Joop den Uyl

Johannes Marten den Uijl (9 August 1919 – 24 December 1987), better known as Joop den Uyl ( Dutch: [ˈjoːb dɛn ˈœyl] ), was a Dutch politician and economist who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1973 to 1977. He was a member of the Labour Party (PvdA). Den Uyl studied economics at the University of Amsterdam obtaining a Master of Economics degree and worked as a civil servant at the Ministry of Economic Affairs from February 1942 until May 1945 and as a journalist and editor for Het Parool and Vrij Nederland from May 1945 until January 1949. Den Uyl served as director of the Wiardi Beckman Foundation from January 1949 until June 1963. Den Uyl became a member of the House of Representatives shortly after the number of seats was raised from 100 to 150 seats following the election of 1956 serving from 6 November 1956 until 5 June 1963 as a frontbencher and spokesperson for economics. Den Uyl was appointed as Minister of Economic Affairs in the Cals cabinet, taking office on 14 April 1965. After Labour Leader Anne Vondeling unexpectedly announced he was stepping down, Den Uyl announced his candidacy and was selected as his successor as Leader on 13 September 1966. Under his leadership, the PvdA became a big tent party that undermined support for the small left parties, including the Radicals and the Communists.

In the election of 1967, Den Uyl served as lead candidate and became Parliamentary leader, taking office on 23 February 1967. In the election of 1972 Den Uyl again served as lead candidate and after a long cabinet formation formed the Den Uyl cabinet and became Prime Minister of the Netherlands, taking office on 11 May 1973. The cabinet collapsed on 22 March 1977 following years of tensions in the ruling coalition. During the election of 1977 Den Uyl served as lead candidate but following a difficult cabinet formation failed to create a new coalition. Den Uyl left office following the installation of the Van Agt I cabinet on 19 December 1977 but continued to serve in the House of Representatives as Parliamentary leader. For the election of 1981 Den Uyl again served as lead candidate and following a cabinet formation with his successor— the leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal, Dries van Agt— formed the Van Agt II cabinet with Den Uyl appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, taking office on 11 September 1981.