Ahmed Aboutaleb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ahmed Aboutaleb
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Aboutaleb in 2019
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| Mayor of Rotterdam | |
| In office 5 January 2009 – 1 October 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Ivo Opstelten |
| Succeeded by | Carola Schouten |
| State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment |
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| In office 22 February 2007 – 12 December 2008 |
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| Prime Minister | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Preceded by | Henk van Hoof |
| Succeeded by | Jetta Klijnsma |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 August 1961 Beni Sidel, Morocco |
| Nationality | Dutch, Moroccan |
| Political party | Labour Party (from 2003) |
| Children | 3 daughters and 1 son |
| Residences | Kralingen, Netherlands |
| Alma mater | The Hague University of Applied Sciences |
| Occupation | Politician · Civil servant · Journalist · Electrical engineer · Nonprofit director · Political pundit · Author · Columnist · Poet |
Ahmed Aboutaleb (Arabic: أحمد أبو طالب; born 29 August 1961) is a Dutch politician. He has a Moroccan background. He was a member of the Labour Party (PvdA). From 2009 to 2024, he served as the Mayor of Rotterdam. He announced in January 2024 that he would leave his role later that year. He was officially succeeded by Carola Schouten on 10 October 2024.
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Early Life and Education
Ahmed Aboutaleb was born on 29 August 1961. His birthplace was Beni Sidel, a small village in the Nador Province, Morocco. He grew up as the son of a Riffian Berber Sunni imam.
In 1976, when he was 15 years old, he moved to the Netherlands. He moved with his mother and brothers. Aboutaleb always loved learning. He once said in an interview that he was "such a school dork" because he "wanted to learn, I wanted to know everything."
He studied electrical engineering with a focus on Telecommunication. He attended different schools, including the Hogere Technische School. This school is now known as The Hague University of Applied Sciences. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree there.
Career Before Politics
After finishing his studies, Ahmed Aboutaleb worked as a reporter. He reported for TV channels like Veronica and RTL Nieuws. He also worked for NOS-radio.
Later, he worked in public relations for the Dutch health ministry. In 1998, Aboutaleb became the director of the Forum organization. This group focused on multiculturalism in the Netherlands. He also worked as a civil servant for the city of Amsterdam. In 2003, he joined the PvdA.
Starting in Politics
In January 2004, Ahmed Aboutaleb became an alderman in Amsterdam. An alderman is like a city council member who helps manage the city.
The leader of the Labour Party, Wouter Bos, once mentioned that Aboutaleb might become a minister. This was if the Labour Party formed the next government. Aboutaleb said he wanted to focus on his work as an alderman first.
When the Labour Party became part of a new government, Aboutaleb was offered a role. He became the State Secretary for Social Affairs. A State Secretary is a junior minister. He said he was happy with this role and could learn a lot from the main Minister of Social Affairs, Piet Hein Donner.
Mayor of Rotterdam
On 31 October 2008, Aboutaleb was chosen to be the Mayor of Rotterdam. In the Netherlands, mayors are not directly elected by the public. He took office on 5 January 2009. He took over from the previous mayor, Ivo Opstelten. Jetta Klijnsma took his place as State Secretary.
Ahmed Aboutaleb was the first mayor of a large city in the Netherlands with an immigrant background. He is also of the Muslim faith. He has Riffian Berber ancestry. He is a dual citizen of both the Netherlands and Morocco.
In 2021, Aboutaleb won the 2021 World Mayor award. This award is given by the City Mayors Foundation. He was appointed for a third term as mayor that same year.
On 9 January 2024, Aboutaleb announced he would step down as mayor later that year. He mentioned personal reasons for his decision. He officially left office on 1 October 2024.
A Love for Poetry
Ahmed Aboutaleb is also a big fan of poetry. He especially enjoys Arabic poetry. In June 2010, he shared some of his translated Arabic poems. This happened in Rotterdam during the Poetry International festival.
See also
In Spanish: Ahmed Aboutaleb para niños
