Stef Blok

Stef Blok
Blok in 2018
Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy
In office 25 May 2021 – 10 January 2022
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Bas van 't Wout
Succeeded by	Micky Adriaansens
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 7 March 2018 – 25 May 2021
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Sigrid Kaag (ad interim)
Succeeded by	Sigrid Kaag
Minister of Security and Justice
In office 27 January 2017 – 26 October 2017
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Ard van der Steur
Succeeded by	Ferdinand Grapperhaus as Minister of Justice and Security
In office 10 March 2015 – 20 March 2015 Ad interim
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Ivo Opstelten
Succeeded by	Ard van der Steur
Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
In office 29 June 2016 – 16 September 2016 Ad interim
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Ronald Plasterk
Succeeded by	Ronald Plasterk
Minister for Housing and the Central Government Sector
In office 5 November 2012 – 27 January 2017
Prime Minister	Mark Rutte
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives
In office 8 October 2010 – 20 September 2012
Preceded by	Mark Rutte
Succeeded by	Mark Rutte
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 3 September 2002 – 5 November 2012
In office 25 August 1998 – 23 May 2002
Personal details
Born	Stephanus Abraham Blok (1964-12-10) 10 December 1964 (age 60) Emmeloord, Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (from 1988)
Children	1 son
Residence(s)	Enkhuizen, Netherlands
Alma mater	University of Groningen (Bachelor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration)
Occupation	Politician · Banker · Credit broker · Accountant

Stephanus Abraham "Stef" Blok (born 10 December 1964) is a Dutch politician who served as Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy in the Third Rutte cabinet from 25 May 2021 till 10 January 2022. He is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).^[1][2]

An accountant by occupation, Blok served as a member of the House of Representatives from 25 August 1998 until 23 May 2002 and from 3 September 2002 until 5 November 2012. After the election of 2010 the Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Mark Rutte became Prime Minister in the First Rutte cabinet with Blok chosen to succeed him as parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives serving from 8 October 2010 until 20 September 2012. Following the election of 2012 Blok was asked to become Minister for Housing and the Central Government Sector in the Second Rutte cabinet taking office on 5 November 2012. Blok served as Acting Minister of Security and Justice from 10 March 2015 until 20 March 2015 following the resignation of Ivo Opstelten and ad interim Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations from 29 June 2016 until 16 September 2016 during a sick-leave of Ronald Plasterk.

On 27 January 2017, Minister of Security and Justice Ard van der Steur resigned to avoid a vote of no confidence, Blok was appointed to serve out the remainder of his term and subsequently resigned as Minister for Housing and the Central Government Sector the same day. He did not stand for the election of 2017 and announced his retirement. Following the resignation of Halbe Zijlstra as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Third Rutte cabinet on 13 February 2018, Blok was nominated to succeed him taking office on 7 March 2018.^[3]

Biography

Early life

Stephanus Abraham Blok was born on 10 December 1964 in Emmeloord, now in the Province of Flevoland. After attending Stedelijk Gymnasium Leiden from 1977 until 1983, he studied Business Administration at the University of Groningen from 1983 until 1989 and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration and an M.S. in Business Administration degree. Blok worked for ABN AMRO as a credit broker and later as a branch manager from 1989 until 1998.

He was a member of the municipal council of Nieuwkoop from 1994 to 1998.

One of his ancestors was J.F.A. Dligoor, an engineer working in Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) in building Prijetan dam in Lamongan, East Java and who was buried in the country.^[4]

Blok speaks with U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo in the Great Salon Room in The Hague, the Netherlands on June 3, 2019.

Politics

Blok served as Acting Minister of Security and Justice after the resignation of Ivo Opstelten from 10 March until 20 March 2015 while retaining his other cabinet position.^[5][6] He resigned as Minister for Housing and the Central Government Sector on 27 January 2017 to hold the title of Minister of Security and Justice in a full position until 26 October 2017, following the resignation of Ard van der Steur.^[7] Blok also served as Acting Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations from 29 June to 16 September 2016 while Ronald Plasterk underwent surgery. After his term as justice minister, Blok announced his plans to leave politics.^[8]

Following the resignation of Halbe Zijlstra as Minister of Foreign Affairs on 13 February 2018, Blok was selected to succeed him.^[9]

Controversy

In July 2018, Blok expressed criticism of multiculturalism and argued that black African migrants could not be resettled in Eastern Europe because they would be beaten up, during a meeting that was later telecast on Zembla:^{[10][11][12][13]}

"Give me an example, of a multiethnic or multicultural society, where the original population are still living as well. [...] And where there are peaceful community relations. I am not aware of any."

An audience member suggested Suriname.

"Suriname peaceful? A functioning rule of law and democracy? Courageous, this remark. So the parties in Suriname are not divided by their ethnicity? [...] I admire your optimism. Suriname is a failed state and that is very much linked to its ethnic composition.”

One audience member suggested Singapore was a successful multi-ethnic society and Blok responded that Singapore is a “small mini-country,” which is “extremely selective in its migration” and does not allow poor immigrants except "maybe for cleaning."^[14]

His remarks led to the Government of Suriname to demand an apology and the island-government of Curaçao, part of the Dutch Kingdom, to distance itself from the minister's remarks.^[15] The latter responded to the minister's remarks by stating:

"Minister Blok's expressions are not representative of the reality in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. On the contrary. In our view the Curacao multicultural society reflects a better picture of norms and values, such as justice, tolerance and freedom, which we share within the Kingdom."^[15]

In Suriname, both the government and the opposition opposed the idea that Suriname is a failed state due to its ethnic diversity. It prompted Chan Santokhi of the opposition Progressive Reform Party to respond:

"That Suriname under this government has become a country that some refer to as a ‘failed state’ is not due to its multicultural composition. Suriname is faced with a lack of good governance and unrestrained corruption."^[10]

Honours

Blok received the following honours:^[16]

•  Netherlands: Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau
•  Belgium: Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II
•  Estonia: Member 1st Class of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (5 June 2018)^[17][18]
•  Latvia: Grand Officer (2nd class) of the Order of the Three Stars
•  Lithuania: Grand Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania
•  Luxembourg: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

References

1. "Stef Blok nieuwe minister van Buitenlandse Zaken" (in Dutch). NOS. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
2. "Stef Blok wordt minister van Buitenlandse Zaken" (in Dutch). RTL Nieuws. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
3. "'VVD'er Stef Blok volgt Halbe Zijlstra op als minister van Buitenlandse Zaken'" (in Dutch). NU.nl. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
4. "Ketika Menlu Belanda Ziarah Leluhur di Area Waduk Waduk Prijetan, Lamongan".
5. (in Dutch) Minister Blok neemt Veiligheid en Justitie er even bij, NU.nl, 10 March 2015.
6. (in Dutch) Stef Blok fractievoorzitter VVD, RTLNieuws, 6 October 2010.
7. "Ontslagaanvraag minister en staatssecretaris van Veiligheid en Justitie" [Resignation minister and state secretary of Security and Justice]. koninklijkhuis.nl (in Dutch). King's Office. 27 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
8. Toby Sterling (March 5, 2018), Dutch gov't. names former justice minister Blok as new foreign minister Reuters.
9. "Stef Blok nieuwe minister Buitenlandse Zaken" (in Dutch). Telegraaf. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
10. Kuipers, Ank (18 July 2018). "Suriname leaders slam Dutch minister over 'failed state' comments". Reuters.
11. "Dutch foreign minister: Migrants would be 'beaten up' in Eastern Europe". 19 July 2018.
12. "Peaceful multicultural societies don't exist, Dutch FM says". 18 July 2018.
13. "Dutch FM "regrets" contentious anti-multiculturalism statements". 19 July 2018.
14. "Analysis - Dutch foreign minister says multicultural societies breed violence". Washington Post.
15. "Curacao distances itself from Dutch FM's multiculturalism statements; Suriname demands apology". 20 July 2018.
16. Declaration of Interests - website of the European Court of Auditors
17. King of Netherlands to visit Estonia next week - website of the Estionian public radio and television organisation Eesti Rahvusringhääling
18. [1] - website of the President of Estonia

External links

Official

• Drs. S.A. (Stef) Blok Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch)

Party political offices
Preceded by Mark Rutte	Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the House of Representatives 2010–2012	Succeeded by Mark Rutte
Political offices
New office	Minister for Housing and the Central Government Sector 2012–2017	Position abolished
Preceded by Ivo Opstelten	Minister of Security and Justice Acting 2015	Succeeded by Ard van der Steur
Preceded by Ronald Plasterk	Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Acting 2016	Succeeded by Ronald Plasterk
Preceded by Ard van der Steur	Minister of Security and Justice 2017	Succeeded by Ferdinand Grapperhaus
Preceded by Sigrid Kaag Ad interim	Minister of Foreign Affairs 2018–2021	Succeeded by Sigrid Kaag