Frans Weisglas

Frans Willy Weisglas (born 8 August 1946) is a retired Dutch politician and diplomat of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and economist. He served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 16 May 2002 until 30 November 2006 and a Member of the House of Representatives from 16 September 1982 until 30 November 2006.[1]

Frans Weisglas
Frans Weisglas in 2010
Speaker of the House of Representatives
In office
28 May 2002 – 30 November 2006
Preceded byJeltje van Nieuwenhoven
Succeeded byGerdi Verbeet
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
16 September 1982 – 30 November 2006
Parliamentary groupPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Personal details
Born
Frans Willy Weisglas

(1946-08-08) 8 August 1946
The Hague, Netherlands
NationalityDutch
Political partyPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
(from 1967)
Spouse(s)
Nynke Kuperus (m. 1973)
ResidenceRotterdam, Netherlands
Alma materErasmus University Rotterdam
(Bachelor of Economics, Master of Economics)
OccupationPolitician · Diplomat · Civil servant · Economist · Nonprofit director · Political pundit
Website(in Dutch) fransweisglas.nl

Biography

Early life

Weisglas studied economics at the Erasmus University, in Rotterdam, obtaining a degree in 1970.

Politics

After his graduation, he worked for some years for the Dutch foreign service, being part of the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations (1970–1977). He then worked as a secretary to the Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation (1978–1981). In 1982, he became an elected member of the House of Representatives, where he focused on foreign and European affairs.

In 2002, Weisglas was elected Speaker of the House, after Jeltje van Nieuwenhoven of the Labour Party stepped down. He was the first Speaker of the House to be elected (and re-elected in 2003) by a democratic vote among parliamentarians without requiring royal approval.

On 15 August 2006 he announced that he would not be a candidate in the 2006 Dutch general election, ending his 24-year-old career as a politician. His last day as Speaker of the House was on 30 November 2006.[2]

Trivia

He is an ambassador for Terre des hommes.

Decorations
Honours
Ribbon barHonourCountryDateComment
Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Netherlands 28 April 1995
Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown Luxembourg 24 April 2006
Commander of Order of Leopold Belgium 4 July 2006
Grand Cordon of Order of Independence Jordan 30 October 2006
Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 29 November 2006

References
  1. (in Dutch) Frans Weisglas houdt de politiek voor gezien Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine, Elsevier, 10 August 2006
  2. (in Dutch) Frans Weisglas: 'Met genoegen schrijf ik over het einde van dit wangedrocht', Volkskrant, 22 April 2012
Official
Political offices
Preceded by
Jeltje van Nieuwenhoven		 Speaker of the House of Representatives
2002–2006		 Succeeded by
Gerdi Verbeet
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