Jan de Koning (politician)

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]

Jan de Koning
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
Parliamentary group	Christian Democratic Appeal (1981–1986) Anti-Revolutionary Party (1971–1977)
Member of the Senate
In office 16 September 1969 – 10 May 1971
Parliamentary group	Anti-Revolutionary Party
Member of the Social and Economic Council
In office 1 February 1964 – 16 September 1969
Chairman	See list Gerard Verrijn Stuart (1964) Jan de Pous (1964–1969)
Personal details
Born	Jan de Koning (1926-08-31)31 August 1926 Zwartsluis, Netherlands
Died	8 October 1994(1994-10-08) (aged 68) Leiden, Netherlands
Cause of death	Cancer
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	Christian Democratic Appeal (from 1980)
Other political affiliations	Anti-Revolutionary Party (until 1980)
Spouse(s)	Molly Rellum (m. 1956; his death 1994)
Children	Kees Jan de Koning (born 1961) Dirk Jan de Koning (born 1963)
Alma mater	Utrecht University (Bachelor of Social Science, Master of Social Science)
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	Indonesian National Revolution Operation Product

De Koning attended a Gymnasium in Meppel from April 1939 until September 1943. On 10 May 1940 Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands and the government fled to London to escape the German occupation. During the German occupation De Koning continued his study but in September 1943 he joined the Dutch resistance against the German occupiers barely 17-years old. Following the end of World War II De Koning 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. De Koning applied at the Utrecht University in June 1948 majoring in Social geography and obtaining an Bachelor of Social Science degree in July 1950 and worked as a student researcher before graduating with an Master of Social Science degree in July 1958. De Koning worked as a trade association executive for the Christian Farmers and Gardeners association (CBTB) from February 1955 until November 1961 and worked as a researcher at the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences from November 1961 until January 1964. De Koning worked again as a trade association executive for the Christian Farmers and Gardeners association serving as General-Secretary of the Executive Board from January 1964 until May 1971.

De Koning was elected as a Member of the Senate after the Senate election of 1969, taking office on 16 September 1969 serving as a frontbencher and the spokesperson for Agriculture and Fisheries and deputy spokesperson for Education and Transport and Water Management. De Koning was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1971, he resigned as a Member of the Senate the same day he was installed as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 10 May 1971 serving as a frontbencher and the spokesperson for Agriculture and Fisheries, Development Cooperation and deputy spokesperson for Social Affairs, Transport and Water Management, Housing and Spatial Planning and Kingdom Relations. De Koning was selected as a Member of the European Parliament and dual served in those positions, taking office on 8 May 1967. De Koning served as Chairman of the Anti-Revolutionary Party from 11 May 1973 until 13 December 1975. After the election of 1977 De Koning was appointed as Minister for Development Cooperation in the Cabinet Van Agt-Wiegel, taking office on 19 December 1977. De Koning served as acting Minister of Defence from 4 March 1978 until 8 March 1978 following the resignation Roelof Kruisinga. After the election of 1981 De Koning returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 10 June 1981. Following the cabinet formation of 1981 De Koning was appointed as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in the Cabinet Van Agt II, taking office on 11 September 1981. The Cabinet Van Agt II fell just seven months into its term on 12 May 1982 after months of tensions in the coalition and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the first cabinet formation of 1982 when it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Van Agt III with De Koning continuing as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and also took over as Minister for Netherlands Antilles Affairs, taking office on 29 May 1982. After the election of 1982 De Koning again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 16 September 1982. Following the second cabinet formation of 1982 De Koning was appointed as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and also continued as the newly renamed Minister for Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Affairs in the Cabinet Lubbers I, taking office on 4 November 1982. After the election of 1986 De Koning once again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 3 June 1986. Following the cabinet formation of 1986 De Koning continued as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and Minister for Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Affairs in the Cabinet Lubbers II, taking office on 14 July 1986. De Koning served as acting Minister of the Interior from 3 February 1987 until 6 May 1987 during a medical leave of absence of Kees van Dijk with State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment Louw de Graaf taking over as acting Minister of Social Affairs and Employment. In July 1989 De Koning announced that he wouldn't stand for the election of 1989. Following the cabinet formation of 1989 De Koning per his own request asked not to be considered for a cabinet post in the new cabinet, the Cabinet Lubbers II was replaced by the Cabinet Lubbers III on 7 November 1989.

De Koning remained in active in national politics, in December 1989 he was nominated as an Extraordinary Member of the Council of State, taking office on 1 January 1990. De Koning also became active in the private sector and public sector and occupied numerous seats as a corporate director and nonprofit director on several boards of directors and supervisory boards (Achmea, Van Lanschot, Energy Research Centre, Royal Dutch Geographical Society, International Institute of Social History, Society for Statistics and Operations Research, Anne Frank Foundation and the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences) and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government (Staatsbosbeheer, Statistics Netherlands and the Public Pension Funds PFZW). De Koning also served as a distinguished professor of Social geography at the University of Groningen from 1 January 1991. In August 1994 De Koning was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he died two months later at the age of 68.

De Koning was known for his abilities as a manager and consensus builder. He holds the distinction as the longest-serving Minister of Social Affairs and Employment after World War II with 7 years, 88 days and the fifth longest-serving government minister after World War II with 11 years, 323 days.