Ruud Lubbers

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Family

Dutch economist, entrepreneur, politician and diplomat of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 4 November 1982 until 22 August 1994. He took office as the youngest Prime Minister in Dutch history. He was the Netherlands' longest-serving government leader. After his premiership, Lubbers semi-retired from active politics and served as a visiting professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the Tilburg University from 1995 until 2001. Lubbers served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1 January 2001 until 20 February 2005, and finally retired from active politics at the age of 65. Lubbers was known for his abilities as a team leader and consensus builder. During his premiership, his cabinets were responsible for rebuilding the Dutch economy after the recession in the 1980s, stimulating sustainable development, reforming social security, and reducing the deficit. Lubbers was also active as a conservation and humanitarian activist and as an advocate in promoting sustainable development. He continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman. On 31 January 1995, he was granted the honorary title of Minister of State. Lubbers died on 14 February 2018 in Rotterdam, at the age of 78. He remains the youngest and longest-serving Prime Minister of the Netherlands. Link to Wikipedia biography