Dutch politics was jolted yesterday when a bright young Christian Democrat - Camiel Eurlings (age 36) - announce he would leave politics and raise a family first. Today the man who changed Dutch politics in the '60s and '70s passed away - Hans van Mierlo (78). He won an amazing seven seats in Dutch parliament in 1967 and was called a second Kennedy because of his style and charisma. Video
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
In the first and second "purple" cabinet D66 managed to pass large parts of its socially liberal agenda, but virtually none of its desired reforms to the political system - which were the main reason for the foundation of the party. The result is that the political system in the Netherlands is still characterised by an oligarchic party rule.
