Jan Terlouw
Terlouw in 2014
Member of the Senate
In office
8 June 1999 – 10 June 2003
Queen's Commissioner of Gelderland
In office
1 November 1991 – 1 December 1996
MonarchBeatrix
Preceded byAd Oele (ad interim)
Succeeded byJan Kamminga
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office
11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982
Serving with Joop den Uyl (1982)
Prime MinisterDries van Agt
Preceded byHans Wiegel
Succeeded byGijs van Aardenne
Minister of Economic Affairs
In office
11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982
Prime MinisterDries van Agt
Preceded byGijs van Aardenne
Succeeded byGijs van Aardenne
Leader of the Democrats 66
In office
1 September 1973 – 8 September 1982
Preceded byHans van Mierlo
Succeeded byLaurens Jan Brinkhorst
Leader of the Democrats 66 in the
House of Representatives
In office
1 September 1973 – 11 September 1981
Preceded byHans van Mierlo
Succeeded byLaurens Jan Brinkhorst
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
11 May 1971 – 11 September 1981
Personal details
Born
Jan Cornelis Terlouw

(1931-11-15) 15 November 1931
Kamperveen, Netherlands
Political partyDemocrats 66 (from 1967)
Spouse
Alexandra van Hulst
​
​
(m. 1956; died 2017)​
ChildrenSanne Terlouw (born 1959)
Ashley Terlouw (born 1960)
1 other daughter and 1 son
ResidenceTwello
Alma materUtrecht University (Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Mathematics, Master of Physics, Master of Mathematics, Doctor of Science)
OccupationPolitician · Nuclear physicist · Mathematician · Researcher · Nonprofit director · Political pundit · Author · Professor
Military service
Allegiance Netherlands
Branch/serviceRoyal Netherlands Army
Years of service1956–1958 (Conscription)
1958–1961 (Reserve)
Rank Private first class
Battles/warsCold War

Jan Cornelis Terlouw (born 15 November 1931) is a retired Dutch politician, physicist and author. A member of the Democrats 66 (D66) party, he served as Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1981 to 1982 under Prime Minister Dries van Agt.

Terlouw studied Physics and Mathematics at the Utrecht University simultaneously obtaining Master of Physics and Mathematics degree and worked as a researcher at the FOM before finishing his thesis and graduated as a Doctor of Science in Nuclear physics. Terlouw worked as a nuclear physics researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from February 1960 until April 1962, and for the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) from August 1965 until December 1966. After the 1971 general election Terlouw was elected to the House of Representatives on 11 May 1971 and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for economic affairs and science. After Party Leader and Parliamentary leader Hans van Mierlo announced he was stepping down, Terlouw was unanimously selected as his successor on 1 September 1973.

For the 1977 and 1981 general elections, Terlouw served as lead candidate, and following a cabinet formation with Christian democratic Leader Dries van Agt and Labour Leader Joop den Uyl formed the second Van Agt cabinet, with Terlouw appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, taking office on 11 September 1981. The cabinet fell just seven months into its term and was replaced with the caretaker third Van Agt cabinet, with Terlouw continuing his offices. For the 1982 general election, Terlouw again served as lead candidate but shortly thereafter announced he was stepping down as Leader on 8 September 1982.

Terlouw continued to be active in politics and in December 1982 he was nominated as the next Secretary-General of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT - evolved in 2006 into the International Transport Forum, ITF) serving from 30 January 1983 until 15 October 1991. In October 1991 Terlouw was nominated as the next Queen's Commissioner of Gelderland serving from 1 November 1991 until 1 December 1996. Terlouw also became active in the public sector, and worked as a professor of Urbanization at the University of Amsterdam from January 1997 until January 2000. After the Senate election of 1999 Terlouw was elected as a Member of the Senate serving from 8 June 1999 until 10 June 2003 and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for the interior, economic affairs and defence.

Terlouw retired from active politics at 71 but continued to be active in the public sector as a non-profit director and served on several state commissions (nl) and councils on behalf of the government, and worked as a professor of Literature at the Tilburg University from September 2003 until September 2004. Following his retirement Terlouw continues to be active as an advocate and activist for social norms, sustainable development, animal welfare and for more European integration. Terlouw is known for his abilities as a consensus builder and negotiator and continues to comment on political affairs as of 2024.

Terlouw has been active as a prolific author since the 1970s, having written more than dozen young adult fiction books: his 1972 novel Winter in Wartime was adapted and released as a feature film in 2008.

Background

Early life and education

Terlouw was born in Kamperveen, Overijssel and grew up in the Veluwe. He was the eldest son a family of five, having two younger brothers and two sisters.

After high school, Terlouw studied at Utrecht University, where he obtained an MSc degree in mathematics and physics, and a PhD degree in nuclear physics.

Deputy Prime Minister Jan Terlouw and Prime Minister Dries van Agt in the House of Representatives on 8 June 1982.

Career

After graduating from Utrecht University, he worked as a physics researcher in the Netherlands, the United States, and Sweden.

After working for thirteen years, he became a politician, joining the Dutch House of Representatives (the lower house of the Dutch legislature) as a member of the Democraten 66 political party in 1970

Personal life

Terlouw was married to Alexandra van Hulst until her death on 23 August 2017. Terlouw is a father of four and grandfather of twelve.

Publications

Terlouw wrote 24 children's books, most notably Winter in Wartime (Oorlogswinter, 1972) and How to Become King (Koning van Katoren, 1971), both of which won the Gouden Griffel and have been made into motion pictures directed by Martin Koolhoven.[1][2]

Terlouw's books have been illustrated by various illustrators, including Dick van der Maat, Martijn van der Linden and Fiel van der Veen.

Electoral history

Electoral history of Jan Terlouw
Year Body Party Pos. Votes Result Ref.
Party seats Individual
2023 House of Representatives Democrats 66 79[lower-alpha 1] 1,176 9 Lost [3]

Awards

  • 1972 Gouden Griffel for the novel How to Become King
  • 1973 Gouden Griffel for the novel Winter in Wartime
  • 1990 Prize of the Netherlands Children's Jury for the novel The Figure-skater
  • 2000 Prize of the Dutch Joung Jury for Eigen rechter (1988)[4]

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon barHonourCountryDateComment
Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 9 December 1982

Notes

  1. ↑ Terlouw participated as a lijstduwer.

References

  1. ↑ "Jan Terlouw: Biography". Dutch Foundation for Literature. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  2. ↑ "Jan Terlouw". WorldCat.org. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  3. ↑ "Proces-verbaal van de uitslag van de verkiezing van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 2023 d.d. 4 december 2023" [Report of the results of the election of the House of Representatives on 4 December 2023] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 4 December 2023. pp. 21–22. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Eigen rechter (in Dutch). Lemniscaat. 1998. ISBN 978-9056371548.
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