Tof Thissen
Encyclopedia
Christoffel Paul Thissen (born May 19, 1957 in Roermond
) is a Dutch politician. Since 2004 he is member of the Senate for GreenLeft
.
primary school in Roermond. Between 1969 and 1976 he attended the gymnasium
at the Episcopal college in the same city. He graduated specializing in arts
. Between 1976 and 1977 he was a member of the centre-left Labour Party. In 1977 however he switched to the more leftwing Pacifist Socialist Party
. Betwedeen 1977 and 1982 he studied theology
at the Higher School for Theology and Pastoral Studies in Heerlen
. He reached his kandidaats examen (roughly equivalent to a Bachelor of Arts
). Between and after his study he worked at the Limburg Centre for Development Cooperation. Between 1979 and 1985 he also was the Limburg provincial coordinator for peace activities
and member of the national working group for local peace groups of the oecumenical Christian
pacifist Interkerkelijk Vredesberaad. After his study Thissen worked as an RE teacher at a secondary school. In this period he was chair of the Roermond PSP between 1982 and 1986.
, formed by a merger of the two parties merged. Between 1987 and 1990 he returned to studying theology, now at the Catholic University Nijmegen. Thissen specialized in the ethics of the economy. He did however not finish he studies. In addition to his study Thissen also taught civics
at a high school. Thissen was very active in the Roermond social movements and civil society
. He served as a member of the board of Roermond branch of Stichting Vluchtelingenwerk, a foundation that helps refugees between 1987 and 1991. He also chaired the Roermond Anti-Discriminationbureau in 1988. In addition he was treasurer of the foundation Roermond Festival, between 1989 and 1994 and he chaired the board of the Roermond Cultural Youth Centre "De Azijnfabriek". He was also active in GreenLeft. Between 1989 and 1994 as member of the Limburg provincial board and between 1989 and 1992 as a member of the GreenLeft national party council.
In 1992 worked as coordinator of a Roermond labour market reintegrationprogram for young people and after that was the director of the Roermond Recycling Centre. In 1994 he became alderman in Roermond, where managed the portfolios welfare, social security, education, culture and youth. As alderman he had a range of secondary functions in regional social affairs. Since 1998 he was a member of the delegation Association of Netherlands Municipalities with the ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. He also had some national secondary functions in the social sphere. He for instance chaired the national council for the project Heel de Buurt, which worked on urban renewal
. He also became chairman of the board of Divosa, the national association of managers in the sphere of labour, income and care. Since 2001 he was suppleant of the Council for Work and Income. In 1998
, 2002
and 2003
he was a member of the GreenLeft selection committee for the national elections.
the party only received five seats. In 2004 Mirjam de Rijk left the Senate to become general director of the environmental organization Stichting Natuur en Milieu. Thissen replaced him. In the Senate, Thissen is active on the portfolios education, finance and health care. In 2007 the GreenLeft Congress made Thissen lijsttrekker
for the Senate elections. He beat Yolan Koster-Dreese by a wide margin.
Roermond
Roermond is a city, a municipality, and a diocese in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.The city of Roermond is a historically important town, on the lower Roer at the east bank of the Meuse river. It received city rights in 1231...
) is a Dutch politician. Since 2004 he is member of the Senate for 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...
.
Life before politics
Thissen attended a Roman CatholicRoman Catholicism in the Netherlands
The Catholic Church in the Netherlands; , is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. Although the number of Catholics in the Netherlands has decreased significantly in recent decades, the Dutch Catholic Church is today the largest...
primary school in Roermond. Between 1969 and 1976 he attended the gymnasium
Gymnasium (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...
at the Episcopal college in the same city. He graduated specializing in arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
. Between 1976 and 1977 he was a member of the centre-left Labour Party. In 1977 however he switched to the more leftwing Pacifist Socialist Party
Pacifist Socialist Party
The Pacifist Socialist Party was a Dutch left-socialist political party. The PSP played a small role in Dutch politics. It is a predecessor of the GreenLeft.-Before 1957:...
. Betwedeen 1977 and 1982 he studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the Higher School for Theology and Pastoral Studies in Heerlen
Heerlen
Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the province of Limburg. It forms part of Parkstad Limburg, , an agglomeration of about 220,000 inhabitants.After its early Roman beginnings and a rather modest medieval period, Heerlen...
. He reached his kandidaats examen (roughly equivalent to a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
). Between and after his study he worked at the Limburg Centre for Development Cooperation. Between 1979 and 1985 he also was the Limburg provincial coordinator for peace activities
Peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...
and member of the national working group for local peace groups of the oecumenical Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
pacifist Interkerkelijk Vredesberaad. After his study Thissen worked as an RE teacher at a secondary school. In this period he was chair of the Roermond PSP between 1982 and 1986.
Roermond Politics
Between 1986 and 2002 Thissen was a member of the Roermond city council. First for Roermond Left, an alliance the PSP and the progressive Christian Political Party of Radicals and later for GreenLeftGreenLeft
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...
, formed by a merger of the two parties merged. Between 1987 and 1990 he returned to studying theology, now at the Catholic University Nijmegen. Thissen specialized in the ethics of the economy. He did however not finish he studies. In addition to his study Thissen also taught civics
Civics
Civics is the study of rights and duties of citizenship. In other words, it is the study of government with attention to the role of citizens ― as opposed to external factors ― in the operation and oversight of government....
at a high school. Thissen was very active in the Roermond social movements and civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
. He served as a member of the board of Roermond branch of Stichting Vluchtelingenwerk, a foundation that helps refugees between 1987 and 1991. He also chaired the Roermond Anti-Discriminationbureau in 1988. In addition he was treasurer of the foundation Roermond Festival, between 1989 and 1994 and he chaired the board of the Roermond Cultural Youth Centre "De Azijnfabriek". He was also active in GreenLeft. Between 1989 and 1994 as member of the Limburg provincial board and between 1989 and 1992 as a member of the GreenLeft national party council.
In 1992 worked as coordinator of a Roermond labour market reintegrationprogram for young people and after that was the director of the Roermond Recycling Centre. In 1994 he became alderman in Roermond, where managed the portfolios welfare, social security, education, culture and youth. As alderman he had a range of secondary functions in regional social affairs. Since 1998 he was a member of the delegation Association of Netherlands Municipalities with the ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. He also had some national secondary functions in the social sphere. He for instance chaired the national council for the project Heel de Buurt, which worked on urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
. He also became chairman of the board of Divosa, the national association of managers in the sphere of labour, income and care. Since 2001 he was suppleant of the Council for Work and Income. In 1998
Dutch general election, 1998
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on 6 May 1998.-Result:...
, 2002
Dutch general election, 2002
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 15, 2002....
and 2003
Dutch general election, 2003
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on January 22, 2003.-Background:...
he was a member of the GreenLeft selection committee for the national elections.
Senate
In 2003 Thissen was candidate for the Senate he received a sixth place on the list. In the electionsElections in the Netherlands
Elections in the Netherlands are held for six territorial levels of government: the European Union, the state, the twelve Provinces of the Netherlands, the 25 water boards, the 418 municipalities and in two cities for neighbourhood councils...
the party only received five seats. In 2004 Mirjam de Rijk left the Senate to become general director of the environmental organization Stichting Natuur en Milieu. Thissen replaced him. In the Senate, Thissen is active on the portfolios education, finance and health care. In 2007 the GreenLeft Congress made Thissen lijsttrekker
Lijsttrekker
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...
for the Senate elections. He beat Yolan Koster-Dreese by a wide margin.
External links
- Tof Thissen on parlement.com
- Tof Thissen on eerstekamer.nl
- Tof Thissen on groenlinks.nl