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Pieter "Piet" Lieftinck (30 September 1902 – 9 July 1989) was a Dutch politician of the Christian Historical Union (CHU) party and later the Labour Party (PvdA) and economist.[1]
Lieftinck applied at the Utrecht University in June 1919 majoring in Law and Economics and obtaining Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws degrees in July 1922 and worked as a student researcher before graduating with a Master of Economics and Master of Laws degree's in October 1927. Lieftinck served in the Royal Netherlands Army as a lieutenant from November 1927 until November 1928. Lieftinck applied at the Columbia University in New York City in April 1929 for a postgraduate education and obtained a Master of Financial Economics degree in December 1930 and later returned to the Utrecht University where worked as a researcher and got a doctorate as an Doctor of Philosophy in Public economics on 10 December 1931. Lieftinck worked as civil servant for the Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industry from August 1931 until May 1932 and for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Labour from May 1932 until June 1933 and the Ministry of Economic Affairs from June 1933 until October 1934 as Director-General of the department for General Economic Policy from June 1933 until October 1934. Lieftinck worked as a professor of Public economics at the Erasmus University Rotterdam from 11 October 1934 until 30 March 1940. Lieftinck also served in the military reserve force of the Royal Netherlands Army and was mobilized in March 1940. On 10 May 1940 Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands and the government fled to London to escape the German occupation. Lieftinck fought in the Battle of the Netherlands and the Battle of France and was captured following the capitulation and detained in Sint-Michielsgestel from October 1940 until he was transferred to Haren in November 1940 and was transferred to Buchenwald concentration camp in April 1941 and was released in January 1943.
Following the end of World War II Queen Wilhelmina ordered the formation of a cabinet of national unity to reorganize the state and make preparations for new elections with Lieftinck appointed as Minister of Finance in the Cabinet Schermerhorn–Drees, taking office on 25 June 1945. On 9 February 1946 the Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP), the Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB) party and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party choose to merge to form the Labour Party (PvdA), Lieftinck left the Christian Historical Union and subsequently joined the Labour Party. After the election of 1946 Lieftinck was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 4 June 1946. Following the cabinet formation of 1946 Lieftinck continued as Minister of Finance in the Cabinet Beel I, taking office on 3 July 1946. In April 1948 Lieftinck announced that he wouldn't stand for the election of 1948 but wanted run for the Senate. After the Senate election of 1948 Lieftinck was elected as a Member of the Senate, serving briefly from 27 July 1948 until 11 August 1948. After the election of 1948 Lieftinck continued as Minister of Finance in the Cabinet Drees–Van Schaik, taking office on 7 August 1948. The Cabinet Drees-Van Schaik fell on 24 January 1951 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the cabinet formation of 1951 when it was replaced by Cabinet Drees I with Lieftinck remaining as Minister of Finance, taking office on 15 March 1951.
In June 1952 Lieftinck was appointed as the Special Representative of the World Bank in Ankara, he resigned as Minister of Finance the same day he took office as the Special Representative of the World Bank on 1 July 1952. In September 1955 Lieftinck was nominated as an Executive Director of the World Bank Group and Executive Director for Benelux, Israel and Eastern Europe of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., taking office on 1 October 1955. Serving as Executive Director of the World Bank Group, from 1 October 1955 until 1 May 1971 and as Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund from 1 October 1955 until 1 December 1976. Lieftinck also became active in the private sector and public sector and served as a financial adviser for Suriname from 1 August 1958 until 10 November 1975 and the KLM from 25 April 1963 until September 1977.
Lieftinck was known for his abilities as a manager and policy wonk. Lieftinck continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman until his death.
- ^ "Lieftinck, Pieter (1902-1989)" (in Dutch). Huygens ING. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
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