Hans van Mierlo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Hans van Mierlo
Van Mierlo in 1981
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998 Serving with Hans Dijkstal
Prime Minister	Wim Kok
Preceded by	Wim Kok
Succeeded by	Annemarie Jorritsma Els Borst
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998
Prime Minister	Wim Kok
Preceded by	Pieter Kooijmans
Succeeded by	Jozias van Aartsen
Senator of the Netherlands
In office 13 September 1983 – 4 June 1986
Parliamentary group	Democrats 66
Minister of Defence
In office 11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Pieter de Geus
Succeeded by	Job de Ruiter
Leader of the Democrats 66 in the House of Representatives
In office 3 June 1986 – 22 August 1994
Preceded by	Maarten Engwirda
Succeeded by	Gerrit-Jan Wolffensperger
In office 23 February 1967 – 1 September 1973
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Jan Terlouw
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 19 May 1998 – 18 August 1998
In office 3 June 1986 – 22 August 1994
In office 23 February 1967 – 8 June 1977
Parliamentary group	Democrats 66
Leader of the Democrats 66
In office 25 January 1986 – 15 February 1998
Preceded by	Maarten Engwirda
Succeeded by	Els Borst
In office 14 October 1966 – 1 September 1973
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Jan Terlouw
Chairman of the Democrats 66
In office 14 October 1966 – 16 February 1967
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Gerben Ringnalda
Personal details
Born	Henricus Antonius Franciscus Maria Oliva van Mierlo (1931-08-18)18 August 1931 Breda, Netherlands
Died	11 March 2010(2010-03-11) (aged 78) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Cause of death	Hepatitis C
Political party	Democrats 66 (from 1966)
Spouses	Anna Los ​ ​ (m. 1961; div. 1963)​ Olla van Maasdijk ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1984)​ Connie Palmen ​ (m. 2009)​
Domestic partners	Gretta Nieuwenhuizen (1985–1986) Aafke van der Made (1987–1997) Connie Palmen (1999–2009)
Children	2 daughters and 1 son
Alma mater	Radboud University Nijmegen (LL.B., LL.M.)
Occupation	Politician · Journalist · Editor · Author · Political pundit · Nonprofit director · Television producer
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Netherlands
Branch/service	Royal Netherlands Army
Years of service	1952–1954 (Conscription) 1954–1961 (Reserve)
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	Regiment van Heutsz
Battles/wars	Cold War

Hans van Mierlo (born Henricus Antonius Franciscus Maria Oliva van Mierlo; August 18, 1931 – March 11, 2010) was an important Dutch politician and journalist. He helped start the political party Democrats 66 (D66). He served in many important roles, including Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Early Life and Education

Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Luns and Hans van Mierlo at his inauguration in the Ridderzaal on February 23, 1967.

Hans van Mierlo was born in Breda, Netherlands, on August 18, 1931. He grew up in a large family with seven brothers and sisters. He went to Canisius College in Nijmegen and then studied Law at Radboud University Nijmegen. He earned both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Law in 1960.

After finishing his studies, Van Mierlo became a journalist. He worked for a newspaper called NRC Handelsblad from 1960 to 1967. He started as an editor for local news and later became the chief editor for the opinion section.

Political Career

Founding Democrats 66

In 1966, Hans van Mierlo and Hans Gruijters decided to start a new political party. They were frustrated with how traditional parties were running the country. They named their new party Democrats 66, or D66 for short.

Van Mierlo became the first leader and chairman of D66 on October 14, 1966. For the 1967 election, he was the top candidate for D66. The party won seven seats in the House of Representatives, which was a big success for a new party.

Serving in Parliament

Hans van Mierlo and Labour Leader Joop den Uyl at a press conference in The Hague on November 18, 1972.

On February 23, 1967, Van Mierlo became a member of the House of Representatives. He also became the leader of the D66 group in the House. He led the party in the 1971 and 1972 elections.

After the 1972 election, D66 joined a government with other parties, including the Labour Party. However, Van Mierlo decided to step down as party leader and parliamentary leader on September 1, 1973. He remained a member of the House of Representatives until 1977.

Minister of Defence

After a break from active politics, Van Mierlo returned to government. In 1981, he was appointed Minister of Defence in the government led by Prime Minister Dries van Agt. He served in this role from September 11, 1981, to November 4, 1982.

After this, he became a Senator in the Dutch parliament. He served in the Senate from 1983 to 1986.

Return as Party Leader

Hans van Mierlo and Labour Leader Wim Kok during a debate in the House of Representatives on September 13, 1989.

In 1986, Hans van Mierlo made a political comeback and was re-elected as the leader of D66. He led the party in the 1986, 1989, and 1994 elections. In the 1994 election, D66 won a record 24 seats, becoming a very important party in the House of Representatives.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister

After the 1994 election, D66 formed a government with the Labour Party and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). This was a special government because it was the first time since 1908 that a Christian democratic party was not part of the Dutch government.

In this new government, called the First Kok cabinet, Hans van Mierlo became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He held these important positions from August 22, 1994, to August 3, 1998.

In 1997, Van Mierlo announced he would step down as party leader again. He was re-elected to the House of Representatives in 1998 but decided to retire from politics shortly after, on August 18, 1998.

Later Life and Contributions

After retiring from active politics at age 67, Van Mierlo continued to be involved in public life. He worked as a director for non-profit organizations. He also served as a diplomat, representing the Netherlands in various discussions about economics and international relations. He was a strong supporter of European integration, which means working closely with other European countries.

Van Mierlo was known for his excellent skills in debating and negotiating. On October 24, 1998, he was given the honorary title of Minister of State. He continued to share his opinions on political matters until his death.

Personal Life

Hans van Mierlo, Els Borst and Party Leader Alexander Pechtold during a party conference in Breda on November 7, 2009.

Hans van Mierlo was married three times. He had one son and two daughters. From 1999, he had a relationship with the Dutch writer Connie Palmen. They got married in Amsterdam on November 11, 2009.

Death

Hans van Mierlo passed away on March 11, 2010, at the age of 78, due to health issues. He had received a liver transplant in 2000.

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau	Netherlands	10 December 1982
	Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion	Netherlands	30 December 1982
	Commander of the Legion of Honour	France	12 February 1999
	Grand Cross of the Order of Merit	Germany	30 May 2003
Honorific Titles
Ribbon bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	Minister of State	Netherlands	24 October 1998	Style of Excellency