Joop den Uyl

His Excellency Joop den Uyl
Den Uyl in 1975
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 11 May 1973 – 19 December 1977
Monarch	Juliana
Deputy	See list Dries van Agt (1973–1977) Gaius de Gaay Fortman (1977)
Preceded by	Barend Biesheuvel
Succeeded by	Dries van Agt
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982 Serving with Jan Terlouw
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Hans Wiegel
Succeeded by	Jan Terlouw
Minister of Social Affairs and Employment
In office 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Wil Albeda as Minister of Social Affairs
Succeeded by	Louw de Graaf
Minister for Netherlands Antilles Affairs
In office 11 September 1981 – 29 May 1982
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Fons van der Stee
Succeeded by	Jan de Koning
President of the Party of European Socialists
In office 8 March 1980 – 19 May 1987
Preceded by	Robert Pontillon
Succeeded by	Vítor Constâncio
Leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives
In office 16 September 1982 – 21 July 1986
Preceded by	Wim Meijer
Succeeded by	Wim Kok
In office 16 January 1978 – 11 September 1981
Preceded by	Ed van Thijn
Succeeded by	Wim Meijer
In office 8 June 1977 – 8 September 1977
Preceded by	Ed van Thijn
Succeeded by	Ed van Thijn
In office 23 February 1967 – 11 May 1973
Preceded by	Gerard Nederhorst
Succeeded by	Ed van Thijn
Leader of the Labour Party
In office 13 September 1966 – 21 July 1986
Deputy	See list Anne Vondeling (1966–1972) André van der Louw (1971–1974) Ed van Thijn (1973–1983) Jos van Kemenade (1977–1986) Wim Meijer (1981–1986) Wim Kok (1986)
Preceded by	Anne Vondeling
Succeeded by	Wim Kok
Minister of Economic Affairs
In office 14 April 1965 – 22 November 1966
Prime Minister	Jo Cals
Preceded by	Koos Andriessen
Succeeded by	Joop Bakker
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 16 September 1982 – 24 December 1987
In office 16 January 1978 – 11 September 1981
In office 8 June 1977 – 8 September 1977
In office 23 February 1967 – 11 May 1973
In office 6 November 1956 – 5 June 1963
Personal details
Born	Johannes Marten den Uijl (1919-08-09)9 August 1919 Hilversum, Netherlands
Died	24 December 1987(1987-12-24) (aged 68) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Cause of death	Brain tumor
Political party	Labour Party (from 1946)
Other political affiliations	Anti-Revolutionary Party (1937–1946)
Spouse	Liesbeth van Vessem ​ (m. 1944)​
Children	7, including Saskia Noorman-den Uyl
Alma mater	University of Amsterdam (BEc, M.Econ)
Occupation	Politician · civil servant · economist · journalist · editor · author · activist
Signature

Johannes Marten den Uijl (9 August 1919 – 24 December 1987), better known as Joop den Uyl (Dutch: [ˈjoːb dɛn ˈœyl] ^ⓘ),^[a] 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).^[1][2]

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. In the election of 1967 Den Uyl served as Lijsttrekker (top candidate) and became Parliamentary leader, taking office on 23 February 1967. In the election of 1972 Den Uyl again served as Lijsttrekker 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 Lijsttrekker but following a difficult cabinet formation failed to create a new coalition. Den Uyl left office following the installation of the First Van Agt 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 Lijsttrekker and following a cabinet formation with his successor— the leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal, Dries van Agt— formed the Second Van Agt Cabinet with Den Uyl appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, 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 Den Uyl resigning on 29 May 1982. For the election of 1982 Den Uyl again served as Lijsttrekker and returned to the House of Representatives as Parliamentary leader, taking office on 16 September 1982. For the election of 1986 Den Uyl once again served as Lijsttrekker but shortly thereafter announced he was stepping down as Leader on 21 July 1986 and endorsed former trade union leader Wim Kok as his successor though continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a backbencher. In October 1987 Den Uyl was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and died just three months later at the age of 68.

Den Uyl was known for his abilities as a skillful debater and as an idealistic and determined leader. During his premiership, his cabinet were responsible for major social reforms and dealing with several major crises such as the 1973 oil crisis, the Lockheed scandal, Moluccans incidents and the fallout of the Yom Kippur War. He holds the distinction as leading the most left-wing Dutch cabinet, and his premiership is seen as divisive with both scholars and the public, from considering him to have been average to him having been one of the best Prime Ministers since World War II.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]}

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