 Ideologically a conservative and an economic liberal, he led the National Party from 1989 to 1997.Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to an influential Afrikaner family, de Klerk studied at Potchefstroom University before pursuing a career in law.Joining the National Party, to which he had family ties, he was elected to parliament and sat in the white-minority government of P. W. Botha, holding a succession of ministerial posts.