Wim Kok

Willem "Wim" Kok (; 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. 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 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. Provided by Wikipedia