The Senate commemorated former senator Dik Wolfson on Tuesday, April 22. He was a member of the Senate for the PvdA for four years, from June 8, 1999, to June 10, 2003. In the Senate, he primarily focused on financial and social policy, but also on defense and higher education.
Economics
Wolfson studied economics at the Municipal University in Amsterdam, where he obtained his PhD in economic sciences in 1974. Meanwhile, he worked for the IMF, the International Monetary Fund, since 1964. First at the headquarters in Washington and later as the permanent representative in Liberia. In 1970, he returned to the Netherlands and became deputy director of Domestic Money Affairs and later director of Economic Policy at the Ministry of Finance.
Social Security
In the mid-seventies, Dik Wolfson transitioned to academia when he became a professor of public finance at Erasmus University. He later served as rector of the Institute of Social Studies and a member of the Scientific Council for Government Policy. He combined this last position with another professorship in Rotterdam: this time as an economist at the social faculty. The Parool described him in 2001 as the man who has been recognized for over a quarter of a century as one of the most influential experts in the world of social security.
Politics
In the Senate, he mainly focused on financial and social policy, but also on defense and higher education. Senate President Jan Anthonie Bruijn said during the commemoration: Wolfson was known for his relaxed yet contemplative contributions, where he did not shy away from some humor. He was an engaged representative who viewed politics through a scientific lens. May our respect for his person and his contributions to society and the Dutch parliamentary democracy be a support for his family and friends.