Hans van Mierlo

Hans van Mierlo
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office August 22, 1994 – August 3, 1998
Prime Minister	Wim Kok
Preceded by	Pieter Kooijmans
Succeeded by	Jozias van Aartsen
Deputy Prime Minister
In office August 22, 1994 – August 3, 1998 Serving with Hans Dijkstal
Prime Minister	Wim Kok
Preceded by	Wim Kok
Succeeded by	Annemarie Jorritsma Els Borst
Member of the House of Representatives
In office June 3, 1986 – August 22, 1994
Parliamentary leader – Democrats 66 House of Representatives
In office May 22, 1986 – August 19, 1994
Preceded by	Maarten Engwirda
Succeeded by	Gerrit-Jan Wolffensperger
Member of the Senate
In office September 13, 1983 – June 4, 1986
Minister of Defense
In office September 11, 1981 – November 4, 1982
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Pieter de Geus
Succeeded by	Job de Ruiter
Member of the House of Representatives
In office Februari 23, 1967 – June 8, 1977
Parliamentary leader – Democrats 66 House of Representatives
In office February 16, 1967 – September 1, 1973
Preceded by	First
Succeeded by	Jan Terlouw
Personal details
Born	Henricus Antonius Franciscus Maria Oliva van Mierlo August 18, 1931(1931-08-18) Breda, Netherlands
Died	March 11, 2010(2010-03-11) (aged 78) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	Democrats 66
Spouse(s)	Anna Los (divorced) Olla van Maasdijk (divorced) Connie Palmen (2009-2010)
Alma mater	Radboud University Nijmegen (LL.M.)
Occupation	Politician Civil servant Journalist
Religion	Roman Catholic (1931–1952) Atheism (from 1952)

Henricus Antonius Franciscus Maria Oliva "Hans" van Mierlo (August 18, 1931 – March 11, 2010) was a Dutch politician of the Democrats 66 (D66). In 1966 Van Mierlo together with Hans Gruijters founded the Democrats 66. He served as Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives for a total of 14 years, from February 16, 1967 until September 1, 1973 and from May 22, 1986 until August 19, 1994. He has been member of both the Senate and House of Representatives of the States-General.

He served as Minister of Defense from September 11, 1981 until November 4, 1982 in the Cabinets van Agt II and III. He later served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister from August 22, 1994 until August 3, 1998 in the Cabinet Kok I.

On October 24, 1998 he was granted the honorary title of Minister of State.

Biography

Early life

Hans van Mierlo attended high school at the Canisius College in Nijmegen. He studied law Radboud University Nijmegen. In 1960 he did his examination as Master of Laws. From 1960 up to 1967 he worked at NRC Handelsblad in Amsterdam, first as an editor Home Affairs, later as the opinion page's chief editor.

Politics

In 1966 he co-founded the social liberal Democrats 66 (D66). He was a Member of the House of Representatives from Februari 23, 1967 until June 8, 1977. He was the Democrats 66 first Chair of the Parliamentary Party in the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) from February 16, 1967 until September 1, 1973. From September 11, 1981 until November 4, 1982 he was Minister of Defense in the Cabinets van Agt II and III. He served as a Member of the Senate (Eerste Kamer) from September 13, 1983 until June 4, 1986. He again served as a Member of the House of Representatives from June 3, 1986 until August 22, 1994 and as Chair of the Parliamentary Party of the House of Representatives from May 22, 1986 until August 19, 1994. Van Mierlo concluded his political career as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister from August 22, 1994 until August 3, 1998 in the Cabinet Kok I.

Personal

He was appointed Minister of State on October 24, 1998, a mainly honorary title for politicians with an extensive history of government service. Hans van Mierlo has been married three times. He has a son from his first marriage and two daughters from the second. Since 1999 Van Mierlo had a relationship with the Dutch writer Connie Palmen; they got married on November 11, 2009, in Amsterdam.

Death

Hans van Mierlo died on March 11, 2010 at the of age 78.; he had been living with a transplanted liver since 2000 which was required after liver failure as a consequence of a hepatitis C contamination contracted from a blood transfusion in 1982.

Decorations

• Commander - Order of Orange-Nassau
• Commander - Légion d'honneur

External links

• (Dutch) Official Parliamentary Biography

Party political offices
Preceded by First	Party leader Democrats 66 1966-1973	Succeeded by Jan Terlouw
Preceded by Maarten Engwirda	Party leader Democrats 66 1986-1998	Succeeded by Els Borst
Preceded by First	Parliamentary leader – Democrats 66 House of Representatives 1967-1973	Succeeded by Jan Terlouw
Preceded by Maarten Engwirda	Parliamentary leader – Democrats 66 House of Representatives 1986–1994	Succeeded by Gerrit-Jan Wolffensperger
Government offices
Preceded by Pieter de Geus	Minister of Defence 1981–1982	Succeeded by Job de Ruiter
Preceded by Pieter Kooijmans	Minister of Foreign Affairs 1994–1998	Succeeded by Jozias van Aartsen