Hans Wiegel
| Hans Wiegel | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the Senate | |
| In office June 13, 1995 – April 1, 2000 |
|
| Queen's Commissioner of Friesland | |
| In office June 16, 1982 – February 1, 1994 |
|
| Monarch | Beatrix |
| Preceded by | Hedzer Rijpstra |
| Succeeded by | Loek Hermans |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office August 25, 1981 – May 1, 1982 |
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| Parliamentary leader - People's Party for Freedom and Democracy House of Representatives |
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| In office May 27, 1981 – April 20, 1982 |
|
| Preceded by | Koos Rietkerk |
| Succeeded by | Ed Nijpels |
| Minister of the Interior | |
| In office December 19, 1977 – September 11, 1981 |
|
| Prime Minister | Dries van Agt |
| Preceded by | Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman |
| Succeeded by | Ed van Thijn |
| Deputy Prime Minister | |
| In office December 19, 1977 – September 11, 1981 |
|
| Prime Minister | Dries van Agt |
| Preceded by | Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman |
| Succeeded by | Joop den Uyl Jan Terlouw |
| Parliamentary leader - People's Party for Freedom and Democracy House of Representatives |
|
| In office July 20, 1971 – December 19, 1977 |
|
| Preceded by | Molly Geertsema |
| Succeeded by | Koos Rietkerk |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office April 18, 1967 – December 19, 1977 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Hans Wiegel July 16, 1941 Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Political party | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| Spouse(s) | Pien Frederiks (1954-1980) † Marianne Frederiks (1951-2005) † |
| Residence | Oudega, Netherlands |
| Alma mater | University of Amsterdam (B.A.) |
| Occupation | Politician Civil servant Chief executive Corporate director Columnist Political pundit |
| Religion | Non-religious |
| Nickname(s) | The Oracle of Leeuwarden The Great Icemaster |
Hans Wiegel (born July 16, 1941) is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from April 18, 1967 until December 19, 1977. When the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy Party leader and Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Molly Geertsema retired Wiegel was chosen to succeed him. He served as Parliamentary leader from July 20, 1971 until December 19, 1977. He served as opposition leader against then Prime Minister Joop den Uyl and his cabinet. He was Minister of the Interior and Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet Van Agt I from December 19, 1977 until September 11, 1981. He again returned returned to the House of Representatives and as the Parliamentary leader from May 27, 1981 until April 20, 1982 when he resigned the become the Queen's Commissioner of Friesland, he served in this position from June 16, 1982 until February 1, 1994.
He served Member of the Senate from June 13, 1995 until April 1, 2000. In 1999 Wiegel caused a short cabinet crisis by voting against the constitutional revision that would make national referendums possible. This crisis is called the Night of Wiegel. He was the chairman of the Netherlands Healthcare insurance board from January 1, 1995 until February 1, 2012. In recent years Wiegel has obtained by some as the status of a statesman.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Hans Wiegel was born in Amsterdam on July 16, 1941, After completing gymnasium in Hilversum in 1959, Wiegel started studying law at the University of Amsterdam. After a couple of months he switched his major to political science and earned a B.A. in 1965. He decided not to pursue a master's degree. Instead, he became involved in politics. Wiegel has been active within the youth wing of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, the Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy, of which he had been a member since 1961. In 1963 he was appointed to its national board and in 1965-1966 he was chairman.
[edit] Politics
In 1967 Wiegel was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives. In 1971, when he was only thirty years old, he became the Party leader. During the period of the Cabinet Den Uyl Wiegel acted as the main Leader of the Opposition against the Cabinet and Prime Minister Joop den Uyl. In 1977 he negotiated the formation of the Cabinet van Agt I, in this cabinet he became Minister of the Interior and Deputy Prime Minister, Wiegel prepared the constitutional revision of 1983.
Wiegel led the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in Dutch General Election of 1972, Dutch General Election of 1977, and Dutch General Election of 1981. During his leadership the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy orientation shifted away from the upper class and towards the middle class and educated workers; this led to electoral success.
In 1982 Wiegel left national politics. He was awarded honorary membership of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and became Queen's Commissioner of Friesland from June 16, 1982 until February 1, 1994. During his period as Queen's Commissioner Wiegel became known as the "Oracle of Diever", because he played an important role advising the VVD and commenting on events in national politics. In 1986 Wiegel was asked to return to the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations; he refused, however.
In 1995 he was elected as a Member of the Senate. In 1999 Wiegel caused a short cabinet crisis by voting against the constitutional revision that would make national referendums possible. This crisis is called the Night of Wiegel. Wiegel left the Senate in 2000, soon after the Night of Wiegel.
[edit] Comeback (or not)
On the evening of May 6, 2002 in Leeuwarden, he would be meeting with Pim Fortuyn, who saw in Wiegel a suitable Prime Minister. Earlier that day, however was Fortuyn assassinated in Hilversum.[2]
In October 2005 the local branch of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in Alphen aan den Rijn called all other local branches to sign a petition to get Wiegel back in active politics. More than 90% of the branches supported this petition. Wiegel wanted to announce whether he is making a comeback or not in March/April 2006. However then party leader Jozias van Aartsen stated in January 2006 that Wiegel most likely will be the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy's candidate for Prime Minister in the 2007 elections. In the last years the Dutch press has speculated - he rarely responds to rumors - whether Wiegel will make a comeback.
On March 8, 2006, the day after a poor showing of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the Dutch municipal elections of 2006, Wiegel issued a press statement to the effect that he will not return to Dutch politics again.[3]
On November 22, 2007 Wiegel was announced that he should go to the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in a broad liberal movement together with the Party for Freedom of Geert Wilders, Rita Verdonk's Proud of the Netherlands and the Democrats 66. Besides Rita Verdonk none of these parties favor of this plan. On September 15, 2009 he repeated these words in the morning bulletin Goodmorning Netherlands Wiegel then called his party should seek cooperation with the Party for Freedom.[4]
Thirty years years after leaving national politics, Wiegel is still mentioned often as a potential Prime Minister. He still is very popular among People's Party for Freedom and Democracy party members in the Netherlands. He has 'threatened' to return to national politics a number of times, usually resulting in the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy going up in the polls. His opponents admonish this behaviour, implying that he is just trying to keep himself from being forgotten.[5] On April 12, 2010 during a broadcast of the Dutch TV program De Wereld Draait Door Wiegel humoristic joked to be the best Prime Minister the Netherlands never had.[6] That view was shared by politician Joost Eerdmans on Wiegel's seventieth birthday.[7]
[edit] Personal
Wiegel married his first wife Jacqueline Francina "Pien" Frederiks (born September 9, 1954) on June 1, 1973. He had two children with her, Erik (born 1975) and Marieke (born 1977). On November 6, 1980 tragedy struck when Pien Frederiks died after suffering a car crash a few hours before, she was 26 years old. She left her two young children behind Erik (5) and Marieke (3). On April 7, 1982 Wiegel was quietly married to his late wife's older sister Marianne Frederiks (born September 21, 1951). On January 6, 2005 tragedy struck again for the now 63 year old Wiegel when, in an ironic twist of fate, Marianne Frederiks died in a car crash at the age of 53.
[edit] Decorations
- Order of the Netherlands Lion
- Knight (October 26, 1981)
- Order of Oranje-Nassau
- Commander (April 28, 1989)
- Grand Officer (January 20, 1994)
[edit] References
- ^ (Dutch) Wiegel houdt belofte van terugkeer levend Trouw
- ^ (Dutch) HET KABINET-WIEGEL/FORTUYN de Volkskrant
- ^ (Dutch) Hans Wiegel keert niet terug in de politiek Nova
- ^ (Dutch) Wiegel pleit voor samenwerking VVD en PVV NU.nl
- ^ (Dutch) VVD-coryfee Hans Wiegel is terug. de Volkskrant
- ^ (Dutch) Uitzending 5 maart 2011 De Wereld Draait Door
- ^ (Dutch) Hans Wiegel 70 jaar: de beste premier die Nederland nooit had WNL
[edit] External links
- (Dutch) H. (Hans) Wiegel (Parlement & Politiek)
- (Dutch) H. Wiegel (VVD) (Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal)
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- 1941 births
- Living people
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