| Wim Kok | |
|---|---|
| Prime Minister of the Netherlands | |
| In office August 22, 1994 – July 22, 2002 |
|
| Monarch | Beatrix |
| Deputy |
See list
|
| Preceded by | Ruud Lubbers |
| Succeeded by | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office November 7, 1989 – August 22, 1994 |
|
| Prime Minister | Ruud Lubbers |
| Preceded by | Onno Ruding |
| Succeeded by | Gerrit Zalm |
| Deputy Prime Minister | |
| In office November 7, 1989 – August 22, 1994 |
|
| Prime Minister | Ruud Lubbers |
| Preceded by | Rudolf de Korte |
| Succeeded by | Hans Dijkstal Hans van Mierlo |
| Parliamentary leader – Labour Party House of Representatives |
|
| In office July 21, 1986 – November 5, 1989 |
|
| Preceded by | Joop den Uyl |
| Succeeded by | Thijs Wöltgens |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office June 3, 1986 – November 6, 1989 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Willem Kok September 29, 1938 Bergambacht, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Spouse(s) | Rita Roukema (born 1939) |
| Residence | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Alma mater | Nyenrode Business Universiteit (Dr.h.c.) University of Münster (Dr.h.c.) |
| Occupation | Politician Lobbyist Trade Union Leader |
| Religion | Agnosticism [1][2][3] |
Willem "Wim" Kok (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɪm ˈkɔk] ( listen)); born September 29, 1938) is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA). He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from August 22, 1994 until July 22, 2002.
He previously served as a Member of the House of Representatives from June 3, 1986 until November 6, 1989. When the Labour Party Party leader and Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Joop den Uyl retired Kok was chosen to succeed him. He served as Parliamentary leader from July 21, 1986 until November 5, 1989. He was Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet Lubbers III from November 7, 1989 until August 22, 1994. After winning the Dutch general election of 1994, Kok became Prime Minister of the Netherlands, leading the Cabinets Kok I and II, comprised by Kok's own Labour Party, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and the Democrats 66, also known as the Purple Coalitions. During the time of his second cabinet, Kok obtained the status of a statesman by his fellow European leaders.[4]
After his premiership, Kok retired from active politics and became a lobbyist for the European Union. He is the current president of the Club of Madrid. This organization promotes democracy and change in the global community. Members of the club or former heads of state and government.
On April 11, 2003, he was granted the honorary title of Minister of State.[5]
Contents |
Willem Kok was born on September 29, 1938 in Bergambacht in the Netherlands Province of South Holland. After completing his studies at the Nyenrode Business Universiteit business school, he started his career in 1961 at the socialist Nederlands Verbond van Vakverenigingen (NVV), where he was chairman from 1973 until 1982. Between 1976 and 1986 he was chair of the Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV), a merger of the NVV and the Catholic trade union NKV, which he had overseen.
In 1986, Kok succeeded Joop den Uyl as leader of the social democratic Labour Party. From 1989 until 1994 he was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in a cabinet with the centre-right party Christian Democratic Appeal.
In 1994, Kok became Prime Minister in a cabinet with the conservative liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and the social liberal party Democrats 66. This cabinet goes under the name of Cabinet Kok I. This Purple coalition was the first in decades to form a government without the Christian Democratic Appeal. After the elections in 1998 he led a second government with the same partners, Cabinet Kok II.
During most of Kok's time as Prime Minister, the Netherlands was booming economically and Kok was credited internationally for the Dutch Polder Model. This same "Polder model" went out of fashion early 2002, which saw the rise of Pim Fortuyn, a political newcomer.
Kok's cabinet fell just weeks before the May 2002 elections when Kok and all his ministers stepped down because of the discussion about the possible Dutch responsibility in the Srebrenica massacre.
Kok left Dutch politics after the election, as he had already announced the year before, but that does not mean his political life has ended. Like many whose official political careers have ended, he continues to influence politics.
Kok was succeeded as leader of the Labour Party by Ad Melkert, who went on to lose the Dutch general election of 2002.
At present, Wim Kok holds the following positions:
Between April and November 2004, Kok headed up a review of the Lisbon Strategy and presented a report containing suggestions on how to give new impetus to the Lisbon process. The European Commission used this report to declare that the social and environmental parts are no longer a priority and declared a return to the Lisbon Agenda under economic terms only.
Kok now lobbies for the Lisbon Strategy of the European Commission and has also been appointed to the Advisory Board of the European Association of History Educators.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joop den Uyl |
Party leader Labour Party 1986-2001 |
Succeeded by Ad Melkert |
| Preceded by Joop den Uyl |
Parliamentary leader – Labour Party House of Representatives 1986-1989 |
Succeeded by Thijs Wöltgens |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by Onno Ruding |
Minister of Finance 1989-1994 |
Succeeded by Gerrit Zalm |
| Preceded by Ruud Lubbers |
Minister of General Affairs 1994-2002 |
Succeeded by Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Ruud Lubbers |
Prime Minister of the Netherlands 1994-2002 |
Succeeded by Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Non-profit organization positions | ||
| Preceded by Ricardo Lagos |
President of the Club of Madrid 2009- |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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