Elco Brinkman

Leendert Cornelis "Elco" Brinkman (5 February 1948 – 31 August 2026) was a Dutch politician and businessman who served as Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture from 1982 to 1989 and Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) in 1994.

Life and career Brinkman studied political science and law and at the Free University Amsterdam simultaneously obtaining a Master of Social Science and Laws degree. Brinkman worked as a researcher at his alma mater from September 1970 until July 1974 and as a civil servant for the Ministry of the Interior from July 1974 until November 1982. After the 1982 general election, Brinkman was appointed Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture in the First Lubbers cabinet taking office on 4 November 1982. After the election of 1986 Brinkman continued his office in the Second Lubbers cabinet. At the election of 1989 Brinkman was reelected as a member of the House of Representatives and took office on 14 September. He declined to serve in the new cabinet and instead was selected as parliamentary leader on 7 November 1989. Shortly before an upcoming election, party leader and Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers announced his retirement and Brinkman was anonymously selected as his successor on 29 January 1994. For the election of 1994 Brinkman served as lijsttrekker (top candidate) but shortly thereafter announced that he was stepping down following disappointing election results on 16 August 1994 but continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a frontbencher chairing the House Committee on Kingdom Relations and spokesperson for Health. In April 1995 Brinkman unexpectedly announced his retirement and resigned from the House of Representatives on 26 April 1995.

He retired from active politics at just 47 and became active in the private and public sectors as a corporate and non-profit director and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government; he worked as a trade association executive serving as Chairman of the Construction Association from May 1995 until July 2013, Vice Chairman of the Industry and Employers Confederation (VNO-NCW) from April 2002 until May 2008 and a Member of the Social and Economic Council for the VNO-NCW from June 1995 until July 2013. Brinkman returned to active in politics and after the Senate election of 2011 was elected as a member of the Senate and became parliamentary leader serving from 7 June 2011 until 11 June 2019. Brinkman retired from active politics a second time at 71. However, he continued to be active as an advocate and lobbyist for trade associations.

Brinkman died in Leiden on 31 August 2026, at the age of 78.

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