Joop (Johannes Marten) den Uyl - Career

Dutch economist, politician, and prime minister (1973–7), born in Hilversum, WC Netherlands. After 1948 he worked as a journalist for Het Parool and Vrij Nederland, and in 1949 became director of the Partij van de Arbeid's (PvdA) Academic Bureau, the Wiardi Beckman Stichting. He served on the Amsterdam Council (1952–65), entered parliament in 1956 (PvdA), and as minister of economic affairs (1965–6) closed the Limburg mines. He led the parliamentary party from 1976 until handing over to Wim Kok in 1986. As prime minister (1973–7) he had to cope with the oil crisis, the Lockheed Affair, and the South-Moluccan train hijacks; after that he led his party in opposition and in a series of coalitions. In 1980–7 he chaired the federation of socialist parties of the European Community.

Joop den Uyl

Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 1973 – 1977
Deputy	Dries van Agt and Wilhelm de Gaay-Fortman
Preceded by	Barend Biesheuvel
Succeeded by	Dries van Agt
Born	August 9, 1919 Hilversum, the Netherlands
Died	December 24, 1987 Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Political party	Partij van de Arbeid
Spouse	Liesbeth Den Uyl

Dr. Johannes Marten "Joop" den Uyl (August 9, 1919 - December 24, 1987) was a Dutch politician, prime minister of the Netherlands from 1973 until 1977, as a member of the social-democratic PvdA party. Den Uyl was one of the more controversial Dutch politicians.

Career

Den Uyl was born in a reformed family. His father, Johannes den Uyl, was a basketweaver who died when Den Uyl was only 10. Den Uyl attended the Christian Lyceum in Hilversum form 1931 to 1936.

In 1953 Den Uyl was elected to the city council of Amsterdam and in 1956 he was elected into Parliament.

Den Uyl's PvdA won the 1973 elections in alliance with the progressive liberal D'66 and radical Christian PPR, but failed to achieve a majority in parliament. Den Uyl said in a speech on national television that "things would never return to the way they were" and implemented a carless Sunday and rationing of oil.

In 1977 the cabinet fell due to a conflict between Den Uyl and the KVP minister of Justice van Agt. But it was a pyrrhic victory: One of Den Uyl's allies, the radical Christians nearly lost all their seats. The CDA, a new party that was formed by Den Uyl's former coalition-members KVP and ARP (joined by the smaller CHU) formed a cabinet with liberal VVD after 208 days of negotiations with the PvdA.

After being opposition leader from 1977 to 1981, Den Uyl returned to government in 1981. Den Uyl became vice-minister president and minister for Social Affairs and Employment. Van Agt, a political enemy of Den Uyl's, lead this cabinet. Den Uyl returned to parliament and lead the PvdA until 1986.

Den Uyl was married to Liesbeth Den Uyl. Of those Saskia Noorman-den Uyl became a member of parliament for the PvdA and Zander Den Uyl be came a leading figure in ABVAKABO, one of the Dutch Labour unions.