Hans Wiegel

Hans Wiegel
Wiegel in 1977
Member of the Social and Economic Council
In office 1 February 1994 – 1 February 2012
Chairman	See list Theo Quené (1994–1996) Klaas de Vries (1996–1998) Herman Wijffels (1999–2006) Alexander Rinnooy Kan (2006–2012)
Member of the Senate
In office 13 June 1995 – 1 April 2000
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Queen's Commissioner of Friesland
In office 16 June 1982 – 1 February 1994
Monarch	Beatrix
Preceded by	Hedzer Rijpstra
Succeeded by	Loek Hermans
Deputy Prime Minister
In office 19 December 1977 – 11 September 1981
Prime Minister	Dries van Agt
Preceded by	Gaius 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	Gaius de Gaay Fortman
Succeeded by	Ed van Thijn
Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives
In office 25 August 1981 – 20 April 1982
Preceded by	Koos Rietkerk
Succeeded by	Ed Nijpels
In office 6 July 1971 – 19 December 1977
Preceded by	Molly Geertsema
Succeeded by	Koos Rietkerk
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
In office 1 July 1971 – 20 April 1982
Deputy	See list Molly Geertsema (1971–1973) Harm van Riel (1973–1976) Haya van Someren (1976–1980) Koos Rietkerk (1977–1982)
Preceded by	Molly Geertsema
Succeeded by	Ed Nijpels
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 25 August 1981 – 1 May 1982
In office 18 April 1967 – 19 December 1977
Parliamentary group	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Personal details
Born	Hans Wiegel (1941-07-16) 16 July 1941 (age 82) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (from 1963)
Spouses	Pien Frederiks (26) ​ ​ (m. 1973; died 1980)​ Marianne Frederiks (53) ​ ​ (m. 1982; died 2005)​
Domestic partner	Madelon Spoor (2006–2010)
Children	Erik Wiegel (born 1975) Marieke Wiegel (born 1977)
Residence(s)	Oudega, Netherlands The Hague, Netherlands
Alma mater	University of Amsterdam (Bachelor of Social Science)
Occupation	Politician · Businessperson · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Trade association executive · Lobbyist · Political pundit · Columnist · Author
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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) and businessman.

Wiegel studied Law at the University of Amsterdam before switching to Political science obtaining a Bachelor of Social Science degree and worked as a freelance political pundit from July 1965 until April 1967. Wiegel also served as chairman of the political youth organisation JOVD from November 1965 until October 1966. Wiegel became a Member of the House of Representatives shortly after election of 1967 taking office on 18 April 1967 serving as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Local Government Affairs. After the election of 1971 Party Leader and Parliamentary leader Molly Geertsema was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior in the Cabinet Biesheuvel I announced he was stepping down and Wiegel was anonymously selected as his successor taking office on 1 July 1971. For the elections of 1972 and 1977 Wiegel served as Lijsttrekker (top candidate) and following a successful cabinet formation with Christian-democratic Leader Dries van Agt formed the Cabinet Van Agt–Wiegel with Wiegel appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior taking office on 19 December 1977.

For the election of 1981 Wiegel again served as Lijsttrekker but the following cabinet formation resulted in a coalition between the Christian-democrats and Labour Party and he returned to the House of Representatives as Parliamentary leader on 25 August 1981. In April 1982 Wiegel unexpectedly announced he was stepping down as Leader following his nomination as the next Queen's Commissioner of Friesland and endorsed rising star Ed Nijpels as his successor and was installed Queen's Commissioner serving from 16 June 1982 until 1 February 1994. Wiegel also became active in the private and public sectors as a corporate and non-profit director and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government, and worked as a trade association executive serving as Chairman of the Dutch Brewers association from August 1984 until November 2012, the Dutch Healthcare Insurance association from February 1994 until February 2012 and the Dutch Travel Companies association from May 1994 until June 1995 and as vice chairman of the Industry and Employers confederation (VNO-NCW) from May 2008 until February 2012. Wiegel continued to be active in politics and was elected as a Member of the Senate after the Senate election of 1995 taking office on 13 June 1995 serving as a frontbencher and chairing the parliamentary committees for General Affairs and the Interior and as spokesperson for the Interior, Governmental Reforms and the Royal Family. In March 2000 Wiegel unexpectedly announced his retirement and resigned from the Senate on 1 April 2000.

Wiegel semi-retired from active politics at 58 but continued to be active in the private and public sectors as a corporate and non-profit director and lobbyist, and worked as a occasional mediator for coalition agreements and political crisis's and as a political pundit and columnist for De Telegraaf, Algemeen Dagblad and WNL. Wiegel was known for his abilities as a skillful debater and effective negotiator and continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman until he suffered a minor stroke in August 2019 which forced him to undergo rehabilitation. He holds the distinction as the second youngest-serving Party Leader and Parliamentary leader at the age of 29 years, 350 days and the youngest-serving Deputy Prime Minister at the age of 36 years, 146 days.^[1]