Kajsa Ollongren

Jkvr. Karin Hildur "Kajsa" Ollongren (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈkɑisa ɔˈlɔŋgrən] or [ˈɔlɔŋgrɛn]; Swedish pronunciation: [²ka͜ɪsa ˈɔlɔnɡreːn]; born 28 May 1967) is a Dutch-Swedish politician of the Democrats 66 (D66) party, who has been serving as second Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 May 2020 and Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Third Rutte cabinet since 14 April 2020.[1]

Her Excellency
Jonkvrouw
Kajsa Ollongren
Ollongren in 2019
Second Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
Assumed office
14 May 2020
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byWouter Koolmees
In office
26 October 2017 – 1 November 2019
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byLodewijk Asscher
Succeeded byWouter Koolmees
Minister of the Interior
and Kingdom Relations
Assumed office
14 April 2020
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byRaymond Knops
In office
26 October 2017 – 1 November 2019
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byRonald Plasterk
Succeeded byRaymond Knops
Mayor of Amsterdam
Ad interim
In office
5 October 2017 – 26 October 2017
Preceded byEberhard van der Laan
Succeeded byEric van der Burg (ad interim)
Personal details
Born
Karin Hildur Ollongren

(1967-05-28) 28 May 1967
Leiden, Netherlands
NationalityDutch, Swedish
Political partyDemocrats 66 (1993–present)
Spouse(s)
Irene van den Brekel
​
​
(m. 2004)​
Children2
Parent(s)Alexander Ollongren
Gunvor Lundgren
ResidenceAmsterdam, Netherlands
Alma materUniversity of Amsterdam
(Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts)
École nationale d'administration
(Bachelor of Public Administration, Master of Public Administration)
OccupationPolitician, civil servant
WebsiteMinister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations

Early life and education

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. Ollongren (originally Ållongren) is a Finnish-Swedish noble family which was incorporated into Dutch nobility in 2002, thereby giving her the noble predicate "jonkvrouw".[2]

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.[3]

Career

Civil service

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.[3][4]

Local politics

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 second 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.[3] 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 Kajsa Ollongren to exercise these responsibilities in his stead from 19 September onward.[5] The day after his death, on 6 October, Ollongren became acting Mayor of Amsterdam.[3]

Minister of the Interior

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.[6] From 1 November 2019 to 14 April 2020, she was on medical leave of absence.

Following the 2021 general election, Ollongren 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.[7] The talks had been suspended earlier that day, because Ollongren had tested positive for COVID-19.[7]

Personal life

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

References
  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. "Drs. K.H. (Kajsa) Ollongren". Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  4. "Rutte moet zijn 'rechterhand' missen, maar wat deed die eigenlijk zoal?". NRC (in Dutch). 2 April 2014.
  5. "Van der Laan schrijft afscheidsbrief aan Amsterdammers: Vaarwel". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch).
  6. PressReader - De Telegraaf: 2016-10-13 - 'MKB sleepte Nederland door crisis. (in Dutch).
  7. Schaart, Eline; Adkins, William (25 March 2021). "Coronavirus outbreak, resignations interrupt Dutch coalition talks". Politico. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
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