Kok was widely respected for his consensus-building leadership style and led two centrist coalitions between 1994 and 2002, overseeing first a period of recovery and then of strong economic growth.

The former leader died on Saturday, his Labour Party said.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte praised Kok as someone who, as finance minister and then as prime minister, "stood above political parties".

Kok was commonly seen as an architect of the Netherlands "polder" or consensus model of governing, in which workers, employers and the government agreed on key reforms.

After leaving office, Kok served on the boards of Royal Dutch Shell and ING, among others, and lobbied unsuccessfully for a European Constitution.

He is survived by his wife, Rita, and three children.

Australian Associated Press