Amsterdam’s mayor Job Cohen was voted Dutchman of the Year by readers of the Volkskrant newspaper. Second and third on the list were Socialist Party leader Jan Marijnissen and safety council chairman Pieter van Vollenhoven (husband of Princess Margriet) who compiled last year’s damning report into the Schiphol deportation centre fire.

Writer Hedda Haasse was the highest placed woman, coming in at number four out of 30 candidates.