Anne Vondeling
Anne Vondeling was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party and agronomist.
Vondeling applied at the Wageningen Agricultural College in June 1934 majoring in Agronomy and obtaining Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree in July 1936 before graduating with an Master of Science in Engineering degree on 30 September 1940. Vondeling returned to the Wageningen Agricultural College in July 1945 for a postgraduate education in Agricultural engineering and worked as a researcher and got doctorate as an Doctor of Engineering on 14 April 1948. Vondeling worked as an agronomist and agricultural engineer in Friesland from November 1940 until Julyu 1945 and as a director of a Cooperative Central Agricultural Accounting firm in Leeuwarden from July 1945 until January 1958.
Vondeling became a Member of the House of Representatives after Piet Lieftinck was appointed as Minister of Finance in the Cabinet Beel I after the election of 1946, taking office on 25 July 1946 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Agriculture and Fisheries and deputy spokesperson for Transport and Water Management and Housing. Vondeling was appointed as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supplies in the Cabinet Drees III following the appointment of Sicco Mansholt as the first European Commissioner, taking office on 13 January 1958. The Cabinet Drees III fell on 11 December 1958 on after the Labour Party and the Catholic People's Party disagreed on a proposed Tax increase and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1958 when it was replaced by caretaker Cabinet Beel II on 22 December 1958. After the Leader of the Labour Party and incumbent Prime Minister Willem Drees announced his retirement from national politics and that he wouldn't stand for the election of 1959, the Labour Party leadership approached Vondeling as one of the Lijsttrekkers for the election. The Labour Party suffered a small loss, losing 2 seats but retained its place as the second largest party and now had 48 seats in the House of Representatives. Vondeling subsequently returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 20 March 1959 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Finances, Small business and deputy spokesperson for Agriculture and Fisheries and Provincial Government Affairs. Vondeling also became active in the public sector and worked as a distinguished professor of Agricultural science and International relations at the University of Groningen from January 1960 until January 1963. After the Leader of the Labour Party and Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives Jaap Burger announced he was stepping down following increasing criticism on his leadership, the Labour Party leadership approached Vondeling as his successor, Vondeling accepted and became the Leader and Parliamentary leader, taking office on 16 September 1962.
and Speaker of the House of Representatives Anne Vondeling during a meeting in The Hague on 8 June 1978.
For the election of 1963 Vondeling served again as one of the Lijsttrekkers. The Labour Party suffered a loss, losing 5 seat but retained its place as the second largest party and now had 43 seats in the House of Representatives. On 27 February 1965 the Cabinet Marijnen fell after a disagreement in the coalition about reforms to the public broadcasting system and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1965 that resulted in a coalition agreement between the Labour Party, the Catholic People's Party and the Anti-Revolutionary Party which formed the Cabinet Cals 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 of the Labour Party. The Cabinet Cals fell on 14 October 1966 after the Leader of the Catholic People's Party Norbert Schmelzer had proposed a motion that called for a stronger austerity policy to further reduce the deficit was seen an indirect motion of no confidence and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1966 when it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Zijlstra on 22 November 1966. After the election of 1967 Vondeling again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 23 February 1967 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Finances, Small business, Local Government Affairs and Provincial Government Affairs. Vondeling also served as Chairman of the Labour Party from 7 March 1969 until 1 May 1971. After the election of 1972 Vondeling was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives, taking office on 7 December 1972. After the election of 1977 Vondeling was re-elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives, taking office on 8 June 1977. On May 1979 Vondeling announced that he would stand for the European Parliament election of 1979 and would resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives and as Speaker of the House of Representatives. After the election Vondeling was elected as a Member of the European Parliament and resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives and as Speaker of the House of Representatives the same day he took office as a Member of the European Parliament and Delegation leader of the Labour Party in the European Parliament, taking office on 17 July 1979. On 22 November 1979 Vondeling died after suffering a fatal car crash in Mechelen, Belgium at the age of 63. The Anne Vondeling prize is given annually to journalists who write in a clear manner concerning political subjects.Decorations
