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Hans van den Broek
Hans van den Broek 1983.jpg
Van den Broek in 1983
European Commissioner
In office
6 January 1993 – 16 September 1999
President
Preceded by Frans Andriessen
Succeeded by Frits Bolkestein
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
4 November 1982 – 3 January 1993
Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers
Preceded by Dries van Agt
Succeeded by Pieter Kooijmans
State Secretary for Foreign Affairs
In office
11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982
Prime Minister Dries van Agt
Preceded by Durk van der Mei
Succeeded by Wim van Eekelen
Member of the House
of Representatives
In office
14 September 1989 – 7 November 1989
In office
3 June 1986 – 14 July 1986
In office
16 September 1982 – 4 November 1982
In office
12 October 1976 – 11 September 1981
Parliamentary group Christian Democratic Appeal
(1980–1989)
Catholic People's Party
(1976–1980)
Personal details
Born
Henri van den Broek

(1936-12-11)11 December 1936
Paris, France
Died 22 February 2025(2025-02-22) (aged 88)
Nationality Dutch
Political party Christian Democratic Appeal
(from 1980)
Other political
affiliations
Catholic People's Party
(until 1980)
Spouse
Josée van Schendel
(m. 1966)
Children Princess Marilène (born 1970)
and 1 other daughter
Relatives Prince Maurits (son-in-law)
Residences Lochem, Netherlands
Alma mater Utrecht University
(LL.B., LL.M.)
Occupation
Military service
Allegiance  Netherlands
Branch/service Royal Netherlands Army
Years of service 1965–1966 (Conscription)
1966–1967 (Reserve)
Rank Nl-landmacht-kapitein ritmeester.svg Captain
Unit Regiment Huzaren van Boreel

Henri "Hans" van den Broek (1936–2025) was an important Dutch politician and diplomat. He was known for his work in both the Netherlands and Europe. He served as a Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Netherlands for many years. Later, he became a European Commissioner, helping to manage Europe's relationships with other countries.

Van den Broek was a member of the Catholic People's Party (KVP) and later the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He was also a trained jurist, which means he had a deep understanding of law. He passed away on February 22, 2025, at the age of 88.

Early Life and Education

V.l.n.r. Premier Lubbers, premier Thatcher en minister Van den Broek (Buitenland, Bestanddeelnr 932-7038
Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher and Minister Hans van den Broek at the Catshuis on September 19, 1983.
Premier Lubbers ontvangt minister Shamir, Bestanddeelnr 933-2509
Minister Hans van den Broek, Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers and Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Yitzhak Shamir at the Torentje on February 28, 1985.
Bezoek Paus Johannes Paulus II aan Nederland Paus begroet minister Van den Broe, Bestanddeelnr 933-3252
Minister Hans van den Broek and Pope John Paul II at the Eindhoven Airport on May 11, 1985.

Henri van den Broek was born in Paris, France, on December 11, 1936. His parents were Hendrik Johannes van den Broek and Maria Alberta Antonia Roest.

He went to a Roman Catholic secondary school in Hilversum, Netherlands. After that, he studied Dutch law at Utrecht University. He earned his master's degree in law in 1965.

Starting His Political Journey

Van den Broek began his career as a lawyer. He joined the Katholieke Volkspartij (KVP), which was a political party. From 1970 to 1974, he was a member of the local council in Rheden.

He became a member of the House of Representatives, which is part of the Dutch parliament, in 1976. He represented the KVP and later the Christen-Democratisch Appèl (CDA) party.

Career Highlights

Van den Broek worked as a lawyer and prosecutor in Rotterdam from 1965 to 1968. He then became a director at a company called ENKA in Arnhem until 1976.

Serving in the Dutch Government

In 1981, Van den Broek became the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs. This role is like a junior minister for foreign affairs. He served in the Cabinet Van Agt II.

In 1982, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. He held this important position for over ten years, serving in the governments led by Ruud Lubbers. During this time, he was involved in major international events. For example, in 1991, he helped negotiate the Brioni Agreement, which ended a short war in Slovenia.

One big event during his time as Minister was a large protest in The Hague in 1983. People were protesting against plans to place nuclear missiles in the Netherlands. These plans were later cancelled.

Becoming a European Commissioner

Nyyazov in EC (1998-02-24) 03
Van den Broek with Turkmenistan's President Saparmurat Niyazov in Brussels, February 24, 1998.

In 1993, Van den Broek took on a new challenge. He became a European Commissioner. This is a very important role in the European Union. He was responsible for External Relations and Enlargement. This meant he handled the EU's relationships with countries outside the EU and helped decide which new countries could join.

He served two terms as a European Commissioner, from 1993 to 1999. He continued to work on foreign relations and the expansion of the European Union.

Life After Politics

After retiring from active politics in 1999, Van den Broek remained involved in public life. He served on various boards for companies and non-profit organizations. He also worked as a diplomat and an advocate for important causes.

He was a strong supporter of Human rights, nuclear disarmament, and greater European integration. He was known for being a skilled negotiator and mediator. In 2005, he was given the honorary title of Minister of State. He continued to share his opinions on political matters until he fully retired in 2010.

Personal Life

Hans van den Broek was married to Josee van den Broek-van Schendel. They had two daughters. One of their daughters is Princess Marilène. She is married to Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven, who is a member of the Dutch royal family.

Decorations and Honours

Van den Broek received many awards and honours throughout his life for his service.

National Honours

  • Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Knight Grand Cross.svg Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (1993)
  • Order of the Netherlands Lion ribbon - Commander.svg Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (2005)

Foreign Honours

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hans van den Broek para niños

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