Wouter Bos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wouter Bos
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Bos in 2007
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| Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands | |
| In office 22 February 2007 – 23 February 2010 Serving with André Rouvoet
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| Prime Minister | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Preceded by | Gerrit Zalm |
| Succeeded by | André Rouvoet |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 22 February 2007 – 23 February 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Preceded by | Gerrit Zalm |
| Succeeded by | Jan Kees de Jager |
| Leader of the Labour Party | |
| In office 19 November 2002 – 25 April 2010 |
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| Deputy |
See list
Klaas de Vries
(2002–2006) Jeltje van Nieuwenhoven (2002–2004) Sharon Dijksma (2004–2007) Jacques Tichelaar (2007–2008) Mariëtte Hamer (2008–2010) Jeroen Dijsselbloem (2008–2010) |
| Preceded by | Ad Melkert |
| Succeeded by | Job Cohen |
| Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives |
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| In office 19 November 2002 – 22 February 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Jeltje van Nieuwenhoven |
| Succeeded by | Jacques Tichelaar |
| Parliamentary group | Labour Party |
| State Secretary for Finance | |
| In office 24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002 |
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| Prime Minister | Wim Kok |
| Preceded by | Willem Vermeend |
| Succeeded by | Steven van Eijk |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 23 May 2002 – 22 February 2007 |
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| In office 19 May 1998 – 24 March 2000 |
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| Parliamentary group | Labour Party |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Wouter Jacob Bos
14 July 1963 Vlaardingen, Netherlands |
| Political party | Labour Party (from 1981) |
| Residences | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Alma mater | Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Bachelor of Social Science, Master of Social Science, Bachelor of Economics, Master of Economics) |
| Occupation |
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Wouter Jacob Bos (born 14 July 1963) is a retired Dutch politician and businessman. He was a key member of the Labour Party (PvdA). Bos served as the Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Finance from 2007 to 2010. He also led the Labour Party from 2002 to 2010.
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Who is Wouter Bos?
Wouter Bos was born in Vlaardingen, Netherlands. He grew up in a family that believed in social democracy and had a Protestant background. His father helped start and lead a development cooperation fund.
Early Life and Education
From 1969 to 1974, Wouter went to elementary school in Odijk. He then attended high school in Zeist from 1974, graduating in 1980. After high school, he spent a year as a volunteer instructor in the United Kingdom.
In 1981, Wouter began studying Political science at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. A year later, he also started studying Economics. He was a very good student, graduating with high honors in both subjects in 1988.
From Business to Politics
After finishing university, Bos worked for a large company called Royal Dutch Shell for ten years, from 1988 to 1998. He held various positions, including human resource manager in places like Pernis, Rotterdam, Bucharest, Hong Kong, and London.
It was unusual for a Dutch left-wing politician to have worked for a big international company. Bos believed that people who supported the left should also be involved in the business world. He wanted to make sure that the business world wasn't only left to those on the right side of politics.
In 1998, he decided to leave Shell and enter Dutch politics. He briefly worked as an advisor for the Labour Party before becoming a politician himself.
Wouter Bos's Political Journey
Wouter Bos joined the Labour Party (PvdA) in 1981. His political career began in the late 1990s.
Starting in Parliament
In 1998, Bos was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives. He focused on financial matters. In 2000, he became the State Secretary for Finance. In this role, he helped manage taxes and government finances. He worked with the Finance Minister to make big changes to the tax system.
After the 2002 election, Bos returned to the House of Representatives. He continued to work on financial policy and also on health issues.
Leading the Labour Party
In 2002, the Labour Party's leader, Ad Melkert, stepped down. Wouter Bos decided to run for the leadership position. He won the election, becoming the new leader of the Labour Party and their main candidate for the next election. He took office on 19 November 2002.
In the 2003 general election, the Labour Party, led by Bos, gained many seats. They became the second-largest party in the House of Representatives.
For the 2006 election, Bos was again the Labour Party's top candidate. The party lost some seats but still played an important role in forming the new government.
Serving as Deputy Prime Minister
After the 2006 election, the Labour Party formed a government with two other parties. This new government was called the Cabinet Balkenende IV. On 22 February 2007, Wouter Bos was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Finance.
As Minister of Finance, he was praised for how he handled the financial crisis of 2007–2008. He took important steps, like helping to nationalize a bank, to protect the Dutch economy. The Dutch parliamentary press even chose him as "politician of the year" in 2008.
The government he was part of ended in February 2010 due to disagreements about the Dutch military's role in Afghanistan. On 12 March 2010, Bos announced that he would be leaving national politics. He did not run in the 2010 election and suggested Job Cohen as his successor.
Life After Politics
After leaving national politics, Wouter Bos continued to be active in other areas.
New Roles and Contributions
In October 2010, Bos became a partner at a financial services company called KPMG. He also helped with the formation of a new government in 2012.
In 2013, he was chosen to lead the board of directors at the VU University Medical Center. This is a large hospital and research center. In 2018, he became the chairman of the board of directors for the Netherlands Investment Agency. As of 2022, he is the chairman of Menzis, a health insurance company. He also works as a lobbyist, representing the government in economic discussions.
Personal Life
In December 2002, Wouter Bos married Barbara Bos. They have two daughters, Iris (born 2004) and Jula (born 2006), and a son, Joppe (born 2009).
Awards and Recognition
Wouter Bos has received honors for his public service.
| Honours | ||||
| Ribbon bar | Honour | Country | Date | Comment |
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Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau | Netherlands | 3 December 2010 | Elevated from Knight (10 December 2002) |
