Jacques Wallage, a Dutch Labour Party (PvdA) politician and former mayor of Groningen who helped implement the city’s 1977 traffic plan, died Aug. 12, 2026, at 79, the City of Groningen said.
Wallage was elected to Groningen’s city council in 1970, led the local PvdA group and became an alderman in 1972 in the city’s first left-wing majority administration. The plan routed through-traffic around the center and restricted cars inside it. Despite initial opposition, it produced a cleaner, quieter center and was later adopted by other cities.
He entered the Dutch House of Representatives in 1981. He served as a state secretary, a ministerial deputy, for education and sciences from 1989 to 1993 and for social affairs and employment from 1993 to 1994. Legislation associated with those portfolios included the Basic Formation Act and the Disabled Facilities Act.
He led the PvdA parliamentary group during the 1994 coalition talks, negotiating with VVD leader Frits Bolkestein and D66 leader Hans van Mierlo. The talks produced Wim Kok’s first cabinet, a Labour, liberal and social-liberal coalition formed without the Christian Democrats and known as the first Purple cabinet. Wallage became mayor of Groningen in 1998 and served until 2009. During his tenure, he helped develop the Euroborg stadium and the new Meerstad neighborhood.
