Wouter Bos

His Excellency Wouter Bos
Wouter Bos in 2007
Leader of the Labour Party
In office 17 November 2002 – 25 April 2010
Preceded by	Ad Melkert
Succeeded by	Job Cohen
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 22 February 2007 – 23 February 2010 Serving with André Rouvoet
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Gerrit Zalm
Succeeded by	André Rouvoet
Minister of Finance of the Netherlands
In office 22 February 2007 – 23 February 2010
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Gerrit Zalm
Succeeded by	Jan Kees de Jager
Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands
In office 19 November 2002 – 22 February 2007
Preceded by	Jeltje van Nieuwenhoven
Succeeded by	Jacques Tichelaar
Undersecretary for Finance of the Netherlands
In office 24 March 2000 – 22 July 2002
Prime Minister	Wim Kok
Preceded by	Willem Vermeend
Succeeded by	Steven van Eijk
Member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands
In office 23 May 2002 – 22 February 2007
In office 19 May 1998 – 24 March 2000
Personal details
Born	Wouter Jacob Bos (1963-07-14) 14 July 1963 (age 53) Vlaardingen, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	Labour Party (from 1981)
Spouse(s)	Barbara Bos (m. 2002)
Children	Iris Jessie (born 2004) Julia Roos (born 2006) Joppe (born 2009)
Residence	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Alma mater	VU University Amsterdam (Bachelor of Social Science, Master of Social Science, Bachelor of Economics, Master of Economics)
Occupation	Politician Management consultant Corporate director
Religion	Protestantism

Wouter Jacob Bos (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋʌutər ˈbɔs]; (born 14 July 1963) is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA).

He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from 19 May 1998 until 24 March 2000, when he became State Secretary for Finance in the Cabinet Kok II following the resignation of Willem Vermeend who became Minister of Social Affairs and Employment. He returned to the House of Representatives on 23 May 2002, following the Dutch general election of 2002. The Labour Party suffered a landslide defeat in the election losing 23 seats, then Party leader Ad Melkert was blamed for the defeat and resigned. Bos announced his candidacy for the Labour Party leadership election and won by a landslide with 60% of the votes. Bos became the Labour Party party leader on 19 November 2002 and the Parliamentary leader of Labour Party in the House of Representatives on 19 November 2002 and became the lijsttrekker for the Dutch general election of 2003. The Labour Party was the largest winner of the election, gaining 19 seats (from 23 to 42) and became the second largest party in the House of Representatives. After a failed cabinet formation a new cabinet was formed without the Labour Party. Bos served as opposition leader during the parliamentary period of the Cabinets Balkenende II and III. For the Dutch general election of 2006 Bos again as lijsttrekker lost 9 seats but the Labour Party remained the second largest party with 33 seats. The following cabinet formation resulted in a coalition agreement which formed the Cabinet Balkenende IV, comprising the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Labour Party (PvdA) and the ChristianUnion (CU). Bos became Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister, the cabinet took office on 22 February 2007. The cabinet fell on 20 February 2010 as the result of disagreement between CDA and Labour Party over the extension of ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Bos resigned his position as Party leader to spend more time with his family and retired from active politics.