View source for Jan Terlouw

{{Redirect|Terlouw|the Dutch footballer|Rinus Terlouw}}
{{Short description|Dutch politician, physicist and author (1931–2025)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{lead extra info|date=May 2025}}
{{lead too long|date=May 2025}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=September 2019}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix   =
|name               = Jan Terlouw
|image              = File:Portret van Jan Terlouw fractieleider van D66, Bestanddeelnr 931-2743.jpg
|caption            = Terlouw in 1981
|office             = Member of the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]]
|term_start         = 8 June 1999
|term_end           = 10 June 2003
|office1            = [[King's commissioner|Queen's Commissioner]] of [[Gelderland]]
|term_start1        = 1 November 1991 
|term_end1          = 1 December 1996
|monarch1           = [[Beatrix of the Netherlands|Beatrix]]
|predecessor1       = [[Ad Oele]] (''ad interim'')
|successor1         = [[Jan Kamminga]]
|office2            = [[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands]]
|term_start2        = 11 September 1981
|term_end2          = 4 November 1982
|primeminister2     = [[Dries van Agt]]
|alongside2         = [[Joop den Uyl]] (1982)
|predecessor2       = [[Hans Wiegel]]
|successor2         = [[Gijs van Aardenne]]
|office3            = [[List of Ministers of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands|Minister of Economic Affairs]]
|term_start3        = 11 September 1981
|term_end3          = 4 November 1982
|primeminister3     = [[Dries van Agt]]
|predecessor3       = [[Gijs van Aardenne]]
|successor3         = [[Gijs van Aardenne]]
|office4            = [[Leader of the Democrats 66]] 
|term_start4        = 1 September 1973
|term_end4          = 8 September 1982
|predecessor4       = [[Hans van Mierlo]]
|successor4         = [[Laurens Jan Brinkhorst]]
|office5            = Leader of the [[Democrats 66]] in the<br/>[[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
|term_start5        = 1 September 1973
|term_end5          = 11 September 1981
|predecessor5       = [[Hans van Mierlo]]
|successor5         = [[Laurens Jan Brinkhorst]]
|office6            = Member of the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
|term_start6        = 11 May 1971
|term_end6          = 11 September 1981
|birthname          = Jan Cornelis Terlouw
|birth_date         = {{Birth date|1931|11|15|df=y}}
|birth_place        = [[Kamperveen]], Netherlands
|death_date         = {{nowrap|{{Death date and age|2025|05|16|1931|11|15|df=y}}}}
|death_place        = [[Twello]], Netherlands
|party              = [[Democrats 66]] (from 1967)
|spouse             = {{marriage|[[:nl:Alexandra Terlouw-van Hulst|Alexandra van Hulst]]|1956|23 August 2017|reason=her death}}
|children           = 4
|education          = [[Utrecht University]] 
|occupation         = {{hlist|[[Politician]]|[[Nuclear physics|Nuclear physicist]]|[[Mathematician]]|[[Professor]]|[[Nonprofit organization|Nonprofit director]]|[[Author]]|[[Research]]er|[[Pundit|Political pundit]]}}
|signature          = 
|allegiance         = {{flag|Netherlands}}
|branch             = [[Royal Netherlands Army]]<br/>{{cn|date=May 2025}}
|branch_label       = Branch
|serviceyears       = 1956–1958 ([[Conscription]])<br/>1958–1961 ([[Military reserve force|Reserve]]) 
|rank               = [[File:Nl-landmacht-soldaat der 2e klasse.svg|15px]] [[Private first class]]
|awards             = 
}}

'''Jan Cornelis Terlouw''' (15 November 1931 – 16 May 2025) was a Dutch politician, physicist and author. A member of the [[Democrats 66]] (D66) party, he served as [[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands]] from 1981 to 1982 under Prime Minister [[Dries van Agt]].

Terlouw studied [[physics]] at the [[Utrecht University]] where he obtained his master's degree and then worked as a researcher at the [[AMOLF|FOM]] before finishing his thesis and obtaining his [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] in mathematics and physics.<ref name="Parlement">[https://www.parlement.com/id/vg09llfiweyi/biografie/j_c_jan_terlouw Biography Jan Terlouw] - website [[:nl:Parlement.com|Parlement.com]]</ref> Terlouw worked as a nuclear physics researcher at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) from February 1960 until April 1962, and for the [[KTH Royal Institute of Technology|Royal Institute of Technology]] (KTH) from August 1965 until December 1966. After the [[1971 Dutch general election|1971 general election]] Terlouw was elected to the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]] on 11 May 1971 and served as a [[frontbencher]] and [[spokesperson]] for economic affairs and science. After [[Leader of the Democrats 66|Party Leader]] and [[Parliamentary leader]] [[Hans van Mierlo]] announced he was stepping down, Terlouw was unanimously selected as his successor on 1 September 1973.

For the [[1977 Dutch general election|1977]] and [[1981 Dutch general election|1981 general elections]], Terlouw served as [[lead candidate]], and following a [[1981 Dutch cabinet formation|cabinet formation]] with [[Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal|Christian democratic Leader]] [[Dries van Agt]] and [[Leader of the Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Leader]] [[Joop den Uyl]] formed the [[second Van Agt cabinet]], with Terlouw appointed [[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Deputy Prime Minister]] and [[List of Ministers of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands|Minister of Economic Affairs]], taking office on 11 September 1981. The cabinet fell just seven months into its term and was replaced by the [[Caretaker government|caretaker]] [[third Van Agt cabinet]], with Terlouw continuing his offices. For the [[1982 Dutch general election|1982 general election]], Terlouw again served as lead candidate but shortly thereafter announced he was stepping down as Leader on 8 September 1982.

Terlouw continued to be active in politics and in December 1982 he was nominated as the next Secretary-General of the [[European Conference of Ministers of Transport]] (ECMT - evolved in 2006 into the [[International Transport Forum]], ITF) serving from 30 January 1983 until 15 October 1991. In October 1991 Terlouw was nominated as the next [[King's commissioner|Queen's Commissioner]] of [[Gelderland]] serving from 1 November 1991 until 1 December 1996. Terlouw also became active in the [[public sector]], and worked as a professor of [[Urbanization]] at the [[University of Amsterdam]] from January 1997 until January 2000. After the [[Historic composition of the Senate of the Netherlands|Senate election of 1999]] Terlouw was elected as a [[Senate (Netherlands)|Member of the Senate]] serving from 8 June 1999 until 10 June 2003 and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for the interior, economic affairs and defence.

Terlouw retired from active politics at 71 but continued to be active in the public sector as a non-profit director and served on several state commissions ([[:nl:Staatscommissie|nl]]) and councils on behalf of the government, and worked as a professor of [[Literature]] at the [[Tilburg University]] from September 2003 until September 2004. Following his retirement Terlouw continued to be active as an advocate and activist for social norms, [[sustainable development]], [[animal welfare]] and for more [[European integration]]. Terlouw was known for his abilities as a consensus builder and negotiator and continued to comment on political affairs in his final years.

Terlouw was active as a prolific author since the 1970s, having written more than dozen [[young adult fiction]] books: his 1972 novel ''[[Winter in Wartime]]'' was adapted and released as a [[Winter in Wartime (film)|feature film]] in 2008.

== Background ==
===Early life and education===
Terlouw was born in [[Kamperveen]], [[Overijssel]] and grew up in the [[Veluwe]]. He was the eldest son a family of five, having two younger brothers and two sisters.

After high school, Terlouw studied at [[Utrecht University]], where he obtained an [[Master of Science|MSc]] degree in [[physics]] in 1956, and subsequently a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] degree in [[mathematics]] and [[physics]] in 1964.<ref name="Parlement" />

[[File:Regeringsverklaring kabinet van Agt III premier van Agt leest regeringsverklar, Bestanddeelnr 253-8743.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Deputy Prime Minister Jan Terlouw and Prime Minister [[Dries van Agt]] in the House of Representatives on 8 June 1982.]]

===Career===
After graduating from Utrecht University, he worked as a physics researcher in the Netherlands, the United States, and Sweden.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}

After working for thirteen years, he became a politician, joining the Dutch [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]] (the [[lower house]] of the [[States General of the Netherlands|Dutch legislature]]) as a member of the [[Democraten 66]] political party in 1970.

===Personal life and death===
Terlouw was married to Alexandra van Hulst until her death on 23 August 2017.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}} He was a father of four and grandfather to 12.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}} Terlouw died in [[Twello]] on 16 May 2025, at the age of 93.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-16 |title=Oud-D66-leider en jeugdboekenschrijver Jan Terlouw (93) overleden |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2567505-oud-d66-leider-en-jeugdboekenschrijver-jan-terlouw-93-overleden |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=NOS Nieuws |language=nl}}</ref>

==Publications==
Terlouw wrote 24 children's books, most notably ''[[Winter in Wartime]]'' (''Oorlogswinter'', 1972) and ''How to Become King'' (''Koning van Katoren'', 1971), both of which won the [[Gouden Griffel]] and have been made into motion pictures directed by [[Martin Koolhoven]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nlpvf.nl/basic/auteur1.php?Author_ID=393 |title=Jan Terlouw: Biography |publisher=Dutch Foundation for Literature |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120319235929/http://www.nlpvf.nl/basic/auteur1.php?Author_ID=393 |archive-date = 19 March 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Jan+Terlouw&qt=results_page |title=Jan Terlouw |access-date=26 March 2010 |publisher=[[WorldCat.org]]}}</ref>

Terlouw's books have been illustrated by various illustrators, including [[Dick van der Maat]], [[Martijn van der Linden]] and [[Fiel van der Veen]].{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

==Electoral history==
{{Incomplete list|date=December 2023}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" border=2 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="border: 1px #aaa solid; font-size: 90%; text-align:center;"
|+ {{sronly|Electoral history of Jan Terlouw}}
! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Year
! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Body
! scope="col" colspan=2 rowspan=2 |Party
! scope="col" rowspan=2 |{{abbr|2=Position on the party list|Pos.}}
! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Votes
! scope="colgroup" colspan=2 |Result
! scope="col" rowspan=2 class="unsortable" |{{abbr|2=References|Ref}}.
|-
! scope="col" |Party seats
! scope="col" |Individual
|-
! scope="row" | [[2023 Dutch general election|2023]]
| [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democrats 66}};"|
| [[Democrats 66]]
| style=text-align:right | [[List of Democrats 66 candidates in the 2023 Dutch general election|79]]{{efn|Terlouw participated as a {{lang|nl|[[lijstduwer]]}}.}}
| style=text-align:right | 1,176
| style=text-align:right | 9
| {{no2|Lost}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2023/12/04/proces-verbaal-van-de-uitslag-van-de-tweede-kamerverkiezing-2023 |website = Dutch Electoral Council |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2023 |format = PDF |date = 4 December 2023 |title = Proces-verbaal van de uitslag van de verkiezing van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 2023 d.d. 4 december 2023 |trans-title = Report of the results of the election of the House of Representatives on 4 December 2023 |pages = 21–22 }}</ref>
|}

==Honours and awards==
===Honours===
* [[File:Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Commander.svg|80px]] [[Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau]] ([[Netherlands]], 9 December 1982)

===Honorary degrees===
* [[Doctor honoris causa]] from the [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]] (Belgium, 23 mei 2017)<ref>{{cite web |last=Justaert |first=Marjan |date=4 April 2017 |title=Ex-politicus Jan Terlouw wordt eredoctor aan de VUB |url=https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20170404_02816454 |publisher=De Standaard |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413091648/https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20170404_02816454 |archive-date=13 April 2019 |access-date=5 May 2020}}</ref>

===Awards===
*1972 [[Gouden Griffel]] for the novel ''Koning van Katoren'' (''How to Become King'')
*1973 [[Gouden Griffel]] for the novel ''[[Winter in Wartime]]''
*1990 Prize of the Netherlands Children's Jury for the novel ''The Figure-skater''
*2000 Prize of the Dutch Joung Jury for ''Eigen rechter'' (1988)<ref>{{cite book|title=Eigen rechter|language=nl|publisher=Lemniscaat |date=1998|isbn= 978-9056371548}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{IMDb name| 1399358}}
;Official
* {{in lang|nl}} [https://www.parlement.com/id/vg09llfiweyi/j_c_jan_terlouw Dr. J.C. (Jan) Terlouw] Parlement & Politiek
* {{in lang|nl}} [https://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/dr_j_c_terlouw_d66 Dr. J.C. Terlouw (D66)] Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal

{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Hans van Mierlo]]|rows=2}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Leader of the Democrats 66]]|years=1973–1982}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Laurens Jan Brinkhorst]]|rows=2}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Parliamentary leader]] of the <br/> [[Democrats 66]] in the <br/> [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]|years=1973–1981}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Hans van Mierlo]] <br/> [[1994 Dutch general election|1972]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Lead candidate]] of the <br/> [[Democrats 66]]|years=[[1977 Dutch general election|1977]], [[1981 Dutch general election|1981]], [[1982 Dutch general election|1982]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Hans van Mierlo]] <br/> [[1986 Dutch general election|1986]]}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Hans Wiegel]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Deputy Prime Minister]]|years=1981–1982|alongside=[[Joop den Uyl]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Gijs van Aardenne]]|rows=2}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Gijs van Aardenne]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Ministers of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands|Minister of Economic Affairs]]|years=1981–1982}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Ad Oele]] <br/> {{small|''Ad interim''}}}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[King's commissioner|Queen's Commissioner]] of <br/> [[Gelderland]]|years=1991–1996}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jan Kamminga]]}}
{{s-bus}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-vac|unknown}} 
{{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the <br/> [[Supervisory board]] of the <br/> [[GelreDome]]|years=1996–2000}} 
{{s-vac|unknown}}
{{s-npo}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Gijs van Aardenne]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chairman of the <br/> [[Supervisory board]] of the <br/> [[Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands|Energy Research Centre]]|years=1995–2005}} 
{{s-aft|after=[[Ruud Lubbers]]}}
{{s-aca}}
{{s-bef|before=Annemieke Roobeek}}
{{s-ttl|title=Distinguished Professor <br/> [[:nl:Wibautleerstoel|Wibaut Chair]] of the <br/> [[University of Amsterdam]]|years=1997–1999}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Geert Mak]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Leo Vroman]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Distinguished Professor <br/> [[:nl:Leonardoleerstoel|Leonardo Chair]] of the <br/> [[Tilburg University]]|years=2003–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Ted van Lieshout]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{King's and Queen's Commissioners of Gelderland}}
{{Deputy Prime Ministers of the Netherlands}}
{{Ministers of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands}}
{{Third Van Agt cabinet}}
{{Second Van Agt cabinet}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Terlouw, Jan}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:2025 deaths]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of Orange-Nassau]]
[[Category:Democrats 66 politicians]]
[[Category:Deputy prime ministers of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Dutch agnostics]]
[[Category:Dutch astrophysicists]]
[[Category:Dutch children's writers]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriates in France]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriates in Sweden]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriates in the United States]]
[[Category:Dutch male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Dutch nonprofit directors]]
[[Category:Dutch nonprofit executives]]
[[Category:Dutch nuclear physicists]]
[[Category:Dutch political commentators]]
[[Category:Dutch writers of young adult literature]]
[[Category:Gouden Griffel winners]]
[[Category:King's and Queen's commissioners of Gelderland]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Democrats 66]]
[[Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences]]
[[Category:Members of the Senate (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Ministers of economic affairs of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Municipal councillors of Utrecht (city)]]
[[Category:OECD officials]]
[[Category:Particle physicists]]
[[Category:People from Kampen, Overijssel]]
[[Category:People from Voorst]]
[[Category:Radiation health effects researchers]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the KTH Royal Institute of Technology]]
[[Category:Royal Netherlands Army personnel]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Tilburg University]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Amsterdam]]
[[Category:Utrecht University alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Utrecht University]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch educators]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch mathematicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch military personnel]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch scientists]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch educators]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch mathematicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch scientists]]