Marcel van Dam

Marcel Parcival Arthur van Dam (Dutch pronunciation: [mɑrˈsɛl vɑn ˈdɑm]; born 30 January 1938) is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and journalist. Van Dam worked as a researcher for the Wiardi Beckman Foundation from April 1967 until September 1969. Van Dam also was active as a political activist and was one of the leaders of the New Left movement in the Netherlands which aimed to steer the Labour Party more to the left. Van Dam worked as a journalist for the VARA from September 1969 until May 1973 as an ombudsman from September 1969 until May 1973 and as an editor from April 1971 until May 1973. After the 1972 general election Van Dam was appointed as State Secretary for Housing and Spatial Planning in the Den Uyl cabinet, taking office on 11 May 1973. The cabinet fell on 22 March 1977 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity. Van Dam was elected to the House of Representatives in the 1977 general election, taking office on 8 June 1977 but he was still serving in the cabinet and because of dualism customs in the constitutional convention of Dutch politics he could not serve a dual mandate he subsequently resigned as State Secretary on 8 September 1977. After the 1981 general election Van Dam was appointed as Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning in the Van Agt II cabinet, taking office on 11 September 1981. The cabinet fell just seven months into its term on 12 May 1982 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretaker Van Agt III cabinet on 29 May 1982. After the 1982 general election Van Dam returned to the House of Representatives, taking office on 16 September 1982. In December 1985 Van Dam was...