Hans Dijkstal
Encyclopedia
Henri Frans "Hans" Dijkstal (28 February 1943 – 9 May 2010) was a Dutch
politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
(VVD). He served as Minister of the Interior and Deputy Prime Minister
from 22 August 1994 until 3 August 1998. He was parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives from 30 July 1998 until 16 May 2002.
, Egypt
, where his father and grandfather worked in shipping
. He was able to speak fluent Arabic
before moving to the Netherlands at age five. He made a career as financial advisor, taught management courses, and was council member for the city of Wassenaar
.
in 1998. Dijkstal was the highest placed candidate
for the VVD party in the 2002 parliamentary elections, that turned out disastrous for the party. Afterwards, he retired from active politics.
But when his former party started taking a heavy stance on 'allochtonen
' (immigrants and their children) he teamed up with former politicians from a wide range of other parties in protest, to strive for a more tolerant society, under the name Een Land Een Samenleving ('One Country One Society').
Hans Dijkstal died on 9 May 2010 after a long fight against bone cancer, he was 67.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
(VVD). He served as Minister of the Interior and Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the official Deputy of the Head of Government of the Netherlands. In the absence of the Prime Minister the deputy prime minister takes over his functions, such as chairing the Cabinet of the Netherlands...
from 22 August 1994 until 3 August 1998. He was parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives from 30 July 1998 until 16 May 2002.
Early life
Dijkstal was born in Port SaidPort Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, where his father and grandfather worked in shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
. He was able to speak fluent Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
before moving to the Netherlands at age five. He made a career as financial advisor, taught management courses, and was council member for the city of Wassenaar
Wassenaar
Wassenaar is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. A fairly affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies 10 km north of that city on the N44 highway near the North Sea coast. It is part of the Haaglanden region...
.
Politics
In 1982, he was first elected to the Dutch House of Representatives. He took over the leadership of the VVD faction from Frits BolkesteinFrits Bolkestein
Frederik "Frits" Bolkestein is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from 16 January 1978, until 5 November 1982, when he became State Secretary for Economic Affairs from 5 November 1982, until 14 July...
in 1998. Dijkstal was the highest placed candidate
Lijsttrekker
Lijsttrekker is a Dutch term for the top candidate of a party on a party list. He or she is almost always the party's political leader. After an election, this person usually leads the party's faction in the States-General, or serves in a senior position in the Cabinet if his party is part of...
for the VVD party in the 2002 parliamentary elections, that turned out disastrous for the party. Afterwards, he retired from active politics.
But when his former party started taking a heavy stance on 'allochtonen
Allochtoon
Allochtoon is a Dutch word , literally meaning "originating from another country"...
' (immigrants and their children) he teamed up with former politicians from a wide range of other parties in protest, to strive for a more tolerant society, under the name Een Land Een Samenleving ('One Country One Society').
Hans Dijkstal died on 9 May 2010 after a long fight against bone cancer, he was 67.