)
Party Chairman
(1949–1963)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(VDB)
(1917–1933) (1937–1938)
Minister of Finance
(VDB)
(1933–1937)
Leader of the Free-thinking
Democratic League

(1935–1938)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(VDB)
(1937–1938)
Mayor of Rotterdam
(VDB)
(1938–1941)
Minister of State
(1963–1968)
Free-thinking
Democratic League
Jurist
Civil servant
Historian
Author
Professor
1948
1952
Committee-Oud 1956
Labour Party 1959
Edzo Toxopeus Edzo Toxopeus
(1918–2009)
30 March 1963 –
1 October 1969
(6 years, 185 days)[1]
45–51 Minister of the Interior
(1959–1965)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1963) (1965–1969)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(1963) (1966–1969)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1956–1959)
Queen's Commissioner
of Groningen
(1970–1980)
Minister of State
(1985–2009)
Member of the
Council of State

(1980–1988)
President of the
Liberal International

(1966–1970)
Freedom Party Jurist
Lawyer
Businessperson
Diplomat
1963
1967
Molly Geertsema Molly Geertsema
(1918–1991)
1 October 1969 –
1 July 1971
(1 year, 273 days)[1]
50–52 Member of the House
of Representatives

(1959–1971)
Mayor of Wassenaar
(1961–1971)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(1969–1971)
Mayor of Warffum
(1953–1957)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(1963–1966)
Minister of the Interior
(1971–1973)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1971–1973)
Minister for Suriname and
Netherlands Antilles Affairs

(1973)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1973) (1973)
Queen's Commissioner
of Gelderland
(1973–1983)
Member of the Senate
(1983–1987)
Freedom Party Jurist
Civil servant
Teacher
1971
Hans Wiegel Hans Wiegel
(born 1941)
1 July 1971 –
20 April 1982
(10 years, 293 days)[1]
29–40 Member of the House
of Representatives

(1967–1977) (1981–1982)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(1971–1977) (1981–1982)
Minister of the Interior
(1977–1981)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1977–1981)
Queen's Commissioner
of Friesland
(1982–1994)
Member of the Senate
(1995–2000)
Member of the Social
and Economic Council

(1994–2012)
Businessperson
Trade association
executive

Political pundit
Author
1972
1977
1981
Ed Nijpels Ed Nijpels
(born 1950)
20 April 1982 –
9 July 1986
(4 years, 80 days)[1]
32–36 Member of the House
of Representatives

(1977–1986)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(1982–1986)
Minister of Housing,
Spatial Planning and
the Environment

(1986–1989)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1989–1990)
Mayor of Breda
(1990–1995)
Queen's Commissioner
of Friesland
(1999–2008)
Member of the Social
and Economic Council

(since 2014)
Jurist
Civil servant
Businessperson
Nonprofit director
Trade association
executive
Teacher
Activist
1982
1986
Rudolf de Korte Dr.
Rudolf de Korte
(1936–2020)
9 July 1986 –
15 December 1986
(159 days)[1]
50 Minister of the Interior
(1986)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1986)
Minister of Economic Affairs
(1986–1989)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1986–1989)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1977–1986) (1989–1995)
Vice President
of the European
Investment Bank

(1986–1989)
Businessperson
Banker
Joris Voorhoeve Dr.
Joris Voorhoeve
(born 1945)
15 December 1986 –
30 April 1990
(3 years, 136 days)[1]
40–44 Member of the House
of Representatives

(1982–1991)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(1986–1990)
Minister for Suriname and
Netherlands Antilles Affairs

(1994–1998)
Minister of Defence
(1994–1998)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1998–1999)
Member of the
Council of State

(1999–2011)
Democrats 66 Political scientist
Researcher
Civil servant
Nonprofit director
Activist
Author
Professor
1989
Frits Bolkestein Frits Bolkestein
(born 1933)
30 April 1990 –
30 July 1998
(8 years, 91 days)[1]
57–65 Member of the House
of Representatives

(1989–1999)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(1990–1998)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1978–1982) (1986–1988)
State Secretary for
Economic Affairs

(1982–1986)
Minister of Defence
(1988–1989)
President of the
Liberal International

(1996–2000)
European Commissioner
(1999–2004)
[Portfolios]
Businessperson
Economist
Author
Historian
Professor
1994
1998
Hans Dijkstal Hans Dijkstal
(1943–2010)
30 July 1998 –
16 May 2002
(3 years, 290 days)[1]
55–59 Minister of the Interior
(1994–1998)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1994–1998)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1998–2002)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(1998–2002)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1982–1986) (1986–1994)
Financial adviser
Management
consultant

Nonprofit director
Teacher Lobbyist
2002
Gerrit Zalm Gerrit Zalm
(born 1952)
16 May 2002 –
27 November 2004
(2 years, 195 days)[1]
50–52 Member of the House
of Representatives

(2002–2003)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(2002–2003)
Minister of Finance
(2003–2007)
Deputy Prime Minister
(2003–2007)
Minister of Finance
(1994–1996) (1996–2002)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1998)
Minister of Economic Affairs
(2006)
Director of the
Bureau for Economic
Policy Analysis

(1989–1994)
Labour Party Economist
Civil servant
Businessperson
Banker
Professor
2003
Jozias van Aartsen Jozias van Aartsen
(born 1947)
27 November 2004 –
8 March 2006
(1 year, 101 days)[1]
56–58 Member of the House
of Representatives

(2002–2006)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(2003–2006)
Minister of Agriculture,
Nature and Fisheries

(1994–1998)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1998)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
(1998–2002)
Mayor of The Hague
(2008–2017)
King's Commissioner
of Drenthe
(2017)
Mayor of Amsterdam
(2017–2018)
Political
consultant

Civil servant
Nonprofit director
Vacant
(8 March 2006 – 31 May 2006)
Mark Rutte Mark Rutte
(born 1967)
31 May 2006 –
Incumbent
(15 years, 185 days)
39–54 State Secretary for
Education, Culture
and Science

(2004–2006)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(2006–2010) (2012)
(2017) (since 2021)

Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(2006–2010) (2012) (2017)
Minister of General Affairs
(since 2010)
Prime Minister
(since 2010)
State Secretary for
Social Affairs and
Employment

(2002–2004)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(2003)
Businessperson
Historian
Teacher
2006
2010
2012
2017
2021

Deputy Leaders[]

The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy doesn't have an official designated Deputy Leader in the party's hierarchy but some are given the title as an unofficial description by the media. Because of the often unofficial nature of the position, reliable sources can sometimes differ over who the deputy actually is or was.

Deputy Leader Term of office Position(s) as Deputy Leader Leader(s)
Dirk Stikker Dirk Stikker
(1897–1979)
28 January 1948 –
10 July 1952
(4 years, 164 days)
Chairman of the People's Party
for Freedom and Democracy

(1948)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
(1948–1952)
Pieter Oud
Henk Korthals Henk Korthals
(1911–1976)
10 July 1952 –
12 January 1963
(10 years, 186 days)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1945–1959)
Member of the
European Parliament

(1958–1959)
Minister for Suriname and
Netherlands Antilles Affairs

(1959–1963)
Minister of Transport and
Water Management

(1959–1963)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1959–1963)
Not in use
(12 January 1963 – 14 July 1963)
Molly Geertsema Molly Geertsema
(1918–1991)
14 July 1963 –
1 October 1969
(1 year, 273 days)[1]
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1959–1971)
Mayor of Wassenaar
(1961–1971)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(1963–1966)
Edzo Toxopeus
Roelof Zegering Hadders  [nl]
(1912–1991)
1 October 1969 –
1 July 1971
(1 year, 273 days)[1]
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1948–1971)
Molly Geertsema
Molly Geertsema Molly Geertsema
(1918–1991)
1 July 1971 –
5 May 1973
(1 year, 308 days)[1]
Minister of the Interior
(1971–1973)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1971–1973)
Minister for Suriname and
Netherlands Antilles Affairs

(1973)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1973) (1973)
Hans Wiegel
Harm van Riel Harm van Riel
(1907–1980)
5 May 1973 –
3 June 1976
(3 years, 29 days)[1]
Member of the Senate
(1963–1976)
Parliamentary leader
in the Senate
(1956–1976)
Haya van Someren Haya van Someren
(1926–1980)
3 June 1976 –
12 November 1980 ()
(4 years, 162 days)[1]
Member of the Senate
(1974–1980)
Parliamentary leader
in the Senate
(1976–1980)
Not in use
(12 November 1980 – 15 December 1986)
Rudolf de Korte Dr.
Rudolf de Korte
(1936–2020)
15 December 1986 –
7 November 1989
(2 years, 327 days)[1]
Minister of Economic Affairs
(1986–1989)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1986–1989)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1989–1995)
Joris Voorhoeve
Loek Hermans Loek Hermans
(born 1951)
9 July 1986 –
24 September 1990
(4 years, 77 days)[1]
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1977–1990)
Rudolf de Korte
Joris Voorhoeve
Frits Bolkestein
Hans Dijkstal Hans Dijkstal
(1943–2010)
24 September 1990 –
30 July 1998
(7 years, 309 days)[1]
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1986–1994) (1998–2002)
Minister of the Interior
(1994–1998)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1994–1998)
Benk Korthals Benk Korthals
(born 1944)
22 August 1994 –
3 August 1998
(3 years, 346 days)[1]
Member of the House
of Representatives

(1982–1998)
Hans Dijkstal
Annemarie Jorritsma Annemarie Jorritsma
(born 1950)
3 August 1998 –
30 January 2003
(4 years, 180 days)[1]
Minister of Economic Affairs
(1998–2002)
Deputy Prime Minister
(1998–2002)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(2002–2003)
Gerrit Zalm
Jozias van Aartsen Jozias van Aartsen
(born 1947)
23 May 2002 –
27 November 2004
(4 years, 188 days)[1]
Minister of Foreign Affairs
(1998–2002)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(2002–2006)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(2003–2006)
Not in use
(27 November 2004 – 29 June 2006)
Edith Schippers Edith Schippers
(born 1964)
29 June 2006 –
1 November 2012
(6 years, 125 days)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(2003–2010) (2012)
Minister of Health,
Welfare and Sport

(2010–2017)
Mark Rutte
Stef Blok Stef Blok
(born 1964)
[3]
8 October 2010 –
1 November 2012
(2 years, 24 days)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(2002–2012) (2012)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(2010–2012)
Halbe Zijlstra Halbe Zijlstra
(born 1969)
1 November 2012 –
13 February 2018
(5 years, 74 days)
State Secretary for Education,
Culture and Science

(2010–2012)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(2012–2017)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(2012–2017) (2017)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
(2017–2018)
Klaas Dijkhoff Dr.
Klaas Dijkhoff
(born 1981)
25 October 2017 –
31 March 2021
(3 years, 157 days)
Member of the House
of Representatives

(2017–2021)
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
(2017–2021)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Politiek leider van een partij". Parlement&Politiek. Retrieved 2012-11-03.
  2. ^ (in Dutch) Kabinet-Rutte is een feit, NOS, 14 October 2010
  3. ^ "Purist stuurt bij naar rechts Stef Blok" (in Dutch). NRC Handelsblad. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
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External links[]

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