French
DeutschRené Claassen
René Claassen | |
|---|---|
 René Claassen in 2023 | |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 6 December 2023 | |
| Municipal councilor of Landgraaf | |
| In office 30 March 2022 – 6 December 2023 | |
| Member of the Provincial Council of Limburg | |
| In office 28 March 2019 – 6 December 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | R.A.B. Claassen 13 July 1971 Heerlen, Netherlands |
| Political party | PVV |
| Alma mater | Maastricht University (MSc) |
| Occupation |
|
R.A.B. (René) Claassen (born 13 July 1971) is a Dutch politician representing the Party for Freedom (PVV). He was a member of the Provincial Council of Limburg starting in 2019, and he has served as a member of the House of Representatives since the 2023 Dutch general election.
Early life and healthcare career
[edit]Claassen was born in Heerlen's Zuyderland Hospital on 13 July 1971. His father was a member of the Labour Party and a senior union leader of Abvakabo. Claassen completed his nursing training in the late 1980s, and he worked as a hospital nurse for over twenty years, successively in a pediatric ward and an intensive care unit. He was employed by the Zuyderland Hospital for most of that period.[1] He switched careers in 2008 and became a healthcare educator at the Zuyd University of Applied Sciences. He also completed a master's degree in applied science at Maastricht University.[1][2][3]
Political career
[edit]In a 2024 interview, Claassen described that he was inspired by the rise of right-wing politician Pim Fortuyn. Poverty was rising in Heerlen as a result of the closure of coal mines in the region, and Claassen believe those issues could only be solved by the political right.[1] He was elected to the Provincial Council of Limburg in March 2019 and to the municipal council of Landgraaf in March 2022. He stepped down from both positions in December 2023.[2]
During the 2023 Dutch general election, he was elected to the House of Representatives as the PVV's sixth candidate, and he became the party's spokesperson for curative healthcare.[1][4] When the House was considering to expand a pilot program to legalize the cultivation and supply of cannabis, Claassen instead proposed to put it on hold. His motion was not supported by a majority.[5]
Electoral history
[edit] |
| Year | Body | Party | Pos. | Votes | Result | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party seats | Individual | |||||||
| 2021 | House of Representatives | Party for Freedom | 31 | 657 | 17 | Lost | [6] | |
| 2023 | House of Representatives | Party for Freedom | 6 | 3,764 | 37 | Won | [7] | |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Van Buuren, Yara (31 July 2024). "Van kersvers Kamerlid René Claassen (PVV) hoeft het niet altijd hard tegen hard" [New MP René Claassen (PVV) does not believe the gloves always have to go off]. Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ a b "R.A.B. (René) Claassen MSc". Parlement.com. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- ^ "René Claassen op nummer zes kandidatenlijst PVV" [René Claassen at number six on the PVV candidate list]. 1Limburg (in Dutch). 25 September 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- ^ "Tweede Kamerfractie" [House of Representatives group]. Party for Freedom (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ Bhikhie, Avinash (5 March 2024). "Kamer stemt tegen uitbreiding wietproef, maar wil door met experiment" [House votes against expansion cannabis pilot but does want to continue]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Proces-verbaal verkiezingsuitslag Tweede Kamer 2021" [Report of the election results House of Representatives 2021] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 29 March 2021. pp. 18–19. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "Proces-verbaal van de uitslag van de verkiezing van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 2023 d.d. 4 december 2023" [Report of the results of the election of the House of Representatives on 4 December 2023] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 4 December 2023. pp. 33–34. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
