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Marcel Parcival Arthur van Dam (Dutch pronunciation: [mɑrˈsɛl vɑn ˈdɑm]; born 30 January 1938) is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and journalist.[1]
Van Dam worked as a researcher for the Wiardi Beckman Foundation from April 1967 until September 1969. Van Dam also was active as a political activist and was one of the leaders of the New Left movement in the Netherlands which aimed to steer the Labour Party more to the Left. Van Dam worked as a journalist for the VARA from September 1969 until May 1973 as an ombudsman from September 1969 until May 1973 and as an editor from April 1971 until May 1973. After the election of 1972 Van Dam was appointed as State Secretary for Housing and Spatial Planning in the Cabinet Den Uyl, taking office on 11 May 1973. The Cabinet Den Uyl fell on 22 March 1977 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity. Van Dam was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1977, taking office on 8 June 1977 but he was still serving in the cabinet and because of dualism customs in the constitutional convention of Dutch politics he couldn't serve a dual mandate he subsequently resigned as State Secretary on 8 September 1977. After the election of 1981 Van Dam was appointed as Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning 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 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Van Agt III on 29 May 1982. After the election of 1982 Van Dam returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 16 September 1982.[2]
In December 1985 Van Dam was nominated as Chairman of the Board of directors of public broadcaster VARA, he resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives on 22 January 1986 and was installed as a Chairman serving from 10 January 1986 until 30 November 1995. Van Dam remained active in the public sector for the VARA working as a television presenter and television producer for several political programs from January 1996 until January 2005 and occupied numerous seats as a nonprofit director on several boards of directors and supervisory boards (International Institute of Social History, Terre des hommes, International Fellowship of Reconciliation and the Institute for Multiparty Democracy) and as an advocate and activist for social justice, social integration, anti-war movement, multiculturalism, minority groups and housing reformer.
Van Dam is known for his abilities as a debater and negotiator. Following his retirement Van Dam remains active as a political pundit and columnist for the VARA and the de Volkskrant and continues to comment on political affairs.[3]
- ^ "De hobbelstrategie" (in Dutch). De Groene Amsterdammer. 25 October 1995. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- ^ "Waarom het kabinet-Den Uyl moest vallen; Bonje om de premier-bonus". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 22 March 1997. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ "Marathoninterview Marcel van Dam" (in Dutch). VPRO. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2019.