Last Saturday, we learnt to our great sadness that Wim Kok, former Prime-Minister of the Netherlands, has passed away. In 1986, Wim Kok was the successor of former Prime-Minister Joop den Uyl as party leader of the PvdA. He served as Minister of Finance from 1989 until 1994. After winning the elections in 1994, Wim Kok became Prime-Minister of the Netherlands. He was the leader of two succeeding cabinets, until he retired from politics in 2002.
We will remember Wim Kok as the Prime-Minister who implemented impressive social and economic reforms and legalised same sex marriage in the Netherlands, as the first country in the world. He always remained a humble leader and was known to be a real connector and great negotiatior – one of the best examples of the Dutch ‘poldermodel’. Also, he was one of the founding fathers of the Party of European Socialists.
PvdA Leader Lodewijk Asscher: “Wim Kok was a man of great integrity. He was passionate, loyal, compassionate and he radiated authority and had charisma. He was a serving leader, even before that style came into fashion. He was modest and an incredible hard worker, in particular when it could be to the benefit of those who are most vulnerable in society. He had explicit opinions on the topics he was most concerned about. Social economic development and maintaining peace in our societies. We are sad to have lost him and will remember Wim Kok with gratitude and respect.”
First Vice-President of the EU Commission Frans Timmermans: “Wim Kok could tear down walls and built bridges over cliffs with the same stones. A ‘pontifex’ in the classical Roman sense. He could be surly, but that was just on the surface. Who got to know him would see a modest, shy, warm and friendly person, always committed to those less privileged who do not receive life presented on a silver platter. The Trade Union turned him into an internationalist, politics turned him into a European.”
