Wim Kok
| His Excellency Wim Kok | |
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Wim Kok in 2011 | |
| 48th Prime Minister of the Netherlands | |
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In office 22 August 1994 – 22 July 2002 | |
| Monarch | Beatrix |
| Deputy |
See list
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| Preceded by | Ruud Lubbers |
| Succeeded by | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Leader of the Labour Party | |
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In office 21 July 1986 – 15 December 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Joop den Uyl |
| Succeeded by | Ad Melkert |
| Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands | |
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In office 7 November 1989 – 22 August 1994 | |
| Prime Minister | Ruud Lubbers |
| Preceded by | Rudolf de Korte |
| Succeeded by |
Hans Dijkstal Hans van Mierlo |
| Minister of Finance of the Netherlands | |
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In office 7 November 1989 – 22 August 1994 | |
| Prime Minister | Ruud Lubbers |
| Preceded by | Onno Ruding |
| Succeeded by | Gerrit Zalm |
| Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands | |
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In office 19 May 1998 – 14 August 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Jacques Wallage |
| Succeeded by | Jacques Wallage |
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In office 17 May 1994 – 22 August 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Thijs Wöltgens |
| Succeeded by | Jacques Wallage |
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In office 21 July 1986 – 5 November 1989 | |
| Preceded by | Joop den Uyl |
| Succeeded by | Thijs Wöltgens |
| Member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands | |
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In office 19 May 1998 – 22 August 1998 | |
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In office 17 May 1994 – 22 August 1994 | |
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In office 3 June 1986 – 6 November 1989 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Willem Kok, Jr. 29 September 1938 Bergambacht, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Spouse(s) | Rita Roukema (m. 1965) |
| Children |
Carla (born 1959) André (born 1961) Marcel (born 1966) |
| Residence | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Alma mater | Nyenrode Business University (Bachelor of Public Administration) |
| Occupation |
Politician Trade union Leader Corporate director Nonprofit director Lobbyist |
| Signature |
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Willem "Wim" Kok, Jr. (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɪm ˈkɔk]) (born 29 September 1938) is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA). He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 August 1994 until 22 July 2002.[1][2]
Kok a trade union leader by occupation, worked for the Netherlands Association of Trade Unions from 1961 until 1976, when it merged to form the Federation Netherlands Labour Movement, Kok served as its first chairman from 1976 until 1986 when he left to enter politics. Kok was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the Dutch general election of 1986 taking office on 3 June 1986. Soon after the election Joop den Uyl the Leader of the Labour Party and Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives announced that he was stepping down after serving twenty years as Leader of the Labour Party. Kok was elected to succeed him and became Leader of the Labour Party and the Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives on 21 July 1986. Kok served as Opposition Leader against the Cabinet Lubbers II. For the Dutch general election of 1989 Kok became the Lijsttrekker (top candidate) with the Labour Party losing three seats but the following cabinet formation resulted in a coalition agreement with the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) which formed the Cabinet Lubbers III, Kok became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, serving from 7 November 1989 until 22 August 1994. For the Dutch general election of 1994, Kok again as Lijsttrekker lost twelve seats but the Christian Democratic Appeal and the new Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal Elco Brinkman lost twenty seats. The Labour Party became the largest party in the House of Representatives.
After an arduous cabinet formation with the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Democrats 66 (D66) a deal was struck that resulted in the Cabinet Kok I with Kok becoming Prime Minister of the Netherlands taking office on 22 August 1994. The Cabinet Kok I was considered groundbreaking in Dutch politics becoming the first cabinet since 1908 without a Christian democratic party. With the following Dutch general election of 1998, Kok again as Lijsttrekker won eight seats and the coalition retained its majority and a cabinet formation resulted in a continuation of the policies with a Cabinet Kok II. On 15 December 2001 Kok announced his retirement from national politics and stood down as Leader of the Labour Party that same day. Kok remained Prime Minister of the Netherlands until the Cabinet Balkenende I was installed on 22 July 2002.
After his premiership, Kok semi-retired from active politics at the age of sixty-three and became a lobbyist for the European Union and presided over several "high-level groups". Following the end of his active political career, Kok occupied numerous seats on supervisory boards in the business and industry world and several international non-governmental organizations (Royal Dutch Shell, KLM, ING Group, Koninklijke TNT Post, China Construction Bank, Stork B.V., International Commission on Missing Persons, International Crisis Group, Anne Frank Foundation and the Club of Madrid).
Kok is known for his abilities as a manager and negotiator. During his premiership, his cabinets were responsible for implementing several social reforms, legalizing same-sex marriage and euthanasia, stimulating the economy for more employment and privatization and further reducing the deficit. He holds the distinction of leading the first Purple Coalitions as Prime Minister of the Netherlands. Kok continues to comment on political affairs as an statesman. On 11 April 2003, he was granted the honorary title of Minister of State.[3]
Early life
Willem Kok, Jr. was born on 29 September 1938, in Bergambacht in the Netherlands Province of South Holland, the son of Willem Kok, Sr. (29 March 1910 – 10 January 1981) a carpenter and Neeltje de Jager (born 17 October 1913). He has one younger brother born in 1945.
Union career
After completing his studies in business at the Nyenrode Business Universiteit, he started his career in 1961 at the socialist Netherlands Association of Trade Unions (NVV), where he was chairman from 1973 until 1982. In 1982, the NVV merged with Nederlands Katholiek Vakverbond (NKV), the Catholic trade union, to form the Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV), of which he served as chair until 1986. Then he left the union to enter politics.
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Political career
Parliamentary leader and Minister of Finance
Kok was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives on 3 June 1986, after the Dutch general election of 1986. Soon after the election Joop den Uyl the Leader of the Labour Party and Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives announced that he was stepping down after serving twenty years as Leader of the Labour Party. Kok was elected to succeed him and became Party leader of the Labour Party and the Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives on 21 July 1986 and served as Opposition leader during the parliamentary period of the Cabinet Lubbers II. For the Dutch general election of 1989 Kok became the top candidate and the Labour Party lost three seats but the following cabinet formation resulted in a coalition agreement with the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) which formed the Cabinet Lubbers III, Kok became Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Finance, serving from 7 November 1989 until 22 August 1994.
Prime Minister
For the Dutch general election of 1994, Kok again as top candidate lost twelve seats but the Christian Democratic Appeal with new leader Elco Brinkman lost twenty seats. The Labour Party became the largest party in the House of Representatives, after an arduous cabinet formation with the conservative liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the social liberal Democrats 66 (D66) a deal was struck that resulted in the Cabinet Kok I, with Kok as Prime Minister. It was considered groundbreaking in Dutch politics this was the first Cabinet of the Netherlands since 1908 without a Christian democratic party.
The main aim of the Cabinet Kok I was to create employment. The Dutch economy had been in a deep recession for years. The market was allowed more influence in the economy. This let to a policy of tax reduction, economizing, and trying to keep people out of the social care by supporting employment; large infrastructural projects were set in motion. Another aim was to make an end to the enormous debt of the Dutch government. The Treaty of Amsterdam was signed during this cabinet. The Srebrenica massacre occurred under the responsibility of this government, which eventually would lead to the fall of the second Kok cabinet. Until today, this was the last Dutch cabinet in recent history to serve a full term.
With the following Dutch general election of 1998, Kok again as top candidate won eight seats and the coalition retained its majority and a cabinet formation resulted in a continuation of the policies with a Cabinet Kok II.
Kok remained as Prime Minister of the Netherlands until the Cabinet Balkenende I was installed on 22 July 2002. The second cabinet was the successor of the first cabinet was formed from the same coalition of PvdA, VVD and D66. It was also known as the "second purple cabinet" called such because it contained both the social-democratic PvdA (red) and the liberal VVD (blue). The aim of the cabinet was to continue the policy of cabinet Kok I, which was concerned with economizing, tax reduction, and making an end to unemployment. Wim Kok was the prime minister, Annemarie Jorritsma as the deputy prime minister for the VVD, and Els Borst for D66. The cabinet had both left-wing and right-wing political parties as a part of it. There was no strong opposition in the House of Representatives. This cabinet was notable for resigning twice. The first time was in May 1999, when D66 stepped out of the coalition when proposed legislation entered by this party was blocked; through negotiations the crisis was solved and the cabinet stayed together. The second and final time was on 16 April 2002, close to the natural end of term for the cabinet, when prime minister Kok wished to resign over the report by the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies into the fall of Srebrenica in 1995 and the other ministers had no choice but to follow him. The Second Kok cabinet remained in place as a caretaker cabinet until 22 July 2002, when it was replaced by the first Balkenende cabinet.
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.
After politics
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.
After his premiership, Kok retired from active politics at the age of sixty-three and became a lobbyist for the European Union and presided over several "high-level groups". He also occupied numerous seats on supervisory boards in the business and industry world (ING Group, Koninklijke TNT Post, Royal Dutch Shell, KLM, Stork B.V., International Commission on Missing Persons, International Crisis Group, Anne Frank Foundation and served as president of the Club of Madrid from 2009 until the December 2013).[4] Kok was highly praised for his Third Way and Polder model philosophies and for the success of leading his Purple Coalitions. Kok during that time obtained the status of a statesman by his fellow European leaders. The Cabinet Kok I is to date the last Cabinet of the Netherlands to have completed a full term.
Lisbon Strategy
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.
Personal
In 1965, after four years of dating, Kok married Margrietha "Rita" Roukema (born 1939). He adopted her two children from a previous marriage, daughter Carla (born 1959) and son André (born 1961), who is mentally and physically disabled, and together they had a third child, son Marcel (born 1966).[5]
Honours and honorary appointments
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain, 19 October 2001)[6]
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands, 10 December 2002)
- Minister of State (Netherlands, 11 April 2003)[7]
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Three Stars (Latvia, November 2004)
References
- ↑ (Dutch) Wim Kok (1938) Biografie, Absolutefacts.nl, 4 June 2010
- ↑ (Dutch) Wim Kok: bezuiniger tegen wil en dank, Elsevier, 29 March 2012
- ↑ (Dutch) Dr. W. Kok, Rijksoverheid, 11 April 2003
- ↑ (Dutch) Wim Kok voorzitter Club van Madrid, Telegraaf, November 13, 2009
- ↑ (Dutch) 'Ik zou graag opa willen worden, dat lijkt me een mooie tijdsbesteding', Opzij.nl, 1 December 1997
- ↑ REAL DECRETO 1143/2001 - website Boletín Oficial del Estado (Spanish)
- ↑ (Dutch) Dr. W. Kok, Rijksoverheid, April 11, 2003
External links
- Official
- (Dutch) W. (Wim) Kok Parlement & Politiek
- (Dutch) Dr. W. Kok Rijksoverheid
- (Dutch) Kabinet-Kok I Rijksoverheid
- (Dutch) Kabinet-Kok II Rijksoverheid
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