Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1994 to 2002
Wim Kok
Kok in 1994
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 22 August 1994 – 22 July 2002
Monarch
Beatrix
Deputy
See list
Hans Dijkstal (1994–1998) Hans van Mierlo (1994–1998) Annemarie Jorritsma (1998–2002) Els Borst (1998–2002)
Preceded by
Ruud Lubbers
Succeeded by
Jan Peter Balkenende
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
In office 7 November 1989 – 22 August 1994
Prime Minister
Ruud Lubbers
Preceded by
Onno Ruding
Succeeded by
Gerrit Zalm
Leader of the Labour Party
In office 21 July 1986 – 15 December 2001
Deputy
Wim Meijer Thijs Wöltgens Jacques Wallage Ad Melkert
Preceded by
Joop den Uyl
Succeeded by
Ad Melkert
Leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives
In office 19 May 1998 – 30 May 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
In office 19 May 1998 – 22 August 1998
In office 17 May 1994 – 22 August 1994
In office 3 June 1986 – 7 November 1989
Personal details
Born
Willem Kok
(1938-09-29)29 September 1938 Bergambacht, Netherlands
Died
20 October 2018(2018-10-20) (aged 80) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Political party
Labour Party (from 1961)
Spouse
Margrietha Lummechiena Roukema
(m. 1965)
Alma mater
Nyenrode Business School (BBA)
Occupation
Politician
Trade union leader
Businessman
Corporate director
Nonprofit director
Lobbyist
Activist
Signature
Military service
Allegiance
Netherlands
Branch/service
Royal Netherlands Army
Years of service
1958–1959 (Conscription) 1959–1961 (Reserve)
Rank
Private first class
Willem "Wim" Kok (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈʋɪmˈkɔk]ⓘ; 29 September 1938 – 20 October 2018) was a Dutch politician and trade union leader who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 August 1994 until 22 July 2002.[1][2] He was a member of the Labour Party (PvdA).
Kok studied business administration at the Nyenrode Business School obtaining a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and worked as a trade union leader for the Dutch Confederation of Trade Unions from 1961 until 1976, serving as its chairman from 1972. In 1976, it merged to form the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions, with Kok serving as its first chairman until 1986. In the 1986 general election, Kok was elected to the House of Representatives, taking office on 3 June 1986. Shortly after the election, incumbent leader of the Labour Party Joop den Uyl announced he was stepping down and endorsed Kok as his successor taking office on 21 July 1986. For the 1989 general election, Kok served as lead candidate, after which he struck a coalition agreement with incumbent Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), forming the third Lubbers cabinet. Kok became deputy prime minister and minister of finance, taking office on 7 November 1989.
For the 1994 general election, Kok served as lead candidate again and following a cabinet formation, formed the first Kok cabinet, taking office as Prime Minister of the Netherlands on 22 August 1994. For the 1998 general election Kok served as lead candidate once more, and after another successful cabinet formation, formed the second Kok cabinet, continuing as prime minister for a second term. In December 2001, Kok announced he was stepping down as party leader and that he would not stand for the 2002 general election or serve another term as prime minister. Kok left office following the installation of the first Balkenende cabinet on 22 July 2002.
Kok retired from active politics at 63 and became active in the private and public sectors as a corporate and non-profit director, served on several state commissions [nl] and councils on behalf of the government, and continued to be active as a lobbyist for the European Union, advocating further European integration. Kok was known for his abilities as a manager and negotiator. During his premiership, his cabinets were responsible for several major social reforms, such as the legalization of same-sex marriage and euthanasia, and further reducing the deficit. Kok was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 11 April 2003 and continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman until his death at the age of 80. He holds the distinction of leading the first purple coalitions as prime minister and is consistently ranked both by scholars and the public as one of the best prime ministers after World War II.[2][3][4][5]
^(in Dutch) Wim Kok (1938) Biografie, Absolutefacts.nl, 4 June 2010.
^ ab(in Dutch) Wim Kok: bezuiniger tegen wil en dank Archived 27 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Elsevier, 29 March 2012.
^(in Dutch) Willem Drees gekozen tot ‘Dé premier na WO II’, Geschiedenis24.nl, 15 January 2006
^(in Dutch) NRC-enquête: Drees en Lubbers beste premiers sinds 1900, NRC Handelsblad, 28 September 2013
^(in Dutch) I&O Research, I&O Research, 13 March 2020
Willem "Wim" Kok (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɪm ˈkɔk] ; 29 September 1938 – 20 October 2018) was a Dutch politician and trade union leader who served as...
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successful cabinet formation with Labour Leader WimKok and fellow Liberal Leader Hans van Mierlo formed the Cabinet Kok I with Bolkestein opting to remain as Parliamentary...
leader on 13 July 1998. Shortly before an upcoming election Party Leader WimKok announced his retirement and Melkert announced his candidacy to succeed...
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became minister of Health for the Democrats 66 in the First cabinet of WimKok. As a minister, Borst was known for two things, for introducing progressive...
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anniversary of Dutch liberation. It was presented by the Dutch prime minister WimKok to the U.S. president Bill Clinton on February 28, 1995, and the renovated...