Johannes Wijnandus "Johan" Remkes (born 15 June 1951) is a Dutch politician and nonprofit director who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 2002 to 2003 under Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. He is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). Remkes studied Economics at the University of Groningen obtaining a Bachelor of Economics degree. Remkes served as chairman of the political youth organisation JOVD from July 1975 until November 1977. Remkes worked as member of the Provincial-Executive of Groningen from May 1982 until October 1993. Remkes became a member of the House of Representatives on 26 October 1993 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Housing. After the election of 1998 Remkes was appointed as State Secretary for Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment under the Second Kok cabinet taking office on 3 August 1998. After the election of 2002 Remkes was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the First Balkenende cabinet, which took office on 22 July 2002 but fell just 87 days into its term. After the election of 2003 Remkes continued as Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the Second Balkenende cabinet. The cabinet fell on 30 June 2006 and was replaced with the caretaker Third Balkenende cabinet with Remkes retaining his position. After the election of 2006 Remkes returned to the House of Representatives on 30 November 2006 and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for the Interior. In March 2010, Remkes announced that he would not stand for the election of 2010 and declined to serve in new cabinet. Remkes continued to be active in politics and in June 2010 was nominated as the next King's Commissioner of North Holland serving from 1 July 2010 until 1 January 2019. Remkes also became active in the public sector as non-profit director and serves on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government. In September 2019, Remkes was appointed as Acting Mayor of The Hague serving from 11 October 2019 until 1 July 2020. From 19 April 2021 until 1 December 2021 Remkes was Acting King's Commissionner of Limburg. Early career Remkes was born in Zuidbroek, Groningen. Remkes applied at the University of Groningen in June 1970 majoring in Economics and obtaining a Bachelor of Economics degree in June 1972. Remkes served on the Municipal Council of Groningen