Willem Drees

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Willem Drees July 5, 1886 - May 14 1988
Predecessor: Louis Beel Prime Minister 1948-1958 Succeeded by Louis Beel
Prime Minister of the Netherlands

Willem Drees (July 5, 1886-May 14, 1988) was a Dutch politician, prime minister of the Netherlands from 1948 until 1958, as a member of the social-democratic Dutch Labour Party (PvdA).

Born in Amsterdam, Drees was known as Vadertje Drees ("Father Drees"), and was very popular. During his office as a prime minister, the Netherlands recovered from the Second World War, Decolonization took place and the modern welfare state was formed. After his time as prime minister, Drees was still called upon in time of constitutional crisis, in 1966 he was member of the committee, which advised government on the ministerial responsibility towards members of the royal house, together with Pieter Oud.

Drees also held the cabinet postition of Minister of State in 1959. He died in The Hague in 1988.

Both his sons Jan and Willem (1922-1998) were active members of the PvdA, but left the party around 1970 to join DS'70 (Democratic Socialists '70). The cause was a row with younger party members who wanted to plot a more radical leftwing course for the party. Willem Drees would soon also leave the PvdA, leaving them without their icon, but never joined DS '70.

In 2004 he ended third place in the election of De Grootste Nederlander (The Greatest Dutchman]].

External link

• [Biography Willem Drees]

Reference

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