Frits Bolkestein
Frits Bolkestein | |
---|---|
European Commissioner [Portfolios] | |
In office 16 September 1999 – 22 November 2004 | |
President | Romano Prodi |
Preceded by | Mario Monti as European Commissioner for Internal Market |
Succeeded by | Charlie McCreevy as European Commissioner for Internal Market |
President of the Liberal International | |
In office 15 April 1996 – 18 April 2000 | |
Preceded by | Sir David Steel |
Succeeded by | Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck |
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | |
In office 30 April 1990 – 30 July 1998 | |
Deputy | See list
|
Preceded by | State Secretary for Economic Affairs |
In office 5 November 1982 – 14 July 1986 Serving with Piet van Zeil | |
Prime Minister | Ruud Lubbers |
Preceded by | Wim Dik |
Succeeded by | Enneüs Heerma |
Member of the House of Representatives | |
In office 14 September 1989 – 21 September 1999 | |
In office 3 June 1986 – 24 September 1988 | |
In office 16 January 1978 – 5 November 1982 | |
Parliamentary group | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
Personal details | |
Born | Frederik Bolkestein 4 April 1933 LLM) |
Occupation | Politician · Energy executive · Nonprofit director · Political commentator · Lobbyist |
Website | (in Dutch) Official site |
Frederik "Frits" Bolkestein (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈfreːdərɪk frɪdz ˈbɔlkəstɛi̯n] ⓘ;[1] born 4 April 1933) is a Dutch retired politician and energy executive who served as Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from 1990 to 1998 and European Commissioner for Internal Market from 1999 until 2004 under Romano Prodi.
Bolkestein worked as a corporate director for
For the
Early life and career
Frederik Bolkestein was born on 4 April 1933 in Amsterdam in the Netherlands.[2] His father was president of the Court in Amsterdam.[3] His grandfather, Gerrit Bolkestein, was Minister of Education, Arts, and Sciences to the Dutch government-in-exile of 1939 to 1945.[4] Bolkestein's mother was born in the Dutch East Indies to Dutch parents.[5]
Bolkestein attended the
During his studies in Amsterdam, Bolkestein was editor for the satirical student magazine Propria Cures. He was also a member of the board of the student union ASVA.[2]
Before entering Dutch politics, Bolkestein worked for the oil company
In 1976, Bolkestein wrote an English language play named Floris, Count of Holland, under the anagrammatic pseudonym of Niels Kobet.[6]
Politics
Bolkestein left Shell in 1976 and became a member of parliament for the VVD. From 1982 to 1986, he served as Minister of International Trade. After joining the parliament again, he was Minister of Defence from 1988 to 1989. In 1990, he was elected Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy of the VVD, a position he held until 1998. Between 1978 and 1999, when he became European Commissioner, he was member of parliament for 17 years.
During the 1990s, he was very successful as the political frontman of the VVD. As an opinion leader, he was known for his daring and controversial positions on such issues as multicultural problems in Dutch society, political dualism between government and parliament, and the structure and expansion of the European Union. From 1990 to 1994 he was the parliamentary opposition leader and continued his outspoken and independent style when his party was part of the government from 1994. During the provincial elections of 1995, his criticism of Dutch immigration policies made his party the largest of the country.[7]
In 1996, his political integrity came under heavy criticism, because it was revealed he had written a letter to Health Minister Els Borst, in which he asked her to help a pharmaceutical company, of which Bolkestein was member of the board of commissioners. The incident was known as the "Dear Els"-incident, because the letter was addressed to Borst personally.
He was president of the
He authored a number of books on politics and related subjects. Frits Bolkestein is married to Femke Boersma, a retired Dutch actress. In 2005, his house in northern France had its electricity cut briefly by the local energy company after he criticized French protectionist measures against incoming electricians from Eastern Europe.
In 2010 he was awarded the
Bolkestein Directive
Named after Frits Bolkestein, the
Controversies
In 2001, Bolkestein responded to the question raised by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) Harlem Désir, Glyn Ford and Francis Wurtz, who asked the Commission to investigate the accusations brought forward by Révélation$, a book written by investigative journalist Denis Robert and former Clearstream member Ernest Backes, as well as to ensure that the 10 June 1990 directive (91/308 CE) on control of financial establishment be applied in all member states in an effective way. Commissioner Bolkestein applied that "the Commission has no reason to date to believe that the Luxembourg authorities do not apply it vigorously" [sic]. The three MEPs henceforth published a press statement asking the opening of an investigation by the European Union about the correct application of 10 June 1990 directive.[9][10]
On 26 April 2006, French daily
On 18 May 2010, Bolkestein advocated for the legalization of all drugs in an article called; "Red het land, sta drugs toe" which translates to; "save the nation, allow drugs" in the NRC Handelsblad, a Dutch newspaper. The article is endorsed by many professionals ranging from Els Borst, former Dutch minister of public health, to many jurists, professors and drug experts.
In Het Verval ("The Decline"), a book about Jews in the Netherlands written by
Honours
- Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (14 May 1991)
Published books
- (1976) Floris, Count of Holland as Niels Kobet[6]
- (1982) Modern Liberalism[6]
- (1990) De Engel en het Beest[6]
- (1992) Woorden hebben hun betekenis[6]
- (1994) Islam en Democratie with Mohammed Arkoun[6]
- (1995) Het Heft in Handen[6]
- (1997) Moslim in de Polder[6]
- (1998) Boren in hard Hout[6]
- (1998) Onverwerkt Verleden[6]
- (2004) De Grenzen van Europa[6]
- (2005) Grensverkenningen[6]
- (2006) De twee lampen van de staatsman[6]
- (2006) Peut-on réformer la France?[6]
- (2008) Overmoed en onverstand
- (2009) De politiek der dingen
- (2011) De goede vreemdeling
- (2011) De intellectuele verleiding (The Intellectual Temptation)
- (2013) Cassandra tegen wil en dank
- (2015) De succesvolle mislukking van Europa, co-edited with Paul Cliteur and Meindert Fennema
References
- ^ Frits in isolation: [frɪts]
- ^ a b c d e f "Prof.Mr.Drs. F. Bolkestein". Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch). Leiden University. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
- Nova. 25 September 2003. Archived from the originalon 22 August 2007. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
- ^ "G. Bolkestein". Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch). Leiden University. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
- ^ Dutch: De Groene Amsterdammer: De politieke roots van Geert Wilders
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Bolkestein, Frits. "List of published books". Archived from the original on 10 March 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
- ^ Provinciale Staten 8 maart 1995 at www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl
- ^ IT has key economic role, says new EC president Computer Weekly16 August 2004
- Renaud van Ruymbeke, judge in Paris)
- ^ (in English and French) "André Lussi, CEO of Clearstream, stepping down – interview of Denis Robert" (PDF). Tobin tax. June 2001.
- ^ "Révélation 20 Minutes: Quand la Commission européenne refusait d'enquêter sur Clearstream" (in French). 20 minutes. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 29 April 2006.
- ^ Peter Wierenga (5 December 2010). "Bolkestein: 'Joden, emigreer!'" (in Dutch). De Pers. Archived from the original on 11 December 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- ^ Cnaan Liphshiz (7 December 2010). "Top Dutch politician: Jews should emigrate to Israel or U.S." Haaretz. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
External links
- Official website
- Frits Bolkestein at the European Commission
- Frits Bolkestein Archived 25 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine at Leiden University
- Taxation and Customs