Ahmed Aboutaleb
| Ahmed Aboutaleb | |
|---|---|
Ahmed Aboutaleb in 2007
|
|
| Mayor of Rotterdam | |
|
Assumed office January 5, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Ivo Opstelten |
| State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment | |
|
In office February 22, 2007 – December 12, 2008 |
|
| Prime Minister | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Preceded by | Henk van Hoof |
| Succeeded by | Jetta Klijnsma |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 29, 1961 Beni Sidel, Morocco |
| Nationality |
Dutch Moroccan |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Residence | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Occupation |
Politician Civil servant Journalist |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Website | Official Site |
Ahmed Aboutaleb (Arabic: أحمد أبو طالب; born August 29, 1961) is a Dutch Labour Party (Partij van de Arbeid; PvdA) politician who has been the Mayor of Rotterdam since January 5, 2009. He served as State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment from February 22, 2007, until December 12, 2008, in the Cabinet Balkenende IV.
Aboutaleb, who came to the Netherlands from Morocco at the age of 15, is the first mayor of a large city in the Netherlands who is of both immigrant origin and the Muslim faith. He is of Riffian Berber ancestry, and a dual citizen of the Netherlands and Morocco.
Ahmed Aboutaleb was born on 29 August 1961 in Beni Sidel in Morocco. He grew up as a son of a Berber(rif) Sunni imam in a small village in the Nador Province, Rif region. Together with his mother and brothers he moved to the Netherlands in 1976, when he was 15 years old. Aboutaleb had already noticed how he differed from other kids. As he says in an interview: 'I was so different, such a school dork. I wanted to learn, I wanted to know everything.'
Aboutaleb then studied telecommunications at different schools up to the Hogere Technische School where he obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree.
After graduating he found work as reporter for Veronica, NOS-radio and RTL Nieuws. He also worked at the public relations department of the Dutch health ministry. In 1998, Aboutaleb became director of the Forum organisation, an institute dealing with multiculturalism in the Netherlands. He also obtained a post as civil servant with the municipality of Amsterdam.
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Wikipedia