Dries van Agt

Andreas Antonius Maria "Dries" van Agt (Dutch: [ˈdris fɑn ˈɑxt] ^ⓘ; 2 February 1931 – 5 February 2024) was a Dutch politician, jurist and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 19 December 1977 until 4 November 1982. He was a prominent leader of the Catholic People's Party (KVP) and later its successor party, the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA).

Van Agt studied law at the Radboud University Nijmegen, obtaining a Master of Laws degree and worked as a criminal defense lawyer in Eindhoven from September 1955 until December 1957 and as a civil servant at the Ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries and Justice from December 1957 until January 1968. Van Agt worked as a professor of Criminal law and Criminal procedure at his alma mater from January 1968 until July 1971 and served as a judge at the district court of Arnhem from April 1970 until May 1971. After the election of 1971 Van Agt was appointed Minister of Justice in the Cabinet Biesheuvel I and taking office on 6 July 1971. Van Agt was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1972 serving from on 23 January 1973 until 22 April 1973. Following the 1972-1973 cabinet formation of 1973 Van Agt continued as Minister of Justice in the Cabinet Den Uyl and also became Deputy Prime Minister taking office on 11 May 1973. On 10 December 1976, Van Agt was selected as the first Leader and lijsttrekker (top candidate) of the newly formed Christian Democratic Appeal for the election of 1977. After the election Van Agt returned as a Member of the House of Representatives and became the Parliamentary leader taking office on 8 June 1977 and subsequently resigned from the cabinet on 8 September 1977. Following a successful 1977 cabinet formation with Liberal Leader Hans Wiegel Van Agt formed the Cabinet Van Agt I and became Prime Minister of the Netherlands taking office 19 December 1977.

For the election of 1981 Van Agt again served as lijsttrekker and following the 1981 cabinet formation with his predecessor as Prime Minister Labour Leader Joop den Uyl formed the Cabinet Van Agt II and continued as prime minister for a second term. The cabinet fell just seven months into its term and was replaced with the caretaker Cabinet Van Agt III with Van Agt continuing as prime minister and also serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs taking office on 29 May 1982. For the election of 1982 Van Agt once again served as lijsttrekker but shortly thereafter unexpectedly announced he was stepping down as Leader and that he wouldn't serve another term as prime minister. Van Agt left office following the installation of the Cabinet Lubbers I on 4 November 1982 but continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a backbencher.

Van Agt continued to be active in politics and in May 1983 was nominated as the next Queen's Commissioner of North Brabant taking office on 1 June 1983. In December 1986 Van Agt was appointed Ambassador of the European Union to Japan serving from 1 January 1987 until 1 January 1990 when he named as Ambassador of the European Union to the United States serving until 1 April 1995. Van Agt retired from active politics at 64 and became active in the public sector as a non-profit director and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government, he also served as a distinguished visiting professor of International relations, Peace and conflict studies and Governmental studies at the United Nations University, Kwansei Gakuin University, Kyoto University and Ritsumeikan University from February 1996 until May 2004. Following his retirement Van Agt continued to be active public sector and worked as an advocate, lobbyist and activist for the Anti-war movement, Human Rights and the Two-State solution in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

Van Agt was known for his abilities as a skillful debater and negotiator. During his premiership, his cabinets were responsible for several major public sector and civil service reforms and further reducing the deficit following the recession in the 1980s. Van Agt continued to comment on political affairs as a statesman until he suffered a major stroke in May 2019 which forced him to undergo rehabilitation. He held the distinction as the oldest living and earliest serving former prime minister following the death of Piet de Jong in July 2016, until his own death in February 2024.