Kajsa Ollongren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jonkvrouw
Kajsa Ollongren
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Ollongren in 2022
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| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 10 January 2022 – 2 July 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Mark Rutte |
| Preceded by | Henk Kamp |
| Succeeded by | Ruben Brekelmans |
| Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands | |
| In office 14 May 2020 – 10 January 2022 Serving with Hugo de Jonge, Carola Schouten
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| Prime Minister | Mark Rutte |
| Preceded by | Wouter Koolmees |
| Succeeded by | Wopke Hoekstra |
| In office 26 October 2017 – 1 November 2019 Serving with Hugo de Jonge, Carola Schouten
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| Prime Minister | Mark Rutte |
| Preceded by | Lodewijk Asscher |
| Succeeded by | Wouter Koolmees |
| Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations | |
| In office 14 April 2020 – 10 January 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Mark Rutte |
| Preceded by | Raymond Knops (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Hanke Bruins Slot |
| In office 26 October 2017 – 1 November 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Mark Rutte |
| Preceded by | Ronald Plasterk |
| Succeeded by | Raymond Knops (acting) |
| Mayor of Amsterdam | |
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Acting
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| In office 5 October 2017 – 26 October 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Eberhard van der Laan |
| Succeeded by | Eric van der Burg (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Karin Hildur Ollongren
28 May 1967 Leiden, Netherlands |
| Citizenship |
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| Political party | Democrats 66 |
| Spouse |
Irene van den Brekel
(m. 2004) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Alexander Ollongren (father) |
| Education | University of Amsterdam (BA, MA) École nationale d'administration (BPA, MPA) |
Jkvr. Karin Hildur "Kajsa" Ollongren (born 28 May 1967) is a Dutch-Swedish politician. She has held many important jobs in the Dutch government. From 2022 to 2024, she was the Minister of Defence. Before that, she was the Minister of the Interior and a Deputy Prime Minister. She also briefly served as the acting Mayor of Amsterdam. She is a member of the Democrats 66 (D66) political party.
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Early Life and Education
Kajsa Ollongren was born on May 28, 1967, in Leiden, Netherlands. Her father, Alexander Ollongren, was an astronomer and computer scientist. Her mother, Gunvor Lundgren, was Swedish. Because of her mother, Kajsa also has Swedish citizenship. Her family has a noble background from Finland and Sweden.
She grew up in Oegstgeest and went to high school there. She later studied history at the University of Amsterdam, earning a master's degree. She also studied public administration in Paris, France. This education helped her prepare for a career in government.
Career in Government Service
Kajsa Ollongren started her career in government in 1992. She worked at the Ministry of Economic Affairs. There, she helped shape policies for countries in Central and Eastern Europe. She also trained young political parties in these new democracies.
From 2001 to 2004, she directed European Integration and Strategy. In 2004, she became Deputy Director General of the ministry. In 2007, she moved to the Ministry of General Affairs. This department is led by the Prime Minister. She became the Deputy Secretary General there. By 2011, she was the Secretary General of the ministry.
Political Career
Working in Amsterdam City Politics
In 2014, the Democrats 66 party became the largest in Amsterdam. Kajsa Ollongren became an alderwoman and the first deputy mayor of the city. She started this role on June 18, 2014. Her job covered many areas, including economic affairs, culture, and city development.
In September 2017, the mayor of Amsterdam, Eberhard van der Laan, stepped down due to illness. Kajsa Ollongren took over his duties. After his death on October 6, she became the acting Mayor of Amsterdam.
Minister of the Interior (2017–2022)
On October 26, 2017, Kajsa Ollongren was appointed Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. This was in Prime Minister Mark Rutte's third cabinet. She also became one of the three Deputy Prime Ministers. From November 2019 to April 2020, she took a break for medical reasons.
After the 2021 general election, she helped lead talks to form a new government. However, she stepped down from these talks in March 2021. This happened after a photo showed her notes with confidential information. She also tested positive for COVID-19 around that time.
Minister of Defence (2022–2024)
In January 2022, Kajsa Ollongren became the Minister of Defence. Soon after, she agreed to help Ukraine. The Netherlands sent 200 Stinger air defense rockets and 50 Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank systems to Ukraine. This was in response to the 2022 Russian invasion.
During her time as Minister of Defence, the government also set aside extra money for military aid to Ukraine. In June 2024, she stated that the Netherlands would not object if Ukraine used Dutch-supplied F-16 fighter jets to strike targets inside Russia. Her term ended on July 2, 2024, when a new government was sworn in.
Personal Life
Kajsa Ollongren is married to television producer Irene van den Brekel. They have two children together.
