Hans Wiegel

His Excellency Hans Wiegel
Hans Wiegel in 2005
Member of the Senate
In office 13 June 1995 – 1 April 2000
Queen's Commissioner of Friesland
In office 16 June 1982 – 1 February 1994
Monarch	Beatrix
Preceded by	Hedzer Rijpstra
Succeeded by	Loek Hermans
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
In office 1 July 1971 – 20 April 1982
Preceded by	Molly Geertsema
Succeeded by	Ed Nijpels
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
In office 19 December 1977 – 11 September 1981
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman
Succeeded by	Joop den Uyl Jan Terlouw
Minister of the Interior
In office 19 December 1977 – 11 September 1981
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman
Succeeded by	Ed van Thijn
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the House of Representatives
In office 25 August 1981 – 20 April 1982
Preceded by	Koos Rietkerk
Succeeded by	Ed Nijpels
In office 20 July 1971 – 19 December 1977
Preceded by	Molly Geertsema
Succeeded by	Koos Rietkerk
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 25 August 1981 – 1 May 1982
In office 18 April 1967 – 19 December 1977
Personal details
Born	Hans Wiegel (1941-07-16) 16 July 1941 (age 75) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (from 1963)
Spouse(s)	Pien Frederiks (m. 1973; d. 1980) Marianne Frederiks (m. 1982; d. 2005)
Domestic partner	Madelon Spoor (2006–2010)
Children	Erik (born 1975) Marieke (born 1977)
Residence	Oudega, Netherlands The Hague, Netherlands
Alma mater	University of Amsterdam (Bachelor of Social Science)
Occupation	Politician Corporate director Nonprofit director Columnist Political pundit Lobbyist

Hans Wiegel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦɑns ˈʋiɣəl]; born 16 July 1941) is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Wiege, a corporate director by occupation, was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives on 18 April 1967 after the Dutch general election of 1967. After the Dutch general election of 1971 the Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives Molly Geertsema became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior in the Cabinet Biesheuvel I, Wiegel was chosen to succeed him in both positions. He became youngest leader of a political party in Netherlands ever at the age of just twenty-nine on 1 July 1971. Wiegel became the Parliamentary leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the House of Representatives on 20 July 1971. For the Dutch general election of 1972 Wiegel was the Lijsttrekker (top candidate) and won six seats in the House of Representatives. Wiegel served as opposition leader against then Prime Minister Joop den Uyl and his cabinet. After the Dutch general election of 1977 Wiegel for a second time as Lijsttrekker won again six seats and after a long formation period a coalition agreement with the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) was made which formed the Cabinet Van Agt-Wiegel. Wiegel became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior serving from 19 December 1977 until 11 September 1981. For the Dutch general election of 1981 Wiegel again as Lijsttrekker lost two seats and he returned as the Parliamentary leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the House of Representatives and a Member of the House of Representatives serving 25 August 1981 until 20 April 1982 when he announced his departure from national politics to become the Queen's Commissioner of Friesland. Wiegel was succeeded as Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Parliamentary leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the House of Representatives by his chosen successor Ed Nijpels. Wiegel served as Queen's Commissioner of Friesland from 16 June 1982 until 1 February 1994. After the Dutch Senate election of 1995, Wiegel became a Member of the Senate serving from 13 June 1995 until 1 April 2000. In 1999 Wiegel caused a short cabinet crisis by voting against the constitutional revision that would make national referendums possible. This crisis is called the Night of Wiegel.