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.
Famous quotes containing the word van:
“When van Gogh paints sunflowers, he reveals, or achieves, the vivid relation between himself, as man, and the sunflower, as sunflower, at that quick moment of time. His painting does not represent the sunflower itself. We shall never know what the sunflower itself is. And the camera will visualize the sunflower far more perfectly than van Gogh can.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)