Louw de Graaf

Louw de Graaf (12 April 1930 – 15 July 2020) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and later the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and trade union leader.

De Graaf worked as a trade union leader for the National Christian Trade unions (CNV) from September 1955 until December 1977 and served as General-Secretary from May 1970 until December 1977.

After the election of 1977 De Graaf was appointed as State Secretary for Social Affairs in the Cabinet Van Agt-Wiegel, taking office on 28 December 1977. De Graaf was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1981, taking office on 10 June 1981. Following the cabinet formation of 1981 De Graaf was not given a cabinet post in the new cabinet, the Cabinet Van Agt-Wiegel was replaced by the Cabinet Van Agt II on 11 September 1981 and he continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a frontbencher and deputy spokesperson for Social Affairs and Employment. On 12 May 1982 the Cabinet Van Agt II fell just seven months into its term and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the first cabinet formation of 1982 when it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Van Agt III with De Graaf's appointment as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, taking office on 29 May 1982. After the election of 1982, De Graaf returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 16 September 1982. Following the second cabinet formation of 1982 De Graaf was again appointed as State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment in the Cabinet Lubbers I, taking office on 5 November 1982. After the election of 1986 De Graaf again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 3 June 1986. Following the cabinet formation of 1986 De Graaf continued as State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment in the Cabinet Lubbers II, taking office on 14 July 1986. De Graaf served as acting Minister of Social Affairs and Employment from 3 February 1987 until 6 May 1987 following the appointment of Jan de Koning as acting Minister of the Interior during a medical leave of absence of Kees van Dijk. The Cabinet Lubbers II fell on 3 May 1989 following a disagreement in the coalition about the increase of tariffs and Excises and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity. In July 1989 De Graaf announced that he wouldn't stand for the election of 1989.

In September 1989 De Graaf was nominated as a Chairman of the Supervisory board of the National Health Care Institute, he resigned as State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment the same day he was installed as chairman, serving from 1 October 1989 until 1 July 2003.