Piet de Jong
Encyclopedia
Petrus Josef Sietse "Piet" de Jong (ˈpit də ˈjɔŋ; born April 3, 1915) is a retired Dutch
politician of the defunct Catholic People's Party
(KVP) now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA). He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands
from April 5, 1967 until July 6, 1971.
A veteran naval officer of World War II
. De Jong graduated from the Royal Netherlands Naval College
in 1934, de Jong joined the Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Service
. And served on Submarine 0-24 during World War II
and ending the war as the Captain
of that vessel. The Submarine 0-24 became one of the few surviving Dutch
submarines. During his service in World War II
he was awarded the Bronze Cross
twice in 1934 and 1940. He was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
of the United Kingdom
for his services during World War II
.
He served as State Secretary
for Defence
from June 25, 1959 until July 24, 1963 in the Cabinet De Quay. He later became Minister of Defence
serving from July 24, 1963 until April 5, 1967 in the Cabinets Marijnen, Cals and Zijlstra. After the Dutch general election of 1967
, De Jong became Prime Minister of the Netherlands
, leading the Cabinet de Jong.
Despite his popularity, the Catholic People's Party
refused to nominate him as the lijsttrekker
for the Dutch general election of 1971
and he was replaced by his Minister of Education and Science Gerard Veringa
. After his premiership, De Jong remained in active politics and became the parliamentary leader
of the Catholic People's Party
in the Senate and a Member of the Senate serving from May 11, 1971 until September 17, 1974.
Known for his wit and humor and his abilities as a team leader, his cabinet was the first cabinet of the Netherlands
after World War II
that completed a full term without any internal conflicts. As of , he is the oldest living and earliest serving former Prime Minister of the Netherlands
and is one of the longest lived state leaders at the age of .
in the Netherlands Province
of Gelderland
in a Roman Catholic family, the son of Joännes de Jong and Gijsberta Adriana Schouten. After leaving secondary school, he joined the Royal Netherlands Navy
as a midshipman in 1931 and subsequently attended the Royal Netherlands Naval College
in Den Helder
. In 1934 he received his commission as a Luitenant-ter-zee III
and from 1934 to 1947 served in the Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Service
.
on board the Dutch Submarine 0-24 and during World War II
he saw action initially as first officer and from mid-1944 onwards as commander of that vessel. In April 1946 he returned on board the Submarine 0-24 to the Netherlands. In 1947 he was attached to the Naval Staff of the Admiralty and in 1948 became adjutant to the Navy Minister.
From 1951 to the end of 1952, de Jong commanded a naval frigate Hr. Ms. De Zeeuw, after which he joined the staff of the Allied Commander-in-Chief Channel in the British
naval base at Portsmouth
. In 1955 he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff to the Inspector-General of the Royal Netherlands Navy
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
and aide-de-camp to Queen Juliana
, after which he returned to sea in 1958 as commander of the submarine chaser Hr. Ms. Gelderland.
to be the new State Secretary
for Defence
in the Cabinet de Quay. De Jong who was not even a member of the party eventually agreed to the position and became a member of the Catholic People's Party
that same year.
From June 25, 1959 to July 24, 1963, de Jong served State Secretary
for Defence
in the Cabinet de Quay and immediately thereafter Minister of Defence
in the successive Cabinets Marijnen, Cals and Zijlstra. From April 5, 1967 to July 6, 1971 he was Prime Minister of the Netherlands
and Minister of General Affairs in the Cabinet de Jong. His Cabinet
was the first Dutch Cabinet
since World War II
that served a full four-year term without crises.
His cabinet was confronted with a demand for democratic reforms in the society and it decided to democratise colleges and universities after the famous Maagdenhuisbezetting. Plans were made to modernise politics by establishing an electoral system with districts or a chosen Prime Minister
, but these plans were not implemented. Meanwhile, a pay pause due to the decision of employers and employees to raise wages was partly revoked after anti-government demonstrations and strikes. The Minister of Economic Affairs Leo de Block
resigned, officially as a protest against the wage rise in the metal industry, but another reason was his slow reaction to the inflation and rising prices after the introduction of Value added tax
. More unrest took shape in demonstrations against the Vietnam War
. Internationally, relations with Indonesia
improved, resulting in a visit by president Suharto which was, however, overshadowed by the occupation of the Indonesian embassy by Moluccans
. The Soviet Union
invasion in Czechoslovakia
was seen as a reason to increase the defence budget. During his term as Prime Minister of the Netherlands
de Jong met with numeral state leaders, including then President
Richard Nixon
, Presidents of France Charles de Gaulle
and Georges Pompidou
. He was present in the hospital when Prince Claus of the Netherlands announced the birth of his son Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange
on April 27, 1967.
After serving as Prime Minister of the Netherlands
de Jong became a member of the Senate, where he served from 1971 to 1974 and as the Parliamentary leader
in the Senate.
In 1972 he was passed by the Cabinet Biesheuvel II for the position of Vice-president of the Council of State and in 1973 he passed the mayoralty of Eindhoven.
to free Dutch
hostages, but ultimately the mission was cancelled.
On March 25, 2010 de Jong then aged 94, still visibly spirituous and active gave a speech at Nieuwspoort about the publication of a biography of former Minister of Foreign Affairs
and the 5th Secretary General of NATO
Joseph Luns
. On April 24, 2010 during the annual Christian Democratic Appeal
party conference, de Jong then aged 95, spoke about former Deputy Prime Minister
and Labour Party
party leader Wouter Bos
and his actions witch left to the fall of the Cabinet Balkenende IV. After the Dutch general election of 2010
the Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA) suffered a disappointing election result, and Informateur Ivo Opstelten
announced the formation of a new centre-right
coalition cabinet composed of the winner of the election, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
(VVD) and de Jong's own Christian Democratic Appeal
(CDA). But with support of the Party for Freedom
(PVV) of Geert Wilders
. De Jong spoke against this support and said that the Party for Freedom
(PVV) stand about Freedom of religion
was a deal breaker.
he was accused by some media of not showing enough strength and too little action. He was frequently labelled as old-fashioned. That old-fashioned image was reinforced by his Bowler hat
, with which he appeared outside frequently. Thirty years later he is however considered by many as a politician who made his decisions well-thought after.
Politicians from the entire political spectrum, have labelled de Jong as one of the beter Prime Minister of the Netherlands
. In a reportage of the Dutch television programme Netwerk
, transmitted beginning 2005, he is even labelled as perhaps the best postwar Prime Minister of the Netherlands
. This view has been confirmed by numerous high-profiled current and former Dutch politicians, including former Prime Minister
Dries van Agt
. In 2001 former Deputy Prime Minister
Hans Wiegel
praised de Jong as well as perhaps the best Prime Minister of the Netherlands
after World War II
. On March 23, 2011 the history channel Hollanddoc devoted a episode about his life with the quote Attention for the least-known prime minister after World War II, but perhaps the most successful: Piet de Jong
De Jong is known for his wit and humor. When he was sworn in as State Secretary
, he told Queen Juliana
, for whom he had served as aide-de-camp: 'Majesty, there you see a how a person comes down in the world.' In response to a delicate question of a radio reporter, when asked what his thoughts on pornography were, he said: 'As far as I know, pornography is the only working medicine against seasickness.' When a Belgian
minister spoke negatively about the libertarian ideas of the Dutch
on pornography, he responded: 'well, the Belgians
aren't a seafaring peoples, are they?'
de Jong married a former local resistance fighter Anna Geertruida Jacoba Henriëtte "Anneke" Bartels. They married on June 26, 1947 and had two sons and one daughter. Anneke Bartels passed away in 2010 after a long illness aged 94.
and the second oldest living former member of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands
, after former Minister of Colonial Affairs Gerardus Philippus Helders
(currently aged ) who served in the Third Drees cabinet
(1957-1958) and the Second Beel cabinet (1958-1959). Besides that, De Jong is the overall second oldest Prime Minister of the Netherlands
, after Willem Drees
who lived to . De Jong, who uses a pacemaker
, is reported to be in exceptionally good health for his age, still gives tv interviews and regularly attends veteran meetings.
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 defunct Catholic People's Party
Catholic People's Party
The Catholic People's Party was a Catholic Christian democratic Dutch political party. During its entire existence, the party was in government. The party is one of the precursors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.- 1945-1965 :The KVP was founded on 22 December, 1945...
(KVP) now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
(CDA). He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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...
from April 5, 1967 until July 6, 1971.
A veteran naval officer of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. De Jong graduated from the Royal Netherlands Naval College
Royal Netherlands Naval College
The Royal Netherlands Naval College in Den Helder is the service academy of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The KIM offers a program of four or five years and also a short course of sixteen to twenty-two months...
in 1934, de Jong joined the Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Service
Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Service
The Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Service was the department of the Royal Netherlands Navy dealing with submarines. It was set up on 21 December 1906, out of the Torpedo Service, and merged with the Mine Service on 15 July 2005....
. And served on Submarine 0-24 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and ending the war as the Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
of that vessel. The Submarine 0-24 became one of the few surviving Dutch
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...
submarines. During his service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was awarded the Bronze Cross
Bronze Cross (Netherlands)
The Bronze Cross of the Kingdom of the Netherlands was instituted on 11 June 1940 by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands while she was residing in London during the German occupation of the Netherlands...
twice in 1934 and 1940. He was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for his services during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He served as State Secretary
State Secretary (Netherlands)
State Secretary is the title of a junior member of the Dutch or Belgian cabinet. Other terms for the title are deputy minister, junior minister or vice-minister...
for Defence
Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence governs the Netherlands Armed Forces. The Minister is assisted by a State Secretary...
from June 25, 1959 until July 24, 1963 in the Cabinet De Quay. He later became Minister of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence governs the Netherlands Armed Forces. The Minister is assisted by a State Secretary...
serving from July 24, 1963 until April 5, 1967 in the Cabinets Marijnen, Cals and Zijlstra. After the Dutch general election of 1967
Dutch general election, 1967
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on 15 February 1967.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
, De Jong became Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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...
, leading the Cabinet de Jong.
Despite his popularity, the Catholic People's Party
Catholic People's Party
The Catholic People's Party was a Catholic Christian democratic Dutch political party. During its entire existence, the party was in government. The party is one of the precursors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.- 1945-1965 :The KVP was founded on 22 December, 1945...
refused to nominate him as the lijsttrekker
Lijsttrekker
Lijsttrekker is a Dutch term for the top candidate of a party on a party list. He or she is almost always the party's political leader. After an election, this person usually leads the party's faction in the States-General, or serves in a senior position in the Cabinet if his party is part of...
for the Dutch general election of 1971
Dutch general election, 1971
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on April 28, 1971.-National summary:turnout: 79.1%...
and he was replaced by his Minister of Education and Science Gerard Veringa
Gerard Veringa
Gerard Heinrich Veringa was a Dutch politician of the defunct Catholic People's Party now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal . -External links:...
. After his premiership, De Jong remained in active politics and 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...
of the Catholic People's Party
Catholic People's Party
The Catholic People's Party was a Catholic Christian democratic Dutch political party. During its entire existence, the party was in government. The party is one of the precursors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.- 1945-1965 :The KVP was founded on 22 December, 1945...
in the Senate and a Member of the Senate serving from May 11, 1971 until September 17, 1974.
Known for his wit and humor and his abilities as a team leader, his cabinet was the first cabinet of the Netherlands
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:...
after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
that completed a full term without any internal conflicts. As of , he is the oldest living and earliest serving former Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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...
and is one of the longest lived state leaders at the age of .
Early life
Petrus Josef Sietse de Jong was born on April 3, 1915 in ApeldoornApeldoorn
Apeldoorn is a municipality and city in the province of Gelderland, about 60 miles south east of Amsterdam, in the centre of the Netherlands. It is a regional centre and has 155,000 . The municipality of Apeldoorn, including villages like Beekbergen, Loenen and Hoenderloo, has over 155,000...
in the Netherlands Province
Provinces of the Netherlands
A Dutch province represents the administrative layer in between the national government and the local municipalities, having the responsibility for matters of subnational or regional importance. The government of each province consists of three major parts: the Provinciale Staten which is the...
of Gelderland
Gelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
in a Roman Catholic family, the son of Joännes de Jong and Gijsberta Adriana Schouten. After leaving secondary school, he joined the Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
as a midshipman in 1931 and subsequently attended the Royal Netherlands Naval College
Royal Netherlands Naval College
The Royal Netherlands Naval College in Den Helder is the service academy of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The KIM offers a program of four or five years and also a short course of sixteen to twenty-two months...
in Den Helder
Den Helder
Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula...
. In 1934 he received his commission as a Luitenant-ter-zee III
Military ranks of the Dutch armed forces
-Koninklijke Landmacht, KL :The Landmacht is the land based part of the Dutch military. Its task are the following:* To defend Dutch soil and that of NATO allies.* To contribute to peace, stability and safety world wide....
and from 1934 to 1947 served in the Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Service
Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Service
The Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Service was the department of the Royal Netherlands Navy dealing with submarines. It was set up on 21 December 1906, out of the Torpedo Service, and merged with the Mine Service on 15 July 2005....
.
World War II
On May 13, 1940 de Jong sailed to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on board the Dutch Submarine 0-24 and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he saw action initially as first officer and from mid-1944 onwards as commander of that vessel. In April 1946 he returned on board the Submarine 0-24 to the Netherlands. In 1947 he was attached to the Naval Staff of the Admiralty and in 1948 became adjutant to the Navy Minister.
From 1951 to the end of 1952, de Jong commanded a naval frigate Hr. Ms. De Zeeuw, after which he joined the staff of the Allied Commander-in-Chief Channel in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
naval base at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. In 1955 he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff to the Inspector-General of the Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld , later Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, was prince consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and father of six children, including the current monarch Queen Beatrix....
and aide-de-camp to Queen Juliana
Juliana of the Netherlands
Juliana was the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands between 1948 and 1980. She was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry...
, after which he returned to sea in 1958 as commander of the submarine chaser Hr. Ms. Gelderland.
-
Luitenant-ter-zee IIIMilitary ranks of the Dutch armed forces-Koninklijke Landmacht, KL :The Landmacht is the land based part of the Dutch military. Its task are the following:* To defend Dutch soil and that of NATO allies.* To contribute to peace, stability and safety world wide....
(1934-1936) -
Luitenant-ter-zee IIMilitary ranks of the Dutch armed forces-Koninklijke Landmacht, KL :The Landmacht is the land based part of the Dutch military. Its task are the following:* To defend Dutch soil and that of NATO allies.* To contribute to peace, stability and safety world wide....
(1936-1944) -
Luitenant-ter-zee IMilitary ranks of the Dutch armed forces-Koninklijke Landmacht, KL :The Landmacht is the land based part of the Dutch military. Its task are the following:* To defend Dutch soil and that of NATO allies.* To contribute to peace, stability and safety world wide....
(1944-1953) -
Kapitein luitenant-ter-zeeMilitary ranks of the Dutch armed forces-Koninklijke Landmacht, KL :The Landmacht is the land based part of the Dutch military. Its task are the following:* To defend Dutch soil and that of NATO allies.* To contribute to peace, stability and safety world wide....
(1953-1958) -
Kapitein ter-zeeMilitary ranks of the Dutch armed forces-Koninklijke Landmacht, KL :The Landmacht is the land based part of the Dutch military. Its task are the following:* To defend Dutch soil and that of NATO allies.* To contribute to peace, stability and safety world wide....
(1958-1963) - Retired from Active duty (1959)
- Military reserve (1963)
- Honorable discharge (1975)
Politics
In 1959 will commanding the Hr. Ms. Gelderland, de Jong was surprisingly asked by the Catholic People's PartyCatholic People's Party
The Catholic People's Party was a Catholic Christian democratic Dutch political party. During its entire existence, the party was in government. The party is one of the precursors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.- 1945-1965 :The KVP was founded on 22 December, 1945...
to be the new State Secretary
State Secretary (Netherlands)
State Secretary is the title of a junior member of the Dutch or Belgian cabinet. Other terms for the title are deputy minister, junior minister or vice-minister...
for Defence
Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence governs the Netherlands Armed Forces. The Minister is assisted by a State Secretary...
in the Cabinet de Quay. De Jong who was not even a member of the party eventually agreed to the position and became a member of the Catholic People's Party
Catholic People's Party
The Catholic People's Party was a Catholic Christian democratic Dutch political party. During its entire existence, the party was in government. The party is one of the precursors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.- 1945-1965 :The KVP was founded on 22 December, 1945...
that same year.
From June 25, 1959 to July 24, 1963, de Jong served State Secretary
State Secretary (Netherlands)
State Secretary is the title of a junior member of the Dutch or Belgian cabinet. Other terms for the title are deputy minister, junior minister or vice-minister...
for Defence
Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence governs the Netherlands Armed Forces. The Minister is assisted by a State Secretary...
in the Cabinet de Quay and immediately thereafter Minister of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence governs the Netherlands Armed Forces. The Minister is assisted by a State Secretary...
in the successive Cabinets Marijnen, Cals and Zijlstra. From April 5, 1967 to July 6, 1971 he was Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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...
and Minister of General Affairs in the Cabinet de Jong. His 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:...
was the first Dutch 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:...
since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
that served a full four-year term without crises.
His cabinet was confronted with a demand for democratic reforms in the society and it decided to democratise colleges and universities after the famous Maagdenhuisbezetting. Plans were made to modernise politics by establishing an electoral system with districts or a chosen 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...
, but these plans were not implemented. Meanwhile, a pay pause due to the decision of employers and employees to raise wages was partly revoked after anti-government demonstrations and strikes. The Minister of Economic Affairs Leo de Block
Leo de Block
Leo de Block was a Dutch politician.-References:...
resigned, officially as a protest against the wage rise in the metal industry, but another reason was his slow reaction to the inflation and rising prices after the introduction of Value added tax
Value added tax
A value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...
. More unrest took shape in demonstrations against the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Internationally, relations with Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
improved, resulting in a visit by president Suharto which was, however, overshadowed by the occupation of the Indonesian embassy by Moluccans
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
. The Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
invasion in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
was seen as a reason to increase the defence budget. During his term as Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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...
de Jong met with numeral state leaders, including then President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
, Presidents of France Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
and Georges Pompidou
Georges Pompidou
Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
. He was present in the hospital when Prince Claus of the Netherlands announced the birth of his son Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange
Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange
Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange is the eldest child of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus. Since 1980 he is the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He is also the head of the House of Amsberg since the death of his father in 2002. He was in military service and he studied...
on April 27, 1967.
After serving as Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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...
de Jong became a member of the Senate, where he served from 1971 to 1974 and as 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 Senate.
In 1972 he was passed by the Cabinet Biesheuvel II for the position of Vice-president of the Council of State and in 1973 he passed the mayoralty of Eindhoven.
After Politics
Following the end of his active political career, de Jong occupied many posts in industry and seats on numerous supervisory boards. In December 1990 he was selected to lead a diplomatic mission to IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
to free Dutch
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...
hostages, but ultimately the mission was cancelled.
On March 25, 2010 de Jong then aged 94, still visibly spirituous and active gave a speech at Nieuwspoort about the publication of a biography of former 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...
and the 5th Secretary General of NATO
Secretary General of NATO
The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is the chairman of the North Atlantic Council, the supreme decision-making organisation of the defence alliance. The Secretary-General also serves as the leader of the organisation's staff and as its chief spokesman...
Joseph Luns
Joseph Luns
Joseph Marie Antoine Hubert Luns was a Dutch politician and diplomat of the defunct Catholic People's Party now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal . He was the longest-serving Minister of Foreign Affairs from September 2, 1952 until July 6, 1971...
. On April 24, 2010 during the annual Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
party conference, de Jong then aged 95, spoke about former 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...
and Labour Party
Labour Party (Netherlands)
The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
party leader Wouter Bos
Wouter Bos
Wouter Jacob Bos is a Dutch management consultant and former politician of the Labour Party . He was Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet Balkenende IV from February 22, 2007 till February 23, 2010...
and his actions witch left to the fall of the Cabinet Balkenende IV. After the Dutch general election of 2010
Dutch general election, 2010
The 2010 Dutch general election was held on Wednesday, 9 June 2010. After the fall of the cabinet Balkenende IV on 20 February, Queen Beatrix accepted the resignation of the Labour Party ministers on 23 February...
the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
(CDA) suffered a disappointing election result, and Informateur Ivo Opstelten
Ivo Opstelten
Ivo Willem Opstelten is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He is the Minister of Security and Justice in the Cabinet Rutte since October 14, 2010....
announced the formation of a new centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
coalition cabinet composed of the winner of the election, 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) and de Jong's own Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
(CDA). But with support of the Party for Freedom
Party for Freedom
The Party for Freedom is a Dutch right-wing political party. Founded in 2005 as the successor to Geert Wilders' one-man party in the House of Representatives, it won nine seats in the 2006 general election, making it the fifth largest party in parliament, and third largest opposition party. It...
(PVV) of Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders is a Dutch right-wing politician and leader of the Party for Freedom , the third-largest political party in the Netherlands. He is the Parliamentary group leader of his party in the Dutch House of Representatives...
. De Jong spoke against this support and said that the Party for Freedom
Party for Freedom
The Party for Freedom is a Dutch right-wing political party. Founded in 2005 as the successor to Geert Wilders' one-man party in the House of Representatives, it won nine seats in the 2006 general election, making it the fifth largest party in parliament, and third largest opposition party. It...
(PVV) stand about Freedom of religion
Freedom of religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any...
was a deal breaker.
Reputation and legacy
During his time as Prime Minister of the NetherlandsPrime 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...
he was accused by some media of not showing enough strength and too little action. He was frequently labelled as old-fashioned. That old-fashioned image was reinforced by his Bowler hat
Bowler hat
The bowler hat, also known as a coke hat, derby , billycock or bombin, is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the English soldier and politician Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester...
, with which he appeared outside frequently. Thirty years later he is however considered by many as a politician who made his decisions well-thought after.
Politicians from the entire political spectrum, have labelled de Jong as one of the beter Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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...
. In a reportage of the Dutch television programme Netwerk
Netwerk
Netwerk is a Dutch 'behind the news' television show on Nederland 2....
, transmitted beginning 2005, he is even labelled as perhaps the best postwar Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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...
. This view has been confirmed by numerous high-profiled current and former Dutch politicians, including former 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...
Dries van Agt
Dries van Agt
Andreas Antonius Maria "Dries" van Agt is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from December 19, 1977, until November 4, 1982....
. In 2001 former 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...
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...
praised de Jong as well as perhaps the best Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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...
after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. On March 23, 2011 the history channel Hollanddoc devoted a episode about his life with the quote Attention for the least-known prime minister after World War II, but perhaps the most successful: Piet de Jong
De Jong is known for his wit and humor. When he was sworn in as State Secretary
State Secretary (Netherlands)
State Secretary is the title of a junior member of the Dutch or Belgian cabinet. Other terms for the title are deputy minister, junior minister or vice-minister...
, he told Queen Juliana
Juliana of the Netherlands
Juliana was the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands between 1948 and 1980. She was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry...
, for whom he had served as aide-de-camp: 'Majesty, there you see a how a person comes down in the world.' In response to a delicate question of a radio reporter, when asked what his thoughts on pornography were, he said: 'As far as I know, pornography is the only working medicine against seasickness.' When a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
minister spoke negatively about the libertarian ideas of the Dutch
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...
on pornography, he responded: 'well, the Belgians
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
aren't a seafaring peoples, are they?'
Family
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
de Jong married a former local resistance fighter Anna Geertruida Jacoba Henriëtte "Anneke" Bartels. They married on June 26, 1947 and had two sons and one daughter. Anneke Bartels passed away in 2010 after a long illness aged 94.
Longevity
At the age of de Jong is the oldest living and earliest serving former Prime Minister of the NetherlandsPrime 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...
and the second oldest living former member of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands
Living former members of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands
-Living former members of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands:-Cabinet Members in the Third Drees cabinet :* Gerardus Philippus Helders - Minister of Colonial Affairs -* Gerardus Philippus Helders - Minister of Colonial Affairs :...
, after former Minister of Colonial Affairs Gerardus Philippus Helders
Gerardus Philippus Helders
Gerardus Philippus Helders is a retired Dutch politician of the defunct Christian Historical Union now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Minister of Colonial Affairs from February 16, 1957 until May 19, 1959 in the cabinets Drees IV and Beel II...
(currently aged ) who served in the Third Drees cabinet
Third Drees cabinet
Drees III , was the fourth Dutch cabinet under prime minister Willem Drees, with ministers from PvdA, KVP, ARP end CHU....
(1957-1958) and the Second Beel cabinet (1958-1959). Besides that, De Jong is the overall second oldest Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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...
, after Willem Drees
Willem Drees
Willem Drees was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from August 7, 1948 until December 22, 1958....
who lived to . De Jong, who uses a pacemaker
Artificial pacemaker
A pacemaker is a medical device that uses electrical impulses, delivered by electrodes contacting the heart muscles, to regulate the beating of the heart...
, is reported to be in exceptionally good health for his age, still gives tv interviews and regularly attends veteran meetings.
Decorations
- Order of Orange-NassauOrder of Orange-NassauThe Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
- Grand Cross (July 17, 1971)
- Bronze CrossBronze Cross (Netherlands)The Bronze Cross of the Kingdom of the Netherlands was instituted on 11 June 1940 by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands while she was residing in London during the German occupation of the Netherlands...
(1940 and 1943) - Distinguished Service CrossDistinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
- Medal for Peace and Order
- War Memorial Cross
External links
- P.J.S. de Jong (Ministry of General Affairs) P.J.S. (Piet) de Jong (Parlement & Politiek) P.J.S. de Jong (KVP) (Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal)