Wim Kok

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
Cause of death	Heart failure
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: [ˈʋɪm ˈkɔk] ^ⓘ; 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]