Hans van Mierlo

His Excellency Hans van Mierlo
Hans van Mierlo in 1981
Member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands
In office 19 May 1998 – 18 August 1998
In office 3 June 1986 – 22 August 1994
In office 23 February 1967 – 8 June 1977
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 of the Netherlands
In office 22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998
Prime Minister	Wim Kok
Preceded by	Pieter Kooijmans
Succeeded by	Jozias van Aartsen
Leader of the Democrats 66
In office 25 January 1986 – 15 February 1998
Preceded by	Maarten Engwirda
Succeeded by	Els Borst
In office 14 September 1966 – 1 September 1973
Preceded by	New title
Succeeded by	Jan Terlouw
Parliamentary leader of the Democrats 66 in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands
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	New title
Succeeded by	Jan Terlouw
Member of the Senate of the Netherlands
In office 13 September 1983 – 4 June 1986
Minister of Defence of the Netherlands
In office 11 September 1981 – 4 November 1982
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Pieter de Geus
Succeeded by	Job de Ruiter
Chairman of the Democrats 66
In office 14 September 1966 – 16 February 1967
Preceded by	New creation
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
Nationality	Dutch
Political party	Democrats 66 (from 1966)
Spouse(s)	Anna Los (m. 1961; div. 1963) Olla van Maasdijk (m. 1964; div. 1984) Connie Palmen (m. 2009; his death 2011)
Domestic partner	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 (Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws)
Occupation	Politician Journalist Managing editor Political pundit
Religion	Roman Catholicism (until 1952)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	The Netherlands
Service/branch	Royal Netherlands Army
Years of service	1951–1952
Rank	Sergeant
Battles/wars	Cold War

Henricus Antonius Franciscus Maria Oliva "Hans" van Mierlo (Dutch pronunciation: ['hans fan 'mirlo]; 18 August 1931 – 11 March 2010) was a Dutch politician of the Democrats 66 (D66) party.

Van Mierlo a journalist by occupation, worked for the NRC Handelsblad as a managing editor from 1960 until 1967. In 1966 Van Mierlo together with Hans Gruijters founded the Democrats 66 party after continuing frustrations with the The Establishment parties. Van Mierlo was selected as Leader and Chairman of the Democrats 66 on 14 October 1966. For the Dutch general election of 1967 Van Mierlo was the Lijsttrekker (top candidate) and won seven seats in the House of Representatives, the first time the Democrats 66 won representation in the States General of the Netherlands. Van Mierlo was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives and the Parliamentary leader of the Democrats 66 in the House of Representatives on 23 February 1967. For the Dutch general elections of 1971 Van Mierlo again as Lijsttrekker won eleven seats. For the Dutch general election of 1972 Van Mierlo for the third time as Lijsttrekker won only six seats but after a long formation period a coalition agreement with the Labour Party (PvdA), Catholic People's Party (KVP), Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) and the Political Party of Radicals (PPR) was made which formed the Cabinet Den Uyl. Hans Gruijters became Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning. Because of the disappointing election results Van Mierlo resigned as Parliamentary leader of the Democrats 66 in the House of Representatives and Leader of the Democrats 66 on 1 September 1973. Van Mierlo remained a Member of the House of Representatives until after the Dutch general election of 1977 on 8 June 1977. After the Dutch general election of 1981 Van Mierlo was asked by Jan Terlouw to become Minister of Defence in the Cabinet Van Agt II under Prime Minister Dries van Agt of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and served from 11 September 1981 until 4 November 1982. After the Dutch Senate election of 1983 Van Mierlo was elected as a Member of the Senate serving from 13 September 1983 until 4 June 1986. In 1986 Van Mierlo staged a political comeback and was re-elected as the Leader of the Democrats 66 on 25 January 1986. For the Dutch general election of 1986 Van Mierlo back as Lijsttrekker won nine seats. For the Dutch general election of 1989 Van Mierlo again as Lijsttrekker won twelve seats. For the Dutch general election of 1994 Van Mierlo for the sixth time as Lijsttrekker won twenty four seats and the Democrats 66 became major-party in the House of Representatives. After an arduous cabinet formation with the Labour Party and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) a deal was struck that resulted in the Cabinet Kok I with Van Mierlo becoming Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs serving from 22 August 1994 until 3 August 1994. The Cabinet Kok I was considered groundbreaking in Dutch politics because it was the first Cabinet of the Netherlands since 1908 without a Christian democratic party. On 7 March 1997 Van Mierlo announced his retirement as Leader of the Democrats 66. Van Mierlo remained Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs until the Cabinet Kok II was installed on 3 August 1998. For the Dutch general election of 1998 Van Mierlo was re-elected to the House of Representatives on 19 May 1998 but resigned on 18 August 1998.