Ivo Samkalden (10 August 1912 – 11 May 1995) was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and jurist. He was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 22 January 1985.[1]
After the election of 1956 Samkalden was appointed as Minister of Justice in the Cabinet Drees III, taking office on 13 October 1956. The Cabinet Drees III fell on 11 December 1958 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretakerCabinet Beel II on 22 December 1958. Samkalden was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1959, taking office on 20 March 1959. Samkalden also became active in the public sector and worked as a professor of International relations and Leiden University from May 1959 until April 1965. After the Senate election of 1960 Samkalden was elected as a Member of the Senate, he resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives on 1 September 1960 and was installed as a Member of the Senate, taking office on 20 September 1960. On 27 February 1965 the Cabinet Marijnen fell and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1965 when it was replaced by Cabinet Cals with Samkalden appointed again as Minister of Justice, taking office on 14 April 1965. Samkalden served as acting Minister of the Interior from 31 August 1966 until 5 September 1966 following the resignation of Jan Smallenbroek. The Cabinet Cals fell just one year later on 14 October 1966 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Zijlstra on 22 November 1966. In December 1966 Samkalden announced that he wouldn't stand for the election of 1967. Samkalden remained in active politics, in July 1967 he was nominated as Mayor of Amsterdam, serving from 1 August 1967 until 1 June 1977.
Samkalden was known for his abilities as a manager and policy wonk. Samkalden continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman until his death at the age of 82. He holds the distinction as the first Jewish Mayor of Amsterdam.