Lodewijk Asscher | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Asscher in 2015 | |
| Leader of theLabour Party in theHouse of Representatives | |
| In office 23 March 2017 – 14 January 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Attje Kuiken |
| Succeeded by | Lilianne Ploumen |
| Leader of the Labour Party | |
| In office 10 December 2016 – 14 January 2021 | |
| Deputy | Sharon Dijksma Lilianne Ploumen |
| Preceded by | Diederik Samsom |
| Succeeded by | Lilianne Ploumen |
| Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands | |
| In office 5 November 2012 – 26 October 2017 | |
| Prime Minister | Mark Rutte |
| Preceded by | Maxime Verhagen |
| Succeeded by | Hugo de Jonge (First Deputy) |
| Minister of Social Affairs and Employment | |
| In office 5 November 2012 – 26 October 2017 | |
| Prime Minister | Mark Rutte |
| Preceded by | Henk Kamp |
| Succeeded by | Wouter Koolmees |
| Member of theHouse of Representatives | |
| In office 23 March 2017 – 30 March 2021 | |
| Mayor of Amsterdam | |
Acting | |
| In office 12 March 2010 – 7 July 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Job Cohen |
| Succeeded by | Eberhard van der Laan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lodewijk Frans Asscher (1974-09-27)27 September 1974 (age 50) Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 sons |
| Relatives | Abraham Asscher (great-grandfather) Hans Vonk (uncle) |
| Residence | Amsterdam |
| Education | University of Amsterdam(BSocSc,LLB,LLM,DPhil) |
Lodewijk Frans Asscher (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈloːdəʋɛikfrɑnsˈɑɕər]; born 27 September 1974) is a Dutch politician and jurist who served asLeader of the Labour Party (PvdA) from 2016 to 2021 andparliamentary leader in theHouse of Representatives from 2017 to 2021.
Asscher worked as a researcher at theUniversity of Amsterdam from 1996 until 2002. He was elected as amunicipal councillor of Amsterdam on 8 March 2002 and assumed the leadership of theLabour Party in the municipal council on 3 April 2004. He worked as an associate professor of Intellectual property law at theUniversity of Amsterdam from 1 May 2002 until 1 May 2006. Asscher was thelijsttrekker (top candidate) for the PvdA in the2006 municipal election and became Deputy Mayor and alderman on 26 April 2006. Following the resignation ofMayor of AmsterdamJob Cohen to run for theLabour Party leadership for theelection of 2010, Asscher as Deputy Mayor served asad interim Mayor of Amsterdam from 12 March 2010 until 7 July 2010.[1] After theelection of 2012 Asscher was appointed asDeputy Prime Minister andMinister of Social Affairs and Employment in theCabinet Rutte II, serving from 5 November 2012 until 26 October 2017.
Lodewijk Frans Asscher was born on 27 September 1974 inAmsterdam in a mixed religious family; his father is ofJewish descent and his mother isCatholic.[2] His father, jurist Bram Asscher, was a member of the centre-rightPeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy and his mother a member of theLabour Party.[3][4]
Asscher went to theChristelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet inThe Hague. He studiedpsychology (propaedeutics in 1995) and Dutchlaw (master's degree in 1998) at theUniversity of Amsterdam inAmsterdam. In 2002, he received his PhD in law from the University of Amsterdam.[5]
Asscher entered the municipal council after the Dutch municipal elections of 2002. Besides his role as thegroup leader of the Labour Party in the Amsterdam municipal council, he took part in the commission on General Affairs.
Until 1 January 2006, Asscher taught information law at theUniversity of Amsterdam. In his book"New Amsterdam", Asscher advocated the eventual disappearance of thered light district. A few days after the release of the book, Asscher revoked that statement, stating that he was not against prostitution, but rather againstsexual slavery.
After theDutch municipal elections of 2006, where he led the Labour Party's campaign in Amsterdam, Asscher was installed as analderman on 26 April. His portfolio included Economics, Airport and Harbour; he also was Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam from 2006 until 2010. He served as ActingMayor of Amsterdam from 12 March 2010 to 7 July 2010 and then became the alderman in charge of Finances until 5 November 2012.
On 5 November 2012, he becameMinister of Social Affairs and Employment andDeputy Prime Minister in theSecond Rutte cabinet.[6][7] In Amsterdam he was succeeded byEberhard van der Laan (also PvdA).
In September 2014, Asscher announced heightened scrutiny of fourDutch-Turkish organisations that he suspected of hindering integration, including a religious group,Millî Görüş. This led to the expulsion of 2 Dutch Turkish MPs from the Labour Party after they harshly criticised the move.[8]
On 9 December 2016, Asscher won theleadership of the Labour Party in anelection against incumbentDiederik Samsom. He obtained 54,5% of the vote.[9] In the Dutch general election of 2017, the PvdA suffered the biggest defeat in Dutch electoral history, receiving only 5.7% of the votes and losing 29 of its 38 seats. The PvdA did not rejoin the government after the election. Asscher was succeeded as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment byWouter Koolmees in theThird Rutte cabinet, on 26 October 2017. While being the presumptive party leader for the2021 parliamentary elections, Asscher withdrew as leader on 14 January 2021 with just two months before the election, due to his role as Minister of Social Affairs in thetoeslagenaffaire (social benefits scandal).[10] He later joined consultancy firm Van de Bunt as a partner.[4]
Lodewijk Asscher is married to Jildau Piena, with whom he has three sons.[11]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Mayor of Amsterdam Acting 2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands 2012–2017 | Succeeded byas First Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands |
| Preceded by | Minister of Social Affairs and Employment 2012–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Leader of the Labour Party 2016–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Leader of theLabour Party in theHouse of Representatives 2017–2021 | |
 | ||
1 denotesActing Mayor –2 denotesAd Interim Mayor –3 denotesDied in Office | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
