Ria Beckers
Encyclopedia
Maria Brigitta Catherina (Ria) Beckers-de Bruijn (Driebergen
, 2 November 1938 – Wadenoijen
, 22 March 2006) was a Dutch
Green politician
. She was the political leader of the progressive Christian
party PPR and its successor GreenLeft
.
Because of her motherly appearance Beckers was called "Moeder" (Mother) by other PPR-members, after the foundation of the GreenLeft she was called "De Akela van GroenLinks" (Akela
(Cub Scout
-leader) of the GreenLeft).
, in which she took all courses and did not major in either sciences or arts. She continued to study Latin
and Greek
at the University of Utrecht. Since 1962 she taught these languages at high schools in Haarlem
and Leiden
. Her thesis concerned the position of women in Greek Tragedy.
In the 1970s she had become active in the progressive Christian party Politieke Partij Radicalen (PPR). Beckers had a Catholic
background. She became member of the PPR board in 1973 as vice-chairperson. In 1974 she was elected chairperson of the PPR.
of the PPR. This is remarkable because she was not a member of parliament at the time. The young Beckers was expected to perform better under young voters than the then political leader Bas de Gaay Fortman
. She was the first female lijsttrekker in Dutch politics. In the 1977 elections
the PPR lost four of its seven seats. Beckers nonetheless remained political leader and led the PPR in the 1981
, 1982
and 1986 elections
. In these elections the party got between two and three seats. Under her leadership the PPR broke its links with the PvdA and oriented itself to the more left-wing parties PSP, CPN and EVP. The PPR was no longer interested in governing but instead chose to testify
to its ideals.
In 1989 the PPR merged with these left-wing parties to become the GreenLeft. Beckers was elected lijsttrekker of the new formation. In the 1989 elections
the GreenLeft got a disappointing six seats. Beckers remained political leader of the GreenLeft until 1993, when she stood down for a new generation. She had been political leader of her party for sixteen years. When she left parliament in 1993 prime-minister Lubbers
praised her by saying "you gave us (the government) a lot of trouble".
In parliament Beckers took special interest in promoting organic farming
and peace
.
s: she was chairperson of the Platform Biologica, which promotes organic agriculture, from 1993 to 2004. She was chairperson the Foundation for Nature and the Environment since 1994 for ten years. After she left these positions in 2004 she was made Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau.
After that she held several positions in advisory boards, for instance of the green Triodos-bank and Research Centre of Wageningen University
.
In 2006 Beckers died after a long sick-bed. After her death she was praised for being an authentic, compassionate and idealistic politician, who stood far from the televised political theater of today.
Beckers lived most of her life in Wadenoijen
, which is near the Linge
river. For years she protested against the creation of bigger dikes against the river. Ironically, in 1995, she had to be evacuated from her house, because the dikes were expected to be not strong enough to hold back the river.
Driebergen
Driebergen is a former village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. Later it became a part of the single town of Driebergen-Rijsenburg. And presently it's part of Utrechtse Heuvelrug....
, 2 November 1938 – Wadenoijen
Wadenoijen
Wadenoijen is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Tiel, and lies about 4 km west of Tiel.In 2001, the village of Wadenoijen had 411 inhabitants...
, 22 March 2006) was a Dutch
Politics of the Netherlands
The politics of the Netherlands take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a decentralised unitary state. The Netherlands is described as a consociational state...
Green politician
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
. She was the political leader of the progressive Christian
Christian left
The Christian left is a term originating in the United States, used to describe a spectrum of left-wing Christian political and social movements which largely embraces social justice....
party PPR and its successor GreenLeft
GreenLeft
GreenLeft is a green political party operating in the Netherlands.GreenLeft was formed on 1 March 1989 as a merger of four left-wing political parties: the Communist Party of the Netherlands, Pacifist Socialist Party, the Political Party of Radicals and the Evangelical People's Party...
.
Because of her motherly appearance Beckers was called "Moeder" (Mother) by other PPR-members, after the foundation of the GreenLeft she was called "De Akela van GroenLinks" (Akela
Akela (Scouting)
The Scouting program has used themes from The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling since 1916.In 1914 Baden Powell announced a Junior Section for Scouting. In 1916, he published his own outlines for such a scheme, it was to be called Wolf Cubbing. It has been speculated that Baden-Powell may have had a...
(Cub Scout
Cub Scout
A Cub Scout is a member of the section of the worldwide Scouting movement for young persons, mainly boys normally aged about 7 to 11. In some countries they are known by their original name of Wolf Cubs and are often referred to simply as Cubs. The movement is often referred to simply as Cubbing...
-leader) of the GreenLeft).
Career before politics
In 1956 Beckers completed the gymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
, in which she took all courses and did not major in either sciences or arts. She continued to study Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
at the University of Utrecht. Since 1962 she taught these languages at high schools in Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
and Leiden
Stedelijk Gymnasium Leiden
Stedelijk Gymnasium Leiden is a gymnasium in the Netherlands. Located in Leiden, it is one of the oldest schools in the Netherlands. Its history dates back to the Middle Ages...
. Her thesis concerned the position of women in Greek Tragedy.
In the 1970s she had become active in the progressive Christian party Politieke Partij Radicalen (PPR). Beckers had a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
background. She became member of the PPR board in 1973 as vice-chairperson. In 1974 she was elected chairperson of the PPR.
Political career
In 1977 Beckers was elected lijsttrekkerLijsttrekker
Lijsttrekker is a Dutch term for the top candidate of a party on a party list. He or she is almost always the party's political leader. After an election, this person usually leads the party's faction in the States-General, or serves in a senior position in the Cabinet if his party is part of...
of the PPR. This is remarkable because she was not a member of parliament at the time. The young Beckers was expected to perform better under young voters than the then political leader Bas de Gaay Fortman
Bas de Gaay Fortman
Bastiaan de Gaay Fortman is a Dutch politician and scholar. He has been a member of both the Dutch House of Representatives and the Senate for the PPR and GroenLinks parties...
. She was the first female lijsttrekker in Dutch politics. In the 1977 elections
Dutch general election, 1977
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 25, 1977....
the PPR lost four of its seven seats. Beckers nonetheless remained political leader and led the PPR in the 1981
Dutch general election, 1981
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 26, 1981.-National summary:...
, 1982
Dutch general election, 1982
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on September 8, 1982.-National summary:...
and 1986 elections
Dutch general election, 1986
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 21, 1986.-National summary:...
. In these elections the party got between two and three seats. Under her leadership the PPR broke its links with the PvdA and oriented itself to the more left-wing parties PSP, CPN and EVP. The PPR was no longer interested in governing but instead chose to testify
Testimonial party
Testimonial party is a political party that focuses on its principles, instead of adapting them to local or temporal issues in the pursuit of coalition government participation...
to its ideals.
In 1989 the PPR merged with these left-wing parties to become the GreenLeft. Beckers was elected lijsttrekker of the new formation. In the 1989 elections
Dutch general election, 1989
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on September 6, 1989.-National summary:...
the GreenLeft got a disappointing six seats. Beckers remained political leader of the GreenLeft until 1993, when she stood down for a new generation. She had been political leader of her party for sixteen years. When she left parliament in 1993 prime-minister Lubbers
Ruud Lubbers
Rudolphus Franciscus Marie "Ruud" Lubbers is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from November 4, 1982 until August 22, 1994....
praised her by saying "you gave us (the government) a lot of trouble".
In parliament Beckers took special interest in promoting organic farming
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
and peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
.
Later career
After leaving politics Beckers became involved in green NGONon-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
s: she was chairperson of the Platform Biologica, which promotes organic agriculture, from 1993 to 2004. She was chairperson the Foundation for Nature and the Environment since 1994 for ten years. After she left these positions in 2004 she was made Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau.
After that she held several positions in advisory boards, for instance of the green Triodos-bank and Research Centre of Wageningen University
Wageningen University
Wageningen University and Research Centre is a Dutch public university in Wageningen, The Netherlands. It consists of Wageningen University, the Van Hall-Larenstein School of Higher Professional Education, and the former agricultural research institutes of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture...
.
In 2006 Beckers died after a long sick-bed. After her death she was praised for being an authentic, compassionate and idealistic politician, who stood far from the televised political theater of today.
Personal life
Beckers was married and had three children, one of whom was adopted.Beckers lived most of her life in Wadenoijen
Wadenoijen
Wadenoijen is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Tiel, and lies about 4 km west of Tiel.In 2001, the village of Wadenoijen had 411 inhabitants...
, which is near the Linge
Linge
Linge is a river in the Betuwe that is over 100 km long, which makes it one of the longest rivers that flow entirely within the Netherlands.It starts near the village Doornenburg near the German border. A legend tells us that if there will be no more pigs grazing at the castle of Doornenburg, the...
river. For years she protested against the creation of bigger dikes against the river. Ironically, in 1995, she had to be evacuated from her house, because the dikes were expected to be not strong enough to hold back the river.