Jozef Maria Laurens Theo "Jo" Cals (18 July 1914 – 30 December 1971) was a
Dutch politician of the defunct
Catholic People's Party
The Catholic People's Party ( nl, Katholieke Volkspartij, KVP) was a Catholic Christian democratic political party in the Netherlands. The party was founded in 1945 as a continuation of the Roman Catholic State Party, which was a continuation of ...
(KVP) now the
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal ( nl, Christen-Democratisch Appèl, ; CDA) is a Christian-democratic political party in the Netherlands. It was originally formed in 1977 from a confederation of the Catholic People's Party, the Anti-Revolution ...
(CDA) party and jurist who served as
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The prime minister of the Netherlands ( nl, Minister-president van Nederland) is the head of the executive branch of the Government of the Netherlands. Although the monarch is the ''de jure'' head of government, the prime minister ''de facto'' ...
from 14 April 1965 until 22 November 1966.
Cals studied law at the
Radboud University Nijmegen
Radboud University (abbreviated as RU, nl, Radboud Universiteit , formerly ''Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen'') is a public research university located in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The university bears the name of Saint Radboud, a 9th century ...
obtaining a
Master of Laws
A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mos ...
degree and worked as a lawyer and prosecutor in
Nijmegen from November 1940 until August 1948 and as researcher at his alma mater from February 1941 until May 1949. Cals also worked as a legal and economics teacher in
Roermond
Roermond (; li, Remunj or ) is a city, municipality, and diocese in the Limburg province of the Netherlands. Roermond is a historically important town on the lower Roer on the east bank of the river Meuse. It received town rights in 1231. Ro ...
from October 1943 until June 1945. Cals became a
Member of the House of Representatives shortly after
election of 1948 taking office on 19 August 1948 serving as a
frontbencher
In many parliaments and other similar assemblies, seating is typically arranged in banks or rows, with each political party or caucus grouped together. The spokespeople for each group will often sit at the front of their group, and are then kn ...
and spokesperson for
Education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
and Social Work. Following a
cabinet reshuffle
A cabinet reshuffle or shuffle occurs when a head of government rotates or changes the composition of ministers in their cabinet, or when the Head of State changes the head of government and a number of ministers. They are more common in parli ...
he was appointed as
State Secretary for Education, Arts and Sciences in the
Cabinet Drees–Van Schaik taking office on 15 March 1950. The Cabinet Drees–Van Schaik fell on 24 January 1951 and was replaced by
Cabinet Drees I with Cals continuing his office. After the
election of 1952 Cals was appointed as
Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences in the
Cabinet Drees II taking office on 2 September 1952. After the
election of 1956 Cals retained his position in the
Cabinet Drees III. The Cabinet Drees III fell on 11 December 1958 and was replaced by the
caretaker
Caretaker may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''The Caretaker'' (film), a 1963 adaptation of the play ''The Caretaker''
* '' The Caretakers'', a 1963 American film set in a mental hospital
* Caretaker, a character in the 1974 film '' ...
Cabinet Beel II with Cals continuing his function. After the
election of 1959 Cals once again retained his office in the
Cabinet De Quay. After the
election of 1963 Cals wasn't offered a cabinet post in the new
cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filing ...
and returned to the House of Representatives on 2 July 1963 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for
the Interior and
Kingdom Relations. Cals also became active in the
public sector
The public sector, also called the state sector, is the part of the economy composed of both public services and public enterprises. Public sectors include the public goods and governmental services such as the military, law enforcement, infra ...
as a non-profit director and served on several
state commissions and councils on behalf of the government.
After the fall of
Cabinet Marijnen Cals was asked to lead a new cabinet. Following a successful
cabinet formation Cals formed the
Cabinet Cals and became
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The prime minister of the Netherlands ( nl, Minister-president van Nederland) is the head of the executive branch of the Government of the Netherlands. Although the monarch is the ''de jure'' head of government, the prime minister ''de facto'' ...
taking office on 14 April 1965. The cabinet fell just one year into its term after a major
political crisis
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
and following a difficult cabinet formation wasn't included in a new cabinet. Cals left office following the installation of the
caretaker
Caretaker may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''The Caretaker'' (film), a 1963 adaptation of the play ''The Caretaker''
* '' The Caretakers'', a 1963 American film set in a mental hospital
* Caretaker, a character in the 1974 film '' ...
Cabinet Zijlstra on 22 November 1966 and announced his retirement.
Cals semi-retired from active politics at just 52 and became active in the
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
and
public sector
The public sector, also called the state sector, is the part of the economy composed of both public services and public enterprises. Public sectors include the public goods and governmental services such as the military, law enforcement, infra ...
s as a corporate and non-profit director, and served as a diplomat and lobbyist for several economic delegations and presided over several state commissions and councils for the government. Cals was known for his abilities as a efficient manager and his work ethics. During his premiership, his cabinet were responsible for major
social reforms to
social security
Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specificall ...
,
closing the mines in Limburg and stimulating
Urban development
Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to:
* Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas
* Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities
Urban may also refer to:
General
* Urban (name), a list of peop ...
in the
Randstad
The Randstad (; "Rim" or "Edge" City) is a roughly crescent-shaped conurbation in the central-western Netherlands, consisting primarily of the four largest Dutch cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht); their suburbs, and many tow ...
. Cals was granted the honorary title of
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...
on 5 December 1966 and continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman until he was diagnosed with a
terminal
Terminal may refer to:
Computing Hardware
* Terminal (electronics), a device for joining electrical circuits together
* Terminal (telecommunication), a device communicating over a line
* Computer terminal, a set of primary input and output dev ...
brain tumor
A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and seconda ...
and died in December 1971 at the age of just 57. He holds the distinction of as the fourth longest-serving cabinet member since 1850 with 14 years and 353 days and his premiership is consistently
considered both by scholars and the public to have been average.
[I&O Research]
I&O Research, 13 March 2020
Biography
Early life
Jozef Maria Laurens Theo Cals was born in
Roermond
Roermond (; li, Remunj or ) is a city, municipality, and diocese in the Limburg province of the Netherlands. Roermond is a historically important town on the lower Roer on the east bank of the river Meuse. It received town rights in 1231. Ro ...
on 18 July 1914. After completing his secondary education in his home town, he studied for the priesthood in Rolduc. In 1935, however, he interrupted his theological training to study law at the
Radboud University Nijmegen
Radboud University (abbreviated as RU, nl, Radboud Universiteit , formerly ''Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen'') is a public research university located in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The university bears the name of Saint Radboud, a 9th century ...
, after graduating in 1940 he practised law in that same city up until 1950, in the meantime also teaching economics at his old secondary school in
Roermond
Roermond (; li, Remunj or ) is a city, municipality, and diocese in the Limburg province of the Netherlands. Roermond is a historically important town on the lower Roer on the east bank of the river Meuse. It received town rights in 1231. Ro ...
.
Politics
In 1945 Cals became leader of the
Catholic People's Party
The Catholic People's Party ( nl, Katholieke Volkspartij, KVP) was a Catholic Christian democratic political party in the Netherlands. The party was founded in 1945 as a continuation of the Roman Catholic State Party, which was a continuation of ...
in the municipal council of
Nijmegen until 1946. He was elected as a
Member of the House of Representatives in 1948. From 15 March 1950 to 2 September 1952 he was
State Secretary for
Education, Arts and Sciences, serving from 15 March 1950 until 2 September 1952 in the
Drees-Van Schaik and
Drees I cabinets. He became
Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences serving from 2 September 1952 until 24 July 1963 in the cabinets
Drees II and
III,
Beel II and
De Quay, he helped pass the ''Mammoetwet'', a law that transformed secondary education. In the debate, he spoke for 6 hours and 50 minutes, setting a record. In 1963, however, he returned to the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
. Alongside his duties there, he was a member of the board of governors of the
University of Groningen
The University of Groningen (abbreviated as UG; nl, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, abbreviated as RUG) is a public research university of more than 30,000 students in the city of Groningen in the Netherlands. Founded in 1614, the university is th ...
, chairman of the Arts Council and a member of the Press Council.
In the aftermath of the collapse of the
Marijnen cabinet, Cals became
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The prime minister of the Netherlands ( nl, Minister-president van Nederland) is the head of the executive branch of the Government of the Netherlands. Although the monarch is the ''de jure'' head of government, the prime minister ''de facto'' ...
on 14 April 1965. After two decades of economic growth, his cabinet experienced a slight
recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction when there is a general decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be triggered by various ...
. Plans to build sports halls, roads and houses had to be tempered. In
Limburg
Limburg or Limbourg may refer to:
Regions
* Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium
* Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands
* Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...
the coal mines were closed and plans were drawn to educate and re-employ the former miners. There was also social unrest ('the sixties'), which became apparent in the
Provo movement, construction worker protests, riots over the marriage of princess
Beatrix
Beatrix is a Latin feminine given name, most likely derived from ''Viatrix'', a feminine form of the Late Latin name ''Viator'' which meant "voyager, traveller" and later influenced in spelling by association with the Latin word ''beatus'' or "bles ...
in Amsterdam and the rise of new parties like
Farmers' Party (BP),
Pacifist Socialist Party
The Pacifist Socialist Party ( nl, Pacifistisch Socialistische Partij, PSP) was a democratic socialist Dutch socialist political party. The PSP played a small role in Dutch politics. It is one of the predecessors of the GreenLeft.
Party histor ...
(PSP),
Reformed Political League
The Reformed Political LeagueTranslation used by Andeweg and Irwin in ''Governance and Politics of the Netherlands'' (2002: 45) ( nl, Gereformeerd Politiek Verbond, GPV) was an orthodox Protestant political party in the Netherlands. The GPV is o ...
(GPV) and the
Democrats 66 (D'66). Especially the last party wanted to change the political order .
On 14 October 1966
Norbert Schmelzer
Wilhelm Klaus Norbert Schmelzer (22 March 1921 – 14 November 2008) was a Dutch politician, diplomat and economist who served as Leader of the Catholic People's Party (KVP) from 1963 to 1971 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1971 to 1973. ...
the
Leader of the Catholic People's Party and
Parliamentary leader
A parliamentary leader is a political title or a descriptive term used in various countries to designate the person leading a parliamentary group or caucus in a legislative body, whether it be a national or sub-national legislature. They are the ...
of the
Catholic People's Party
The Catholic People's Party ( nl, Katholieke Volkspartij, KVP) was a Catholic Christian democratic political party in the Netherlands. The party was founded in 1945 as a continuation of the Roman Catholic State Party, which was a continuation of ...
in the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
proposed a
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...
against the cabinet and Prime Minister Cals. A shocking and surprised action in
Dutch politics
The politics of the Netherlands take place within the framework of a Parliamentary system, parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy, and a Decentralization, decentralised unitary state.''Civil service systems in Weste ...
, it marked the first time that a
motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...
was proposed against a cabinet of the same party. The cabinet resigned that evening.
Scouting
Cals was in 1930, just after the foundation as a separate Scouting organisation, one of the first members of
De Katholieke Verkenners (The Catholic Scouts). He went to the
4th World Scout Jamboree in Gödöllo, Hungary in 1933. After the liberation of the southern part of the Netherlands in 1944 he was one of the main forces in rebuilding Catholic Scouting as a separate Scouting movement in the Netherlands. During his second term as
Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences, the
State Secretary for
Education, Arts and Sciences was his former
Scout Master
A Scout leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.
Roles
There are many different roles a leader can fulfill depending on ...
René Höppener.
Trivia
Between 1968 and 1970, Cals was in charge of the Dutch entry to the
Expo '70
The or Expo 70 was a world's fair held in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, Japan between March 15 and September 13, 1970. Its theme was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." In Japanese, Expo '70 is often referred to as . It was the first world's fair ...
in Japan. From 1967 he was chairman of the National Advisory Committee on the amendment of the Constitution.
Cals was a hard worker but this was at the expense of his health, he died from a
brain tumor
A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and seconda ...
in the
MCH Westeinde hospital in
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
on 30 December 1971 at the age of 57.
Decorations
References
External links
*
Mr. J.M.L.Th. (Jo) CalsParlement & Politiek
*
Kabinet-CalsRijksoverheid
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cals, Jo
1914 births
1971 deaths
Catholic People's Party politicians
Commanders of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
Deaths from brain cancer in the Netherlands
Dutch academic administrators
Dutch corporate directors
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Dutch nonprofit directors
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