14 Facts About Hans Dijkstal

Henri Frans "Hans" Dijkstal was a Dutch politician and financial adviser, who served as leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy.

Hans Dijkstal was able to speak fluent Arabic before moving to the Netherlands at age five.

Hans Dijkstal applied at the University of Amsterdam in March 1961 majoring in Law and obtaining a Bachelor of Laws degree in June 1964.

Hans Dijkstal was conscripted in the Royal Netherlands Air Force serving as a Lieutenant and was stationed at the Air Operations Control Station Nieuw-Milligen as an air traffic controller from April 1965 until May 1967.

Hans Dijkstal worked as a financial adviser, management consultant and civics teacher in Wassenaar from August 1967 until November 1982.

Hans Dijkstal served on the Municipal Council of Wassenaar from May 1974 until April 1986 and served as an alderman in Wassenaar from March 1978 until July 1983.

Hans Dijkstal became a member of the House of Representatives after Wim van Eekelen was appointed as State Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the Lubbers I cabinet after the election of 1982, serving from 11 November 1982 until 3 June 1986.

Hans Dijkstal returned to the House of Representatives after Ed Nijpels was appointed as Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment in the Lubbers II cabinet after the election of 1986, taking office on 30 July 1986 serving as a frontbencher chairing the parliamentary committee for Petitions and the Citizen Initiatives and spokesperson for minorities and welfare.

In July 1998, Bolkestein announced he was stepping down, and the party leadership approached Hans Dijkstal to succeed him.

Hans Dijkstal accepted and became the Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives on 30 July 1998.

Hans Dijkstal accepted responsibility for the defeat, and announced his resignation as leader on 16 May 2002.

Hans Dijkstal continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a backbencher until his resignation on 1 September 2002.

On 29 July 1966 he married Anneke Hans Dijkstal and became the father of two daughters.

Hans Dijkstal continued to comment on political affairs until his death from bone cancer at the age of 67.