Ahmed Aboutaleb
Encyclopedia
Ahmed Aboutaleb is a Dutch
politician of the Labour Party
(PvdA). He has been the Mayor of Rotterdam since January 5, 2009. He served as State Secretary
for Social Affairs and Employment
from February 22, 2007 until December 12, 2008 in the Cabinet Balkenende IV.
He is the first Mayor
of a large city in the Netherlands
who is of Moroccan, Muslim, and immigrant descent. Aboutaleb is a dual citizen
(of the Netherlands
and Morocco
) and a practising Muslim
.
in small Moroccan
village in the Nador Province, Rif
region. Together with his mother and brothers he moved to the Netherlands in 1976. Aboutaleb then studied telecommunications at different schools up to the Hogere Technische School
where he obtained a Bachelor of Engineering
degree. After graduating he found work as reporter for Veronica, NOS
-radio and RTL Nieuws
. He also worked at the public relations department of the Dutch health ministry.
In 1998, Aboutaleb became director of the Forum organisation, an institute dealing with multiculturalism in the Netherlands. He also obtained a post as civil servant with the municipality
of Amsterdam
.
as alderman
in the city. Labour Party leader Wouter Bos
in his book Wat Wouter Wil (What Wouter Wants) said that if the Labour Party was involved in forming the next cabinet after the 2006 elections
, Aboutaleb would be offered a ministerial post. Aboutaleb himself claimed at the time he wanted to focus on his work as alderman and that it was "important first that the PvdA wins the elections."
When the PvdA really did become part of a new coalition, Aboutaleb was just offered the job of State Secretary
for social affairs
, but said that he did not mind the lesser function, and believed he could learn a lot from Piet Hein Donner
, the minister of social affairs.
Along with another deputy minister, Nebahat Albayrak
, of Turkish descent, Aboutaleb was criticized at the time of their announced appointments by Geert Wilders
for holding dual passports. According to Wilders and his party, government ministers should not have dual citizenship, which they say implies dual allegiance.
On October 31, 2008 Aboutaleb was appointed (in the Netherlands, mayors are not elected) as the next mayor of Rotterdam. He succeeded the former mayor, Ivo Opstelten
on January 5, 2009. Jetta Klijnsma
succeeded him as State Secretary.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
politician of the Labour Party
Labour Party (Netherlands)
The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
(PvdA). He has been the Mayor of Rotterdam since January 5, 2009. He served as State Secretary
State Secretary (Netherlands)
State Secretary is the title of a junior member of the Dutch or Belgian cabinet. Other terms for the title are deputy minister, junior minister or vice-minister...
for Social Affairs and Employment
Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment is the Dutch ministry of social affairs: it is occupied with employment, relations between employers and employees, the system of social security, and emancipation...
from February 22, 2007 until December 12, 2008 in the Cabinet Balkenende IV.
He is the first Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of a large city in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
who is of Moroccan, Muslim, and immigrant descent. Aboutaleb is a dual citizen
Multiple citizenship
Multiple citizenship is a status in which a person is concurrently regarded as a citizen under the laws of more than one state. Multiple citizenships exist because different countries use different, and not necessarily mutually exclusive, citizenship requirements...
(of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
) and a practising Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Early life
Aboutaleb grew up as a son of an imamImam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
in small Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
village in the Nador Province, Rif
Rif
The Rif or Riff is a mainly mountainous region of northern Morocco, with some fertile plains, stretching from Cape Spartel and Tangier in the west to Ras Kebdana and the Melwiyya River in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the river of Wergha in the south.It is part of the...
region. Together with his mother and brothers he moved to the Netherlands in 1976. Aboutaleb then studied telecommunications at different schools up to the Hogere Technische School
University of applied sciences
University of applied sciences may refer to:*Ammattikorkeakoulu, the term for a university of applied sciences in Finland*Fachhochschule, the term for a university of applied sciences in Germany...
where he obtained a Bachelor of Engineering
Bachelor of Engineering
The Bachelor of Engineering is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a student after three to five years of studying engineering at universities in Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland , Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Korea,...
degree. After graduating he found work as reporter for Veronica, NOS
Nederlandse Omroep Stichting
The Nederlandse Omroep Stichting , English: Netherlands Broadcasting Foundation, is one of the broadcasters in the Netherlands Public Broadcasting system...
-radio and RTL Nieuws
RTL Nederland
RTL Nederland is a subsidiary of the RTL Group. The media company is located in Hilversum. Although the licences of it tv-stations RTL 4, RTL 5, RTL 7 and RTL 8 are officially Luxembourgish, the company targets the Dutch market...
. He also worked at the public relations department of the Dutch health ministry.
Amsterdam (municipality)
The Government of Amsterdam is the government of the municipality and city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Most of the inhabitants live in the city of Amsterdam, but the municipality also covers a number of small villages, and other parts of the local government, such as the Waterschap or the...
of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
Career
In January 2004, Aboutaleb succeeded the scandal-plagued Rob OudkerkRob Oudkerk
Robert Herman Oudkerk is a Dutch politician and general practitioner. He has served as a member of the Dutch House of Representatives for the Dutch Labour Party and as alderman of education in Amsterdam...
as alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in the city. Labour Party leader Wouter Bos
Wouter Bos
Wouter Jacob Bos is a Dutch management consultant and former politician of the Labour Party . He was Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet Balkenende IV from February 22, 2007 till February 23, 2010...
in his book Wat Wouter Wil (What Wouter Wants) said that if the Labour Party was involved in forming the next cabinet after the 2006 elections
Dutch general election, 2006
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
, Aboutaleb would be offered a ministerial post. Aboutaleb himself claimed at the time he wanted to focus on his work as alderman and that it was "important first that the PvdA wins the elections."
When the PvdA really did become part of a new coalition, Aboutaleb was just offered the job of State Secretary
State Secretary (Netherlands)
State Secretary is the title of a junior member of the Dutch or Belgian cabinet. Other terms for the title are deputy minister, junior minister or vice-minister...
for social affairs
Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment is the Dutch ministry of social affairs: it is occupied with employment, relations between employers and employees, the system of social security, and emancipation...
, but said that he did not mind the lesser function, and believed he could learn a lot from Piet Hein Donner
Piet Hein Donner
Jan Pieter Hendrik "Piet Hein" Donner is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He is the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Cabinet Rutte since October 14, 2010....
, the minister of social affairs.
Along with another deputy minister, Nebahat Albayrak
Nebahat Albayrak
Nebahat Albayrak is a Turkish-Dutch politician and former civil servant. As a member of the Dutch Labour Party she is a former State Secretary for Justice in the Netherlands. Since May 12, 2010 she has been an MP. From April till August 2011 she was on maternity leave...
, of Turkish descent, Aboutaleb was criticized at the time of their announced appointments by Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders is a Dutch right-wing politician and leader of the Party for Freedom , the third-largest political party in the Netherlands. He is the Parliamentary group leader of his party in the Dutch House of Representatives...
for holding dual passports. According to Wilders and his party, government ministers should not have dual citizenship, which they say implies dual allegiance.
On October 31, 2008 Aboutaleb was appointed (in the Netherlands, mayors are not elected) as the next mayor of Rotterdam. He succeeded the former mayor, Ivo Opstelten
Ivo Opstelten
Ivo Willem Opstelten is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He is the Minister of Security and Justice in the Cabinet Rutte since October 14, 2010....
on January 5, 2009. Jetta Klijnsma
Jetta Klijnsma
Jellejetta Klijnsma is a Dutch politician. As a member of the Labour Party she has been an MP since June 17, 2010. She focuses on matters of culture, senior citizens, disabled people and medical ethics...
succeeded him as State Secretary.