Hans van Mierlo
Encyclopedia
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
.
. 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.
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.
; they got married on November 11, 2009, in Amsterdam
.
since 2000 which was required after liver failure as a consequence of a hepatitis C
contamination contracted from a blood transfusion in 1982.
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 Democrats 66
Democrats 66
Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
(D66). In 1966 Van Mierlo together with Hans Gruijters
Hans Gruijters
Johannes Petrus Adrianus Gruijters was a Dutch politician, and a co-founder of the Dutch social-liberal party D66-Biography:...
founded the Democrats 66
Democrats 66
Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
. He served as Parliamentary leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
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
States-General of the Netherlands
The States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral legislature of the Netherlands, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament meets in at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The archaic Dutch word "staten" originally related to the feudal classes in which medieval...
.
He served as Minister of Defense from September 11, 1981 until November 4, 1982 in the Cabinets van Agt II
Netherlands cabinet Van Agt-2
The second Van Agt cabinet was a coalition between the Christian democrats , the labour party and the left-wing liberals D66. Many incidents made a healthy coalition impossible. Prime minister Dries van Agt had lots of trouble with the vice-prime minister Joop den Uyl of the labour party. Den Uyl...
and III
Netherlands cabinet Van Agt-2
The second Van Agt cabinet was a coalition between the Christian democrats , the labour party and the left-wing liberals D66. Many incidents made a healthy coalition impossible. Prime minister Dries van Agt had lots of trouble with the vice-prime minister Joop den Uyl of the labour party. Den Uyl...
. He later served as Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs: it is occupied with the external relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including European cooperation and International development...
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 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
Minister of State (Netherlands)
The Minister of State is an honorary title in the Netherlands. The title is formally granted together with the style Excellency, by the Monarch, but on the initiative of the cabinet of the Netherlands. It is given on a personal basis, for life rather than for a specified period. The title is...
.
Early life
Hans van Mierlo attended high school at the Canisiuscollege in Nijmegen. He studied law Radboud University NijmegenRadboud University Nijmegen
Radboud University Nijmegen is a public university with a strong focus on research in Nijmegen, the Netherlands...
. In 1960 he did his examination as Master of Laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
. From 1960 up to 1967 he worked at NRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad, often abbreviated to NRC, is a daily evening newspaper published in the Netherlands by NRC Media. The newspaper was created on October 1, 1970, from merger of the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant and Algemeen Handelsblad . In 2006 a morning newspaper, nrc•next, was launched...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, first as an editor Home Affairs, later as the opinion page's chief editor.
Politics
In 1966 he co-founded the social liberalSocial liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
Democrats 66
Democrats 66
Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
(D66). He was a Member of the House of Representatives from Februari 23, 1967 until June 8, 1977. He was the Democrats 66
Democrats 66
Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
first Chair of the Parliamentary Party
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
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
Netherlands cabinet Van Agt-2
The second Van Agt cabinet was a coalition between the Christian democrats , the labour party and the left-wing liberals D66. Many incidents made a healthy coalition impossible. Prime minister Dries van Agt had lots of trouble with the vice-prime minister Joop den Uyl of the labour party. Den Uyl...
and III
Netherlands cabinet Van Agt-2
The second Van Agt cabinet was a coalition between the Christian democrats , the labour party and the left-wing liberals D66. Many incidents made a healthy coalition impossible. Prime minister Dries van Agt had lots of trouble with the vice-prime minister Joop den Uyl of the labour party. Den Uyl...
. 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
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
of the House of Representatives from May 22, 1986 until August 19, 1994. Van Mierlo concluded his political career as Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs: it is occupied with the external relations of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including European cooperation and International development...
and Deputy Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government...
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 PalmenConnie Palmen
Aldegonda Petronella Huberta Maria "Connie" Palmen is a Dutch author.Palmen debuted with the novel De wetten , published in the USA as The Laws , translated by Richard Huijing...
; they got married on November 11, 2009, in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
Death
Hans van Mierlo died on March 11, 2010 at the of age 78. ; he had been living with a transplanted liverLiver transplantation
Liver transplantation or hepatic transplantation is the replacement of a diseased liver with a healthy liver allograft. The most commonly used technique is orthotopic transplantation, in which the native liver is removed and replaced by the donor organ in the same anatomic location as the original...
since 2000 which was required after liver failure as a consequence of a hepatitis C
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
contamination contracted from a blood transfusion in 1982.
Decorations
- Commander - Order of Orange-NassauOrder of Orange-NassauThe Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
- Commander - Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...