| Ahmed Aboutaleb | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 5, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Ivo Opstelten |
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| In office February 22, 2007 – December 12, 2008 |
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| Prime Minister | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Preceded by | Henk van Hoof |
| Succeeded by | Jetta Klijnsma |
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| Born | August 29, 1961 Beni Sidel, Morocco |
| Birth name | Ahmed Aboutaleb |
| Nationality | Dutch Moroccan |
| Political party | PvdA |
| Residence | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Occupation | Politician Public servant Journalist |
| Religion | Islam |
| Website | Official Site |
Ahmed Aboutaleb (born August 29, 1961) is a Dutch-Moroccan politician of the Dutch Labour Party and since January 5, 2009 Mayor of Rotterdam. He was State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment from February 22, 2007 until December 12, 2008 in the Cabinet Balkenende IV.
He is the first Mayor of a large city in the Netherlands who is of Moroccan, Muslim, and immigrant descent. Aboutaleb is a dual citizen (of the Netherlands and Morocco) and a practising Muslim.
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Biography
Early life
Aboutaleb grew up as a son of an imam in small Moroccan village in the Rif region. Together with his mother and brothers he moved to the Netherlands in 1976. 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.
Career
In January 2004, Aboutaleb succeeded the scandal-plagued Rob Oudkerk as alderman in the city. Labour Party leader Wouter Bos in his book Wat Wouter Wil (English: What Wouter Wants) said that if the Labour Party was involved in forming the next cabinet after the 2006 elections, Aboutaleb would be offered a ministerial post. Aboutaleb himself claimed at the time he wanted to focus on his work as alderman and that it was "important first that the PvdA wins the elections."[1] When the PvdA really did become part of a new coalition, Aboutaleb was just offered the job of State Secretary for social affairs, but said that he did not mind the lesser function, and believed he could learn a lot from Piet Hein Donner, the minister of social affairs.[2]
Along with another deputy minister, Nebahat Albayrak, of Turkish descent, Aboutaleb was criticized at the time of their announced appointments by Geert Wilders for holding dual passports. According to Wilders and his party, government ministers should not have dual citizenship, which they say implies dual allegiance.
On October 31, 2008 Aboutaleb was appointed as the next mayor of Rotterdam. He succeeded the former mayor, Ivo Opstelten on January 5, 2009. It has been announced that Jetta Klijnsma will succeed him as State Secretary.
References
- ^ (Dutch) "Bos biedt Aboutaleb ministerspost aan". Elsevier. 2006-11-01. http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/laatste_24_uur/artikel/asp/artnr/123625/.
- ^ "New cabinet ministers announced". Expatica. 2007-02-14. http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=19&story_id=36503.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ahmed Aboutaleb |
- (Dutch) Official Parliamentary Biography
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Henk van Hoof |
State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment 2007-2009 |
Succeeded by Jetta Klijnsma |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Ivo Opstelten |
Mayor of Rotterdam 2009- |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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