Johan Remkes

Johan Remkes
Remkes in 2010
King's Commissioner of Limburg
Acting
In office 19 April 2021 – 1 December 2021
Monarch	Willem-Alexander
Preceded by	Theo Bovens
Succeeded by	Emile Roemer
Mayor of The Hague
Acting
In office 11 October 2019 – 1 July 2020
Preceded by	Boudewijn Revis(ad interim)
Succeeded by	Jan van Zanen
King's Commissioner ofNorth Holland
In office 1 July 2010 – 1 January 2019
Monarchs	Beatrix(2010–2013) Willem-Alexander(2013–2019)
Preceded by	Elisabeth Post(ad interim)
Succeeded by	Arthur van Dijk
Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
In office 22 July 2002 – 22 February 2007
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Klaas de Vries
Succeeded by	Guusje ter Horst
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 22 July 2002 – 27 May 2003 Serving withEduard Bomhoff(2002) Roelf de Boer(2002–2003)
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Annemarie Jorritsma Els Borst
Succeeded by	Gerrit Zalm Thom de Graaf
State Secretary for Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment
In office 3 August 1998 – 22 July 2002
Prime Minister	Wim Kok
Preceded by	Dick Tommel
Succeeded by	Pieter van Geel
Memberof theHouse of Representatives
In office 30 November 2006 – 17 June 2010
In office 30 January 2003 – 27 May 2003
In office 23 May 2002 – 22 July 2002
In office 26 October 1993 – 3 August 1998
Personal details
Born	Johannes Wijnandus Remkes (1951-06-15)15 June 1951 Zuidbroek,Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (from 1973)
Spouse	Nicolette Pinkster ​ (m.1984)​
Residence	Haarlem
Alma mater	University of Groningen (BEc)
Occupation	Politician·Civil servant·Corporate director·Nonprofit director

Johannes Wijnandus "Johan" Remkes(born 15 June 1951) is a Dutch politician and nonprofit director who served asDeputy Prime Minister of the Netherlandsfrom 2002 to 2003 under Prime MinisterJan Peter Balkenende.He is a member of thePeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy(VVD).

Remkes studiedEconomicsat theUniversity of Groningenobtaining aBachelor of Economicsdegree. Remkes served as chairman of the political youth organisationJOVDfrom July 1975 until November 1977. Remkes worked as member of theProvincial-ExecutiveofGroningenfrom May 1982 until October 1993. Remkes became a member of theHouse of Representativeson 26 October 1993 serving as afrontbencherandspokespersonforHousing.After theelection of 1998Remkes was appointed asState Secretary for Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environmentunder theSecond Kok cabinettaking office on 3 August 1998. After theelection of 2002Remkes was appointed asDeputy Prime MinisterandMinister of the Interior and Kingdom Relationsin theFirst Balkenende cabinet,which took office on 22 July 2002 but fell just 87 days into its term. After theelection of 2003Remkes continued as Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in theSecond Balkenende cabinet.The cabinet fell on 30 June 2006 and was replaced with thecaretakerThird Balkenende cabinetwith Remkes retaining his position. After theelection of 2006Remkes returned to the House of Representatives on 30 November 2006 and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson forthe Interior.In March 2010, Remkes announced that he would not stand for theelection of 2010and declined to serve in new cabinet.

Remkes continued to be active in politics and in June 2010 was nominated as the nextKing's Commissioner of North Hollandserving from 1 July 2010 until 1 January 2019. Remkes also became active in thepublic sectoras non-profit director and serves on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government. In September 2019, Remkes was appointed as ActingMayor of The Hagueserving from 11 October 2019 until 1 July 2020.

From 19 April 2021 until 1 December 2021 Remkes was ActingKing's Commissionner of Limburg.

Early career

Remkes was born inZuidbroek, Groningen.Remkes applied at theUniversity of Groningenin June 1970majoringinEconomicsand obtaining aBachelor of Economicsdegree in June 1972. Remkes served on theMunicipal CouncilofGroningenfrom April 1978 until May 1982 and served on theProvincial-CouncilofGroningenfrom May 1978 until October 1993 and as a member of theProvincial-Executiveof Groningen from May 1982 until October 1993 and served again on the Municipal Council of Groningen from May 1994 until July 1996.

House of Representatives

Remkes became aMember of the House of Representativesafter the resignation ofNell Ginjaar-Maastaking office on 26 October 1993 and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Housing and deputy spokesperson forthe Interior,Economic Affairs,Tax and CustomsandMedia.

Cabinets

After the election of 1998 Remkes was appointed as State Secretary for Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment in the Cabinet Kok II taking office on 3 August 1998. The Cabinet Kok II resigned on 16 April 2002 following the conclusions of theNIODreport into theSrebrenica massacreduring theBosnian Warand continued to serve in ademissionarycapacity. After theelection of 2002Remkes returned as a Member of the House of Representatives on 23 May 2002. Following thecabinet formation of 2002Remkes was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Cabinet Balkenende I taking office on 22 July 2002.

The Cabinet Balkenende I fell just 87 days into its term following a major leadership crisis in thePim Fortuyn List(LPF) party and resigned on 16 October 2002 and the cabinet continued to serve in a demissionary capacity. election of 2003 Remkes again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives on 30 January 2003. Following thecabinet formation of 2003Remkes continued as Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations but the position of Deputy Prime Minister was taken over by Minister of FinanceGerrit Zalmin the Cabinet Balkenende II taking office on 27 May 2003.

On 29 June 2006 theDemocrats 66retracted their support for the cabinet Balkenende II after criticizing the wayMinister for Integration and ImmigrationRita Verdonk(VVD) had handled the crisis around the naturalization of her party fellow elected to the House of RepresentativesAyaan Hirsi Ali.On 7 July 2006 a rump cabinetThird Balkenende cabinet.He returned as a member of theHouse of Representativesafter the inauguration of theFourth Balkenende cabinet,serving from 30 November 2006 to 17 June 2010.

King's Commissioner North Holland

Remkes remained in active politics, in June 2010 he was nominated as the nextKings's Commissioner of North Hollandserving from 1 July 2010 until 1 January 2019. He also served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government (Staatscommissie parlementair stelsel(Parliamentary Reform Commission),Raad voor het Openbaar Bestuur(Council for Public Administration),Advisory Council for Spatial Planningand theVan Thijn Commission). After his retirement Remkes occupies numerous seats as a corporate director and nonprofit director for supervisory boards in the business and industry world and several international non-governmental organizations and research institutes. In 2018, he made known he would step down from the position in January 2019 to definitely retire from politics. He has been succeeded by formerHaarlemmermeeralderman and also VVD politicianArthur van Dijk.

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	Grand Officerof theOrder of Leopold II	Belgium	15 May 2004
	Commanderof theLegion of Honour	France	10 June 2005
	Grand Officerof theOrder of the Oak Crown	Luxembourg	18 September 2006
	Officerof theOrder of Orange-Nassau	Netherlands	11 April 2007
	Commanderof theOrder of the Netherlands Lion	Netherlands	18 December 2018

External links

Official

• (in Dutch)J.W. (Johan) Remkes,Parlement