Tjerk Westerterp

Tjerk Westerterp, 1974

Theodorus Engelbertus "Tjerk" Westerterp (born December 2, 1930 in Rotterdam ) is a former Dutch politician ( KVP , CDA , Leefbaar Nederland ) and journalist. He was a member of the Dutch House of Commons and the European Parliament, as well as Minister of Transport in Joop den Uyl's cabinet .

Life

Westerterp studied political and social sciences until 1949 and then journalism until 1951 at the Catholic University of Nijmegen . During this time (1949–1953) he was also a journalist for De Stem newspaper and a correspondent for De Maasbode . Following this, Westerterp was from 1953 to 1963 a civil servant for the European Coal and Steel Community, which had recently come into force .

In 1963 Westerterp became a member of the Lower House of the Netherlands for the Katholieke Volkspartij (KVP) and remained there with a one-year break from 1971/72 until 1973. During his parliamentary term, he mainly dealt with foreign issues (European cooperation and development aid), trade policy, Nuclear Energy and Kingdom Issues. In 1966, Westerterp and his parliamentary group voted against the draft budget supported by Prime Minister Jo Cals (KVP) and thus unintentionally (according to the parliamentary group's affirmation) caused him to resign. From December 1972 to May 1973 he was vice chairman of the parliamentary group. In the years 1967–1971 Westerterp was also a member of the European Parliament, last year he held the vice-presidency there. Furthermore, Westerterp was State Secretary in the Foreign Ministry from 1971–1973, where he was again responsible for European cooperation.

1973 Westerterp became Minister of Transport under the Uyl ( PvdA ). During his tenure, he campaigned for improved spatial planning and the promotion of public transport. Furthermore, Westerterp had the alcohol controls in traffic tightened and introduced the blast test in 1974. In 1975 he also made it compulsory for motorcyclists to wear a seat belt and helmet. Before his term of office ended in December 1977, he returned to parliament as a member of parliament in June of that year, but then left active politics in early 1978 and became director of the Amsterdam- based European Options Exchange , a position he held until his retirement in 1993 .

In 2002 Westerterp joined the Leefbaar Nederland party and ran for parliamentary elections that year, but could not win a seat. Then he left the party again.

Works

• Het secret dagboek van Premier Pim (together with Kay van de Linde), Karakter 2003, Outhoorn

Honors

• Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau (1978)

Web links

• Tjerk Westerterp on parlement.com (Dutch)