Kajsa Ollongren

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Her Excellency Jonkvrouw
Kajsa Ollongren
Ollongren in 2022
Minister of Defence
Assumed office
10 January 2022
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byHenk Kamp
Second Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office
14 May 2020 – 10 January 2022
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byWouter Koolmees
Succeeded byWopke Hoekstra
In office
26 October 2017 – 1 November 2019
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byLodewijk Asscher
Succeeded byWouter Koolmees
Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
In office
14 April 2020 – 10 January 2022
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byRaymond Knops (acting)
Succeeded byHanke Bruins Slot
In office
26 October 2017 – 1 November 2019
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byRonald Plasterk
Succeeded byRaymond Knops (acting)
Mayor of Amsterdam
Acting
In office
5 October 2017 – 26 October 2017
Preceded byEberhard van der Laan
Succeeded byEric van der Burg (acting)
Personal details
Born
Karin Hildur Ollongren

(1967-05-28) 28 May 1967 (age 56)
Leiden, Netherlands
Citizenship
  • Netherlands
  • Sweden
Political partyDemocrats 66
Spouse
Irene van den Brekel
​
​
(m. 2004)​
Children2
RelativesAlexander Ollongren (father)
EducationUniversity of Amsterdam
École nationale d'administration (BPA, MPA)

Jkvr. Karin Hildur "Kajsa" Ollongren (Dutch: [ˈkɑisaː ˈʔɔlɔŋgreːn] ⓘ; Swedish: [ˈkâjsa ˈɔ̌lːɔnɡreːn] ⓘ; born 28 May 1967) is a Dutch-Swedish politician serving as the Netherlands' Minister of Defence since 10 January 2022. A member of the Democrats 66 (D66), she previously served as Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and second Deputy Prime Minister in the third Rutte cabinet (2017–2022), and briefly as Mayor of Amsterdam (October 2017).[1]

Early life and education[edit]

Ollongren was born on 28 May 1967 in Leiden to Jhr. Alexander Ollongren, a Dutch East Indies-born astronomer and computer scientist, and his Swedish wife Gunvor Lundgren. The Dutch Ollongren, originating from the Russian branch of the Finnish-Swedish noble family (originally named Ållongren), was incorporated into the untitled Dutch nobility in 2002, thereby giving her the noble predicate "jonkvrouw".[2][3] Because of her Swedish mother, she also has Swedish citizenship.

Ollongren grew up in Oegstgeest, where she attended the secondary school Rijnlands Lyceum between 1979 and 1985. She then went to the University of Amsterdam, where she initially studied economics between 1985 and 1986, but switched her field of study in 1986 to history, in which she obtained an M.A. degree in 1991. She subsequently studied public administration at the École nationale d'administration in Paris and foreign relations at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael.[4]

Career in the civil service[edit]

Ollongren started her career in the civil service at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, becoming a policymaker in the area of Central and Eastern Europe there in 1992, in which capacity she trained young political parties of the newly established democracies in the area. She was head of parliamentary affairs within the ministry until 2001, and director of European Integration and Strategy from 2001 to 2004, and became Deputy Director General of the ministry in 2004.

In 2007, Ollongren moved to the Ministry of General Affairs, the department headed by the Prime Minister, becoming Deputy Secretary General. She became Secretary General of the ministry in 2011.[4][5]

Political career[edit]

Local politics[edit]

After the 2014 local election, in which the Democrats 66 became the largest party of Amsterdam and entered the city's government, Ollongren became an alderwoman and first deputy mayor in Amsterdam, taking office on 18 June 2014. Her portfolio as alderwoman was extensive, including economic affairs, seaport, airport, participation, art, culture, local media, monuments and the city centre.[4]

On 18 September 2017, the city's mayor Eberhard van der Laan announced in an open letter to the people of Amsterdam that he would step back from his public responsibilities due to ill health, leaving Ollongren to exercise these responsibilities in his stead from 19 September onward.[6] The day after his death, on 6 October, Ollongren became acting Mayor of Amsterdam.[4]

Minister of the Interior, 2017–2022[edit]

On 26 October 2017, Ollongren was appointed as Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in Prime Minister Mark Rutte's third cabinet, succeeding Ronald Plasterk. She also became the second of the cabinet's three Deputy Prime Ministers, serving alongside Hugo de Jonge and Carola Schouten.[7] From 1 November 2019 to 14 April 2020, she was on medical leave of absence.

Following the 2021 general election, Ollongren (D66) and Annemarie Jorritsma of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) led the initial exploratory talks of the government formation. Both of them stepped down on 25 March 2021 after Ollongren was photographed carrying notes with confidential information visible.[8] The talks had been suspended earlier that day, because Ollongren had tested positive for COVID-19.[8]

Minister of Defence, 2022–present[edit]

Early in her tenure, Ollongren agreed to a Ukrainian request to supply 200 FIM-92 Stinger air defence rockets and 50 Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank systems with 400 rockets in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[9] Also during her time in office, the government earmarked an additional 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) in military aid for Ukraine in 2024.[10]

Personal life[edit]

Ollongren is married to television producer Irene van den Brekel [nl]. The couple has two children.

Electoral history[edit]

Electoral history of Kajsa Ollongren
Year Body Party Pos. Votes Result Ref.
Party seats Individual
2006 House of Representatives Democrats 66 5 3,174 3 Lost [11]
2021 House of Representatives Democrats 66 80[a] 3,123 24 Lost [12]
2023 House of Representatives Democrats 66 75[a] 727 9 Lost [13]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b Ollongren participated as a lijstduwer.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Vicepremier Kajsa Ollongren (D66), een vertrouweling van Rutte" (in Dutch). NOS. 21 October 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Noord-Nederlandse adellijke families". Hoge Raad van Adel (in Dutch). 17 November 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  3. ^ Frants, Rune; Martinot, Milou; Persson, Jan (2023). "Ållongrens via Rusland en Indonesië naar Nederland / Ållongrens via Ryssland och Indonesien till Nederländerna". Sverige Kuriren (in Dutch and Swedish) (4). Amsterdam: Zweeds-Nederlandse Vereniging, Svensk-Nederländska Föreningen: 28–31. ISSN 1383-3936. OCLC 186463251.
  4. ^ a b c d "Drs. K.H. (Kajsa) Ollongren". Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  5. ^ Huiskamp, Frank (2 April 2014). "Rutte moet zijn 'rechterhand' missen, maar wat deed die eigenlijk zoal?". NRC (in Dutch).
  6. ^ "Van der Laan schrijft afscheidsbrief aan Amsterdammers: Vaarwel". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch).
  7. ^ PressReader - De Telegraaf: 2016-10-13 - 'MKB sleepte Nederland door crisis. (in Dutch).
  8. ^ a b Schaart, Eline; Adkins, William (25 March 2021). "Coronavirus outbreak, resignations interrupt Dutch coalition talks". Politico. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  9. ^ Anthony Deutsch (26 February 2022), Dutch to supply anti-tank, air defence rockets to Ukraine Reuters.
  10. ^ Anthony Deutsch and Bart Meijer (17 December 2023), Dutch to deliver additional $2.2 bln in military aid to Kyiv in 2024 -defence minister Reuters.
  11. ^ "Proces-verbaal zitting Kiesraad uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2006" [Records meeting Duch Electoral Council results 2006 general election] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 27 November 2006. pp. 71–88. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Proces-verbaal verkiezingsuitslag Tweede Kamer 2021" [Report of the election results House of Representatives 2021] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 29 March 2021. pp. 63–101. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Proces-verbaal van de uitslag van de verkiezing van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 2023 d.d. 4 december 2023" [Report of the results of the election of the House of Representatives on 4 December 2023] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 4 December 2023. pp. 21–22. Retrieved 21 December 2023.

External links[edit]

Civic offices
Preceded by Secretary-General of the
Ministry of General Affairs
2011–2014 		Succeeded by
Paul Huijts
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Amsterdam (a.i.)
2017–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Second Deputy Prime Minister
2017–2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of the Interior and
Kingdom Relations
2017–2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Defence
2022–present 		Incumbent
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