The Prime Minister Of Netherlands "William Wim KOK"

Wim Kok

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His Excellency Wim Kok
Wim Kok in 2011
48th Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 22 August 1994 – 22 July 2002
Monarch	Beatrix
Deputy	See list[show]
Preceded by	Ruud Lubbers
Succeeded by	Jan Peter Balkenende
Leader of the Labour Party
In office 21 July 1986 – 15 December 2001
Preceded by	Joop den Uyl
Succeeded by	Ad Melkert
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
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
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
In office 19 May 1998 – 14 August 1998
Preceded by	Jacques Wallage
Succeeded by	Jacques Wallage
In office 17 May 1994 – 22 August 1994
Preceded by	Thijs Wöltgens
Succeeded by	Jacques Wallage
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
In office 19 May 1998 – 22 August 1998
In office 17 May 1994 – 22 August 1994
In office 3 June 1986 – 6 November 1989
Personal details
Born	Willem Kok, Jr. 29 September 1938 (age 78) 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

Willem "Wim" Kok, Jr. (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɪm ˈkɔk] ( listen)) (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]