Anne Vondeling

Anne Vondeling (2 March 1916 – 22 November 1979) was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and agronomist.^[1]

Anne Vondeling
Vondeling in 1971
Member of the European Parliament
In office 17 July 1979 – 22 November 1979
Parliamentary group	Socialist Group
Constituency	Netherlands
Speaker of the House of Representatives
In office 7 December 1972 – 17 July 1979
Preceded by	Frans-Jozef van Thiel
Succeeded by	Dick Dolman
Chairman of the Labour Party
In office 7 March 1969 – 1 May 1971
Leader	Joop den Uyl
Preceded by	Sjeng Tans
Succeeded by	André van der Louw
Deputy Prime Minister
In office 14 April 1965 – 22 November 1966 Serving with Barend Biesheuvel
Prime Minister	Jo Cals
Preceded by	Barend Biesheuvel
Succeeded by	Jan de Quay Barend Biesheuvel
Minister of Finance
In office 14 April 1965 – 22 November 1966
Prime Minister	Jo Cals
Preceded by	Johan Witteveen
Succeeded by	Jelle Zijlstra
Leader of the Labour Party
In office 16 September 1962 – 13 September 1966
Preceded by	Jaap Burger
Succeeded by	Joop den Uyl
Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives
In office 16 September 1962 – 14 April 1965
Preceded by	Jaap Burger
Succeeded by	Gerard Nederhorst
Parliamentary group	Labour Party
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies
In office 13 January 1958 – 22 December 1958
Prime Minister	Willem Drees
Preceded by	Kees Staf (ad interim)
Succeeded by	Kees Staf
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 23 February 1967 – 17 July 1979
In office 20 March 1959 – 14 April 1965
In office 25 July 1946 – 13 January 1958
Personal details
Born	(1916-03-02)2 March 1916 Appelscha, Netherlands
Died	22 November 1979(1979-11-22) (aged 63) Mechelen, Belgium
Political party	Labour Party (from 1946)
Other political affiliations	Dutch People's Movement (1945–1946)
Spouse	Antonia van 't Hof ​ ​ (m. 1941; div. 1978)​
Children	2 sons and 1 daughter
Alma mater	Wageningen Agricultural College (B.S.A., MSE, D.Eng)
Occupation	Politician · Civil servant · Agronomist · Agricultural engineer · Accountant · Researcher · Professor

Biography

Vondeling studied Agronomy at the Wageningen Agricultural College obtaining a Master of Science in Engineering degree and worked as a researcher at his alma mater before finishing his thesis and graduated as a Doctor of Engineering in agricultural engineering. Vondeling worked as an agronomist and agricultural engineer in Friesland from November 1940 until July 1945 and as a director of an agricultural firm in Leeuwarden from July 1945 until January 1958. Vondeling became a member of the House of Representatives shortly after the election of 1946 on 25 July 1946 and served as spokesperson for agriculture. Vondeling was appointed as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies in the Drees III cabinet following a cabinet reshuffle taking office on 13 January 1958. The Drees III cabinet fell just 11 months later and was replaced on 22 December 1958. Shortly thereafter Labour Leader Willem Drees announced his retirement and Vondeling served as one of the lead candidates (top candidates) for the 1959 general election. After the election, Vondeling returned to the House of Representatives on 20 March 1959 and served as spokesperson for finance. Vondeling also worked as a professor of agricultural science and international relations at the University of Groningen from January 1960 until January 1963. After the Labour Leader and Parliamentary leader Jaap Burger announced he was stepping down Vondeling was unanimously selected as his successor on 16 September 1962.

Chinese foreign minister Huang Hua and Speaker of the House Anne Vondeling in The Hague on 8 June 1978

For the 1963 general election Vondeling served again as one of the lead candidates. After the fall of the Marijnen cabinet a successful cabinet formation formed the Cals cabinet with Vondeling appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance taking office on 14 April 1965. In September 1966 Vondeling unexpectedly announced that he was stepping down as leader but continued to serve in the cabinet. The Cals cabinet fell just one year into its term after the Night of Schmelzer and was replaced on 22 November 1966. After the 1967 general election, Vondeling returned to the House of Representatives on 23 February 1967 and served again as spokesperson for finance. Vondeling also served as party chairman from 7 March 1969 until 1 May 1971. After the 1972 general election, Vondeling was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives on 7 December 1972. After the 1977 general election Vondeling was re-elected as Speaker. In May 1979 Vondeling announced that he would stand for the 1979 European Parliament election and would resign from the House of Representatives. In the European Parliament election Vondeling was elected as a Member of the European Parliament and became delegation leader on 17 July 1979. On 22 November 1979 Vondeling died after suffering a fatal car crash in Mechelen, Belgium at 63.^[2] The Anne Vondeling prize is given annually to journalists who write in a clear manner concerning political subjects.

Decorations

Honours

Ribbon bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau	Netherlands	17 August 1974	Elevated from Commander (5 December 1966)
	Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II	Belgium	10 December 1975
	Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour	France	15 May 1976
	Commander of the Order of Merit	Germany	18 September 1976
	Grand Officer of the Order of the Oak Crown	Luxembourg	30 January 1978
	Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion	Netherlands	28 June 1979	Elevated from Knight (2 December 1958)