Peter van Dalen
Encyclopedia
Peter van Dalen is a Dutch
civil servant and politician
. He is a member of the ChristianUnion
party, a socially conservative Protestant party, and was formerly a member of the Reformatory Political Federation
(RPF), which merged with the Reformed Political League (GPV) to form the ChristianUnion. He is a Member of the European Parliament in the European Conservatives and Reformists
(ECR) grouping.
, and studied history and international relations at Utrecht University
. At university, van Dalen was a member of the SSR-NU, a Christian social club for students, and worked in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands as a member of staff for Meindert Leerling
, with responsibility for health policy. After graduating in 1983, van Dalen enrolled in Utrecht's law school, but had to drop out in 1985 because he was constantly travelling abroad and was too busy to keep up with his studies. He became a senior policy officer for Leen van der Waal
, a Member of the European Parliament
for a joint RPF-GPV-SPG (Reformed Political Party
) ticket in 1984. In 1989, van Dalen joined the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, dealing with the then-European Economic Community
(EEC). From 1990 to 2009, van Dalen held increasingly senior positions in the Ministry, reaching the position of Superintendent-Director of the Inspectorate of Transport and Public Works.
of the ChristianUnion – Reformed Political Party. The group won two seats, and sought to join the European Conservatives and Reformists
, following the breakup of the Independence/Democracy grouping, but in the European Parliament
, the British Conservative Party
was critical of the policies of the SGP towards women, and so refused to let the SPG MEP Bas Belder sit in the newly-formed European Conservatives and Reformists
group. This caused the ChristianUnion – Reformed Political Party to break up, and Bas Belder joined the Europe of Freedom and Democracy
grouping. Van Dalen sits on the Committee on Transport and Tourism
in the European Parliament.
, and believes that the economic crisis was largely the result of secularisation. Similarly, van Dalen has expressed his belief that secularisation is the biggest threat to Europe.
, part of the province of Utrecht
. He is a member of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
civil servant and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He is a member of the ChristianUnion
ChristianUnion
The ChristianUnion , abbreviated to CU, is a Dutch Christian democratic political party. A centrist party, the CU's policies combine social conservatism and soft euroscepticism with more centre-left positions on economic, immigration, and environmental issues.Founded in 2000 as a merger of the...
party, a socially conservative Protestant party, and was formerly a member of the Reformatory Political Federation
Reformatory Political Federation
The Reformatory Political Federation was a minor Protestant Christian political party in the Netherlands.-History:The RPF was founded in 1975 by three groups of orthodox Christians...
(RPF), which merged with the Reformed Political League (GPV) to form the ChristianUnion. He is a Member of the European Parliament in the European Conservatives and Reformists
European Conservatives and Reformists
The European Conservatives and Reformists, abbreviated to ECR, is a conservative anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament. The group currently comprises 57 MEPs, making it the fourth-largest group in the European Parliament....
(ECR) grouping.
Career
Van Dalen was educated at the Develstein College, in ZwijndrechtZwijndrecht (Netherlands)
Zwijndrecht is a city and municipality located in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is at the southern tip of the island of IJsselmonde, at the confluence of the rivers Oude Maas, Beneden-Merwede, and Noord....
, and studied history and international relations at Utrecht University
Utrecht University
Utrecht University is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 29,082 students in 2008, and employed 8,614 faculty and staff, 570 of which are full professors....
. At university, van Dalen was a member of the SSR-NU, a Christian social club for students, and worked in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands as a member of staff for Meindert Leerling
Meindert Leerling
Meindert Leerling is a Dutch former politician, television director and journalist.As a member of the Reformatory Political Federation he was a member of the Dutch House of Representatives as well as Parliamentary leader from 1981 to 1994.Previously he worked as a television director and RTV...
, with responsibility for health policy. After graduating in 1983, van Dalen enrolled in Utrecht's law school, but had to drop out in 1985 because he was constantly travelling abroad and was too busy to keep up with his studies. He became a senior policy officer for Leen van der Waal
Leen van der Waal
Leendert van der Waal is a Dutch engineer and former politician. He is a member of the Reformed Political Party and former Member of the European Parliament.- References :...
, a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for a joint RPF-GPV-SPG (Reformed Political Party
Reformed Political Party
The Reformed Political Party is an orthodox Protestant Dutch political party. The term Reformed is not a reference to political reform, but is a synonym for Calvinist. The SGP is the oldest political party in the Netherlands in its current form, and for its entire existence has been in opposition...
) ticket in 1984. In 1989, van Dalen joined the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, dealing with the then-European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
(EEC). From 1990 to 2009, van Dalen held increasingly senior positions in the Ministry, reaching the position of Superintendent-Director of the Inspectorate of Transport and Public Works.
European Parliament
At the end of February 2009, van Dalen was designated leader for the 2009 European electionsEuropean Parliament election, 2009 (Netherlands)
The European Parliament election of 2009 in the Netherlands was the election of the delegation from the Netherlands to the European Parliament in 2009 and took place on June 4, 2009. Seventeen parties competed in a D'Hondt type election for 25 seats...
of the ChristianUnion – Reformed Political Party. The group won two seats, and sought to join the European Conservatives and Reformists
European Conservatives and Reformists
The European Conservatives and Reformists, abbreviated to ECR, is a conservative anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament. The group currently comprises 57 MEPs, making it the fourth-largest group in the European Parliament....
, following the breakup of the Independence/Democracy grouping, but in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, the British Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
was critical of the policies of the SGP towards women, and so refused to let the SPG MEP Bas Belder sit in the newly-formed European Conservatives and Reformists
European Conservatives and Reformists
The European Conservatives and Reformists, abbreviated to ECR, is a conservative anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament. The group currently comprises 57 MEPs, making it the fourth-largest group in the European Parliament....
group. This caused the ChristianUnion – Reformed Political Party to break up, and Bas Belder joined the Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Europe of Freedom and Democracy is a Eurosceptic political group in the European Parliament. Formed after the European parliamentary election in 2009, it is mostly made up of elements of the now defunct Independence/Democracy and Union for a Europe of Nations groups from the out-going...
grouping. Van Dalen sits on the Committee on Transport and Tourism
Committee on Transport and Tourism
The Committee on Transport and Tourism is a committee within the European Parliament.-External links:* Present Chairman is British Labour MEP Brian Simpson...
in the European Parliament.
Political views
Van Dalen is a "Euro-realist" and believes that European cooperation is useful, but that the EU should not lead to a bureaucratic "superstate" involved in anything interfering with domestic social policy. Van Dalen is opposed to Turkish membership of the EUAccession of Turkey to the European Union
Turkey's application to accede to the European Union was made on 14 April 1987. Turkey has been an associate member of the European Union and its predecessors since 1963...
, and believes that the economic crisis was largely the result of secularisation. Similarly, van Dalen has expressed his belief that secularisation is the biggest threat to Europe.
Personal life
Van Dalen is married and lives in HoutenHouten
Houten is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. The expected population in 2015 will be 50,000. The municipality consists of the following towns:* Houten * 't Goy * Schalkwijk...
, part of the province of Utrecht
Utrecht (province)
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...
. He is a member of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
The Protestant Church in the Netherlands is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in the Netherlands. With 2,000 congregations and a membership of some 1.8 million , it is the second largest church in the Netherlands after the Roman Catholic Church.It was founded 1 May 2004 as a merger of...
.