Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen

Tom J.H. van den Nieuwenhuijzen-Wittens (born July 18, 1982) is a Dutch politician, who currently serves as a member of the House of Representatives. He is a member of the green political party GroenLinks.

In this Dutch name, the surname is Van den Nieuwenhuijzen, not Nieuwenhuijzen.
Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen
Van den Nieuwenhuijzen in 2016
Member of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
May 7, 2020
Preceded byIsabelle Diks
Alderman in Son en Breugel
In office
May 12, 2016[1] – January 18, 2019
Succeeded byPaul van Liempd
Member of the Eindhoven municipal council
In office
March 11, 2010[2] – May 10, 2016[1]
Succeeded byHans van Zijl
Personal details
Born
Tom J.H. van den Nieuwenhuijzen

(1982-07-18) July 18, 1982
Weert, Netherlands
Political partyGroenLinks
ResidenceUtrecht, Netherlands

After receiving an engineering degree, Van den Nieuwenhuijzen started working in the construction sector. He served as a member of the Eindhoven municipal council between 2010 and 2016, a period during which he was named Mister Gay Netherlands. He subsequently worked as an alderman for the municipality Son en Breugel until 2019. He was appointed member of the House in 2020. During his political career, Van den Nieuwenhuijzen has focussed on sustainability and the acceptance of the LGBT community.

Early life and education

Van den Nieuwenhuijzen was born in Weert in the Dutch province Limburg on July 18, 1982. His mother worked as a secretary, while his father was not employed due to a disability. Van den Nieuwenhuijzen attended a high school belonging to the Philips van Horne Scholengemeenschap in that city between 1994 and 1999, earning a havo diploma. Subsequently, he went to Franklin Pierce High School in the American state Washington for one year. Van den Nieuwenhuijzen studied architectural engineering at Avans University of Applied Sciences in Tilburg (2000–2005).[3] He has told in an interview that he had been a member of the Youth Organisation Freedom and Democracy, the VVD's independent youth division, during his adolescence.[4]

While having a job, Van den Nieuwenhuijzen studied business administration at Leergang Bedrijfskunde in Maastricht (2008–2010). He also received a Master of Science degree in business administration from Nyenrode Business University in 2017 after two years of study.[3]

Non-political career

While studying, Van den Nieuwenhuijzen worked as a junior youth participation policy adviser at social work organization Kuseema (2003–2005). He subsequently became a drafter at the Oisterwijk architecture firm Drijvers. He started working in 2006 at Betonson, a company producing concrete, where he held the position of sustainability and energy account manager.[3]

Van den Nieuwenhuijzen left his job in 2010 to become the first CSR and sustainability manager at Betonson's parent company, Van Nieuwpoort Groep.[3] Under his leadership, the company developed cement-free concrete, and four of its subsidiaries received a level 3 out of 5 certification on climate bureau HIER's CO
2 achievement ladder.[5][6] However, all four companies would lose this certification in 2013.[7] Van den Nieuwenhuijzen stopped working for Van Nieuwpoort in 2012.[3]

He taught management and sustainability at Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Tilburg between 2013 and 2018.[3] Simultaneously, he ran a sustainability consulting and project management company called "Avengers Way".[5] After resigning as alderman in early 2019, he was hired by the municipality Amsterdam to work as a project manager on its climate accord.[8] He left that position when he became an MP.[3]

Local politics

Eindhoven municipal council (2010–2016)

During the 2010 municipal elections, Van den Nieuwenhuijzen was second on the party list of GroenLinks in Eindhoven. He was elected councilman with 257 votes, while his party received four out of 45 seats.[9][10] He kept working at Betonson and was chosen political talent of 2010 in the Eindhoven "Council Member of the Year" election.[11] In October 2012, it was announced that Eindhoven would host the pride parade Pink Saturday in 2014.[12] Van den Nieuwenhuijzen had been chairing a committee since 2010 to bring the event to the city.[3] An earlier bid for the 2013 edition had been unsuccessful.[13] In the run-up to Pink Saturday, he announced that he had received an anonymous threat in his mailbox, saying "filthy faggot, fuck off with your illness and Pink Saturday". Van den Nieuwenhuijzen filed a criminal complaint.[14] In 2013, he was voted Council Member of the Year.[15]

Van den Nieuwenhuijzen was re-elected in 2014, when GroenLinks retained its four seats.[16] He had run for GroenLinks lijsttrekker in Eindhoven, but did not win.[17] He was also 32nd on the party list of GroenLinks in North Brabant during the 2015 provincial elections.[18] In September of that year, he won the last edition of the beauty pageant Mister Gay Netherlands. He had before participated in the 2007 edition.[19] Van den Nieuwenhuijzen passed the opportunity to take part in the Mr Gay World pageant because of other commitments.[20] He became a member of a committee to choose the new mayor in early 2016.[21] Van den Nieuwenhuijzen left the municipal council in May 2016 to become alderman.[1]

Alderman (2016–2019)

He became alderman in Son en Breugel of, among other things, finances, culture, and sustainability on May 12, 2016 as part of a new executive board.[1][22] The previous coalition had collapsed halfway through its term.[23] In the executive board, Van den Nieuwenhuijzen represented GroenLinks as well as the Labour Party (PvdA), as both parties work together in Son en Breugel politics. Van den Nieuwenhuijzen wrote a letter in 2016 asking all Dutch municipalities to hang rainbow flags on Coming Out Day.[24] Over 160 out of 390 of them complied compared to about 80 the previous year.[25] He remained alderman after the 2018 municipal elections, because PvdA/GroenLinks became part of the new coalition. His responsibilities included sustainability and citizen participation.[26] During the 2018 elections, he was also on place 28 on GroenLinks' party list in Utrecht.[27]

Van den Nieuwenhuijzen resigned from his position in January 2019. According to a statement, he was unable to have an impact on the things in politics that mattered most to him. A number of his proposals to improve the environment had been rejected by the other coalition partners in the preceding months.[28] His plan to decrease the sewerage charges for inhabitants who do not connect their downpipe to the sewers was passed by the municipal council a month after his resignation.[29]

House of Representatives (2020–present)

He was on place 20 on GroenLinks' party list during the 2017 general election, receiving 1,413 preferential votes. His party won 14 seats, not enough for Van den Nieuwenhuijzen to be elected.[30] When MP Isabelle Diks vacated her seat to take a job as alderwoman in Groningen, he was chosen to succeed her because of his position on the party list. Van den Nieuwenhuijzen was inaugurated on May 7, 2020. His portfolio includes development aid and defense.[31] In the House, he proposed naming frigates after women and assisting textile companies that want to leave China due to forced labor by Uyghurs.[32][33]

He appeared as the 22nd candidate on the party list for the 2021 general election.[34]

Parliamentary committees
  • Committee for Foreign Affairs
  • Committee for Defense
  • Committee for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation
  • Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
  • Construction Supervision Committee
  • Committee for the Interior (substitute)
  • Committee for Economic Affairs and Climate (substitute)
  • Committee for European Affairs (substitute)
  • Committee for Kingdom Relations (substitute)
  • Delegation to the Benelux Parliament (substitute)[3]

Other interests

Between 2011 and 2014, Van den Nieuwenhuijzen was on the advisory board of theater company "Het Nieuwe Theater". He also chaired the non-profit CSR organization "De MVO-Wijzer", that assists small and medium-sized enterprises, from 2013 to 2014.[3]

Personal life

Van den Nieuwenhuijzen is openly gay, and he is in a relationship with two other men.[35] He got married with one of them in 2008, and the other one joined them ten years later.[36][37] He has been living in the city Utrecht since at least 2017, and he lived in Eindhoven before that.[38][39]

In 2008, he crashed into a tree while on his mountain bike. He took a leave of absence from the Eindhoven municipal council in 2015 due to complications from the accident.[40]

References
  1. "Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen Wethouder in Son en Breugel". Fontys (Press release) (in Dutch). May 13, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  2. "Definitieve uitslag". Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen (in Dutch). March 5, 2010. Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved August 12, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.
  3. "Biografie, onderwijs en loopbaan van Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen". Tweede Kamer (in Dutch). Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  4. Hemmen, Roelof (December 9, 2016). "9 december | Architect, uitspraak Wilders en jonge politici". Hemmen (in Dutch). BNR Nieuwsradio. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  5. Grayson, David; McLaren, Melody; Spitzeck, Heiko (2017). Social Intrapreneurism and All That Jazz: How Business Innovators are Helping to Build a More Sustainable World. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge. ISBN 9781351287746. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  6. "Van Nieuwpoort Groep behaalt certificaat op CO2-prestatieladder". Stedebouw & Architectuur (in Dutch). July 8, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  7. "Beeïndigde certificaten". Stichting Klimaatvriendelijk Aanbesteden & Ondernemen (in Dutch). Archived from the original on April 27, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.
  8. Van der Storm, Lukas (February 12, 2019). "Sonse oud-wethouder Van den Nieuwenhuijzen heeft nieuwe baan in Amsterdam". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  9. "Gemeenteraad 3 maart 2010". Databank Verkiezingsuitslagen (in Dutch). Kiesraad. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  10. Van den Nieuwenhuijzen, Tom (February 28, 2010). Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen 3 maart lijst 5 plaats 2 voor Groen Links Eindhoven. YouTube (in Dutch). Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  11. "Overzicht van 2010". Raadslid van het Jaar (in Dutch). Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  12. Hanssen, Hans (October 11, 2012). "Eindhoven krijgt Roze Zaterdag in 2014". Omroep Brabant (in Dutch). Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.
  13. "Lenie Scholten neemt eerste bidbook Roze Zaterdag Eindhoven in ontvangst". GroenLinks (Press release) (in Dutch). April 27, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  14. "'Vuile homo, rot op met je ziekte': Eindhovens raadslid Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen bedreigd". Omroep Brabant (in Dutch). September 4, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  15. "Overzicht van 2013". Raadslid van het Jaar (in Dutch). Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  16. "Gemeenteraad 19 maart 2014". Databank Verkiezingsuitslagen (in Dutch). Kiesraad. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  17. De Leeuw, Corrie (August 14, 2013). "Leden GroenLinks kiezen Eindhovens lijsttrekker". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  18. "Proces-verbaal van de verkiezingsuitslag van provinciale staten" (PDF). Kiesraad (in Dutch). March 20, 2015. p. 29. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  19. "Mister Gay Netherlands is gemeenteraadslid Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen uit Eindhoven". Omroep Brabant (in Dutch). September 26, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  20. Pennings, Mathijs (March 31, 2016). "Roosendaler naar Malta voor Mister Gay World 2016". Omroep Brabant (in Dutch). Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  21. "'Burgemeesterscommissie' Eindhoven ruziet over samenstelling". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). May 12, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  22. "Bekendmakingen gemeente week 21". Ons Son en Breugel (in Dutch). May 23, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  23. Van Doorn, Bert (April 14, 2016). "Coalitie Son en Breugel gevallen: Dorpsbelang ziet het niet meer zitten". Omroep Brabant (in Dutch). Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  24. "Van den Nieuwenhuijzen volgt Diks op in GroenLinks-Kamerfractie". Reformatorisch Dagblad (in Dutch). April 23, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  25. "Mister Gay Netherlands op Tweede Kamerlijst GroenLinks". Winq (in Dutch). November 20, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  26. Van der Storm, Lukas (June 15, 2018). "John Frenken keert terug als wethouder in Son en Breugel". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  27. "Kandidatenlijst". GroenLinks Utrecht (in Dutch). Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  28. Van der Storm, Lukas (January 18, 2019). "Van den Nieuwenhuijzen stapt op als wethouder in Son en Breugel". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  29. Van der Storm, Lukas (February 7, 2020). "Son en Breugel nu dan toch eerste gemeente met speciale belasting voor de regenpijp". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  30. "Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2017 (getekend exemplaar)" (PDF). Kiesraad (in Dutch). March 21, 2017. pp. 122 and 123. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  31. "Nieuw Kamerlid beëdigd: Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen". Tweede Kamer (Press release) (in Dutch). May 7, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  32. Keultjes, Hanneke (December 1, 2020). "GroenLinks: vernoem marinefregatten naar vrouwen" [GroenLinks: name frigates after women]. Het Parool (in Dutch). Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  33. Alonso, Stéphane (December 1, 2020). "Kamer: help textielbedrijven die China willen verlaten" [House: assist textile companies that want to leave China]. nrc.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  34. "Kandidatenlijst". GroenLinks (in Dutch). Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  35. "Regenboogkandidaat: Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen". GroenLinks (in Dutch). November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  36. @TomvdnN (August 8, 2018). "Vandaag alweer 10 jaar getrouwd met de allerliefste. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💘" (Tweet) (in Dutch) – via Twitter.
  37. Van den Nieuwenhuijzen, Tom (January 20, 2021). "Polyamorie in een monogame wereld". Expreszo (Interview) (in Dutch). Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  38. "Kandidatenlijsten Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2017 definitief". Kiesraad (Press release) (in Dutch). February 14, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  39. "Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen". PvdA-GroenLinks Son en Breugel (in Dutch). Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  40. "Tom van den Nieuwenhuijzen legt raadsfunctie tijdelijk neer". Studio040 (in Dutch). January 27, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
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