Frits Bolkestein

Frits Bolkestein
Frits Bolkestein in 2007
European Commissioner [Portfolios]
In office 16 September 1999 – 22 November 2004
President	Romano Prodi
Preceded by	Mario Monti as European Commissioner for Internal Market
Succeeded by	Charlie McCreevy as European Commissioner for Internal Market
President of the Liberal International
In office 15 April 1996 – 18 April 2000
Preceded by	Sir David Steel
Succeeded by	Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
In office 30 April 1990 – 30 July 1998
Deputy	See list Loek Hermans (1990) Hans Dijkstal (1990–1998) Benk Korthals (1994–1998) Annemarie Jorritsma (1998) Gerrit Zalm (1998)
Preceded by	Joris Voorhoeve
Succeeded by	Hans Dijkstal
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the House of Representatives
In office 30 April 1990 – 30 July 1998
Preceded by	Joris Voorhoeve
Succeeded by	Hans Dijkstal
Minister of Defence
In office 24 September 1988 – 7 November 1989
Prime Minister	Ruud Lubbers
Preceded by	Piet Bukman (ad interim)
Succeeded by	Relus ter Beek
State Secretary for Economic Affairs
In office 5 November 1982 – 14 July 1986 Serving with Piet van Zeil
Prime Minister	Ruud Lubbers
Preceded by	Wim Dik
Succeeded by	Enneüs Heerma
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 14 September 1989 – 21 September 1999
In office 3 June 1986 – 24 September 1988
In office 16 January 1978 – 5 November 1982
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Personal details
Born	Frederik Bolkestein (1933-04-04) 4 April 1933 (age 91) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (since 1975)
Relatives	Gerrit Bolkestein (grand-father)
Alma mater	University of Amsterdam (BSc, MA) London School of Economics (MSc) Leiden University (LLM)
Occupation	Politician · Energy executive · Nonprofit director · Political commentator · Lobbyist
Website	(in Dutch) Official site

Frederik "Frits" Bolkestein (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈfreːdərɪk frɪdz ˈbɔlkəstɛi̯n] ^ⓘ;^[1] born 4 April 1933) is a Dutch retired politician and energy executive who served as Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from 1990 to 1998 and European Commissioner for Internal Market from 1999 until 2004 under Romano Prodi.

Bolkestein worked as a corporate director for Royal Dutch Shell from May 1960 until July 1976 and as a manager for an engineering company in Amsterdam from September 1976 until January 1978. Bolkestein became a member of the House of Representatives shortly after election of 1977 taking office on 16 January 1978 serving as a frontbencher and spokesman for Economic Affairs. After the election of 1982 Bolkestein was appointed as State Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Cabinet Lubbers I taking office on 5 November 1982. After the election of 1986 Bolkestein was not offered a cabinet post in the new cabinet and returned to the House of Representatives on 3 June 1986 serving as a frontbencher and spokesman for Foreign Affairs and International trade. Bolkestein was appointed as Minister of Defence in the Cabinet Lubbers II following a cabinet reshuffle taking office on 24 September 1988. After the election of 1989 Bolkestein again returned to the House of Representatives on 14 September 1989. Shortly after the election, party leader and parliamentary leader Joris Voorhoeve announced he was stepping down and Bolkestein announced his candidacy to succeed and was selected as his successor on 30 April 1990.

For the election of 1994, Bolkestein served as lijsttrekker (top candidate) and following a successful cabinet formation with Labour Leader Wim Kok and fellow Liberal Leader Hans van Mierlo formed the Cabinet Kok I with Bolkestein opting to remain as Parliamentary leader. Bolkestein also served as President of the Liberal International from 15 April 1996 until 18 April 2000. For the election of 1998 Bolkestein again served as lijsttrekker (top candidate) but shortly thereafter announced that he was stepping down on 30 July 1998 but continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a backbencher. In August 1999 Bolkestein was nominated as the next European Commissioner in the Prodi Commission, and was giving the heavy portfolios of Internal Market and Services and Taxation and Customs serving from 16 September 1999 until 22 November 2004.