biography
| name: |
Romme, Carl Paul Maria
|
pronunciation:
[rommuh]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1896–1980)
|
| biography:
| Dutch Catholic politician and lawyer, born in Oirschot, S Netherlands. He joined the Amsterdam Municipal Council (1921–37) and in 1933 became MP for the Roomsch Katholieke Staatspartij (RKSP). He became a lecturer in Tilburg, and in 1935–7 special professor of constitutional and administrative law. As minister of social affairs (1937–9) he introduced a compulsory savings system for the unemployed (‘het kwartje van Romme’), making him unpopular with the socialists. During World War 2 he was a government mediator and was twice taken hostage. In 1945–52 he was chief editor on constitutional matters of De Volkskrant and chairman of the Centrum voor Staatkundige Vorming instituted by the RKSP, which involved him in the foundation of the Katholieke Volkspartij (KVP). As leader of the KVP he became an important figure in politics for 15 years. In 1961 he retired from politics for medical reasons, but in 1963 was asked by the Crown to act as an adviser on the formation of the cabinet. In 1962–72 he was member of the Council of State, and minister of state from late 1971. |
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