biography
| name: |
Lubbers, Ruud
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popular name of Rudolph Frans Marie Lubbers
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1939– )
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| biography:
| Dutch politician, prime minister (1982, 1986, 1986–9, 1994), and businessman, born in Rotterdam, W Netherlands. He studied at Rotterdam School of Economics, and joined the family engineering business of Lubbers Hollandia. From 1963 he was in business management as a committee member of the NCW (Netherlands Christian Employers Union), a member of the presidium of FME (Metal and Electrotechnology Federation), and on the Rijnmondraad (Rhine Estuary Council). He was involved in the radical movement within the KVP (Katholieke Volkspartij) resulting in the foundation of the PPR (Political Party of Radicals), but remained with the KVP himself. In 1973–7 he was minister of economic affairs, and gained respect and poularity for his calm reaction to the oil crisis. From 1977 he was an MP for the CDA (Christen-Democratisch Appèl) and party leader from 1977. He was prime minister of CDA/VVD (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie) coalitions (1982, 1986, 1986–9) and again in 1989 after the VVD left, this time with the PvdA (Partij van de Arbeid). He retired from politics after the CDA losses in the 1994 elections and returned to business. In the year 2000 he was appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He is a member of the Club of Rome and professor of international affairs at the Catholic University of Brabant at Tilburg. |
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