Elco Brinkman: key obituary facts
Is Elco Brinkman dead? Yes. Elco Brinkman died on August 31, 2026, at age 78.
Cause of death: Elco Brinkman's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Elco Brinkman known for?
He was a Dutch politician (1948–2026).
More about Elco Brinkman
Born: 5 February 1948.
Place of birth: Dirksland.
Place of death: Leiden.
Gender: male.
Occupation: politician.
Nationality: Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Education: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
Employer: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
Father: Bram Brinkman.
Spouse: Janneke Brinkman-Salentijn.
Elco Brinkman, the Dutch politician who served in the House of Representatives and Senate, died on August 31, 2026, aged 78.
Born Leendert Cornelis Brinkman in Dirksland on February 5, 1948, he studied political science and law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where he later worked as a researcher before becoming a civil servant at the Ministry of the Interior. Brinkman entered national politics as Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture from 1982 to 1989, and in 1994 led the Christian Democratic Appeal.
He also served in the House of Representatives from 1986 and again from 1989 to 1995, and later sat in the Senate from 2011 to 2019. After leaving frontline politics, he moved into business and public-life roles, including work as a corporate and non-profit director and as chairman of the Construction Association.