F. W. de Klerk
Frederik Willem de Klerk ( Afrikaans: / friə̯dərək vələm dəklɛrk /; born March 18, 1936 in Johannesburg ) is a former politician from South Africa and was 1989-1994 President of the Republic of South Africa. He received in 1993 along with Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Prize.
Life and work
Early years and education
De Klerk grew up in a very political family. His father, Johannes " Jan" de Klerk was a senator and minister, his uncle JG Strijdom was South African Prime Minister. His brother Willem, a liberal journalist, was a co-founder of the Democratic Party of South Africa, the predecessor party the Democratic Alliance. Frederik de Klerk went on the Hoërskool Monument High School and studied at the Potchefstroom University for it. Here he graduated in 1958 as Bachelor of Arts and then worked for ten years as a lawyer. Already during his studies he was in the National Party ( NP ) is active and after graduating, he took this as a lawyer until 1972. During this time he became chairman of the Law Society of the Transvaal and Vaal Triangle Technikon member of the Council. In 1969 he married Marike Willemse, with whom he had two sons and a daughter.
Political career
In 1969 he was first elected to the South African Parliament. 1978 de Klerk was appointed to the cabinet by Prime Minister Vorster. Even under Vorster's successor Pieter Willem Botha he held from 1978 to 1989, various ministerial posts, most recently as indoor (1982-1985) and Minister of Education ( 1984-1989 ). In 1982 he was provincial chairman of the ruling National Party in the Transvaal. In July 1985, de Klerk was also Chairman of the Council of Ministers in the House of Representatives. In February 1989 he released Botha as chairman of the National Party from, in August as president. In the parliamentary elections in September 1989, the NP joined with de Klerk as the top candidate; it was the last election under the banner of apartheid.
Although he was up to his election as a supporter of apartheid, Frederik de Klerk had a major role in their degradation. In a sensational speech in Parliament in February 1990, he announced far-reaching reforms that have been implemented in the following months: So he let the proscribed parties African National Congress ( ANC) and Pan Africanist Congress (PAC ) and about 30 other organizations again as political forces about. Nelson Mandela and other leaders of the ANC, as well as about 120 other political prisoners were released from prison. Restrictions on press freedom and the state of emergency was lifted. The apartheid laws, such as the Separate Amenities Act were repealed step by step.
In May 1990, the first discussions of Frederik de Klerk with representatives of the African National Congress took place under the leadership of Nelson Mandela. In 1991 he opened the National Party for non-white members. In the same year he convened the Goldstone Commission to curb the rising violence in South Africa.
In December 1991 the first of many rounds of negotiations between the government formed by the National Party, the ANC and other parties took place, which should prepare the future of South Africa without apartheid. In the same year there was a lifting of economic sanctions imposed by the States of the European Union, which had been decided in 1986. The diplomatic relations with other countries were resumed. After the NP had lost a 1992 election to Parliament, de Klerk had to hold a referendum in which the white voters had to vote on its reform path. The result was a clear approval. In 1993, de Klerk took the first time as " Coloured" designated and Indian-born politician in his cabinet on. In the same year, Frederik Willem de Klerk received the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Nelson Mandela.
In 1994, the first truly free elections in South Africa were conducted in which all ethnic groups could perceive the right to vote, and previously oppressed majority of black citizens. The African National Congress was doing them an overwhelming election victory and FW de Klerk was replaced by Mandela in office. De Klerk was vice president under Mandela. He held this position until 1996, when the new constitution was drafted. In 1997 he handed over the leadership of the National Party and retired from politics.
Life after resignation
After his retirement, it was largely quiet about de Klerk. In October 1998, he shocked the conservative forces of the country through a divorce from his wife Marike and immediately thereafter held wedding with Elita Georgiades. In December 2001, his ex-wife was killed during a robbery.
In 2004, he announced his withdrawal from the New National Party ( NNP), after it was revealed that this was about to break in the African National Congress.
In an interview with CNN in May 2012, he defended racial segregation and the treason trial of 1964, in which Mandela and seven co-defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment.
De Klerk is a member of the Club of Rome, Honorary Chairman of the Prague Society for International Cooperation and the Advisory Board of the Global Panel Foundation.