Hilbrand Nawijn
Encyclopedia
Hilbrand Pier Anne Nawijn (born August 8, 1948) is a Dutch
politician of the Party for the Netherlands
(PVN). He was Minister for Integration & Immigration
from July 22, 2002 until May 27, 2003 and later a Member of the House of Representatives for the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF).
Nawijn was born in Kampen
. He is a descendant of Firmin Navin (born approx 1725), a Huguenot
who fled to Holland from France to escape persecution. After graduating Emelwerda College in Emmeloord
he studied law at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. Following a long career working for the Dutch Ministry of Justice he was elected in 2002 as a member of the Christen-Democratisch Appèl for the city council
of Zoetermeer
. Nawijn was an early supporter of the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn
and in 2002, when Fortuyn founded the Pim Fortuyn List, Nawijn earned a place on the list. Despite the assassination
of Fortuyn which happened days before the election, the LPF emerged with a successful result, thus bringing Nawijn into the Dutch House of Representatives. He was appointed Minister for Integration and Immigration in the first Balkenende cabinet
.
Due to the instability of the LPF following Fortuyn's assassination, the first Balkenende cabinet lasted briefly, leading to early elections in 2003. Due to Nawijn's controversial conservative
positions such as his support of the death penalty, he was placed at the bottom of the LPF's electoral list. This should have made it almost impossible for Nawijn to be reelected, however, the same statements which made him so unpopular to the political establishment won him a following among voters. Thus on election day Nawijn received enough individual votes to once again enter the House of Representatives.
Despite still being a member of the LPF, Nawijn often was at odds with the party. In January 2005, he left the fragmented LPF with the eventual goal of founding his own political party. He also maintained good relations with the increasingly powerful Flemish
party Vlaams Belang
.http://www.vlaamsbelangvlaamsparlement.org/index.php?p=persmededelingen&id=197. In the Dutch municipal elections of 2006
, Nawijn managed, with his own new party, to gather 5 out of 39 seats in his hometown Zoetermeer
. http://www.zoetermeer.nl/index.php?mediumid=31&pagid=2010. He entered later that year the 2006 Dutch elections
with a new party, the Partij voor Nederland
(Party for the Netherlands), but obtained no seats.
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...
politician of the Party for the Netherlands
Party for the Netherlands
Party for the Netherlands is a Dutch right-wing Fortuynist political party founded in August 2006 by Hilbrand Nawijn, a member of the Dutch House of Representatives....
(PVN). He was Minister for Integration & Immigration
Ministry of Justice (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Security and Justice is the Dutch ministry of justice. Until 14 October 2010, the ministry was just called Ministry of Justice , but at the start of the Rutte cabinet, the name changed because it had taken over some public safety duties from the Ministry of the Interior...
from July 22, 2002 until May 27, 2003 and later a Member of the House of Representatives for the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF).
Nawijn was born in Kampen
Kampen (Overijssel)
Kampen is a municipality, a city and an old Hanseatic city at the lower reaches of the river IJssel in the Dutch province of Overijssel.The municipality of Kampen counts 50,073 inhabitants in an area of approximately 162 km² . Kampen is located in the North West of Overijssel and is the...
. He is a descendant of Firmin Navin (born approx 1725), a Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
who fled to Holland from France to escape persecution. After graduating Emelwerda College in Emmeloord
Emmeloord
Emmeloord is the administrative center of the municipality of Noordoostpolder, Flevoland, Netherlands.At the heart of the Noordoostpolder, where the three main drainage canals intersect, is the city of Emmeloord . Emmeloord is in a polder: land reclaimed from the IJsselmeer, which earlier was part...
he studied law at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. Following a long career working for the Dutch Ministry of Justice he was elected in 2002 as a member of the Christen-Democratisch Appèl for the city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
of Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 37.06 km² . A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950...
. Nawijn was an early supporter of the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn
Pim Fortuyn
Wilhelmus Simon Petrus Fortuijn, known as Pim Fortuyn was a Dutch politician, civil servant, sociologist, author and professor who formed his own party, Pim Fortuyn List ....
and in 2002, when Fortuyn founded the Pim Fortuyn List, Nawijn earned a place on the list. Despite the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of Fortuyn which happened days before the election, the LPF emerged with a successful result, thus bringing Nawijn into the Dutch House of Representatives. He was appointed Minister for Integration and Immigration in the first Balkenende cabinet
First Balkenende cabinet
The first cabinet of Jan Peter Balkenende was in office in the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 16 October of the same year. The term of 87 days was the shortest since the fifth cabinet of Hendrikus Colijn .Following the 15 May 2002...
.
Due to the instability of the LPF following Fortuyn's assassination, the first Balkenende cabinet lasted briefly, leading to early elections in 2003. Due to Nawijn's controversial conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
positions such as his support of the death penalty, he was placed at the bottom of the LPF's electoral list. This should have made it almost impossible for Nawijn to be reelected, however, the same statements which made him so unpopular to the political establishment won him a following among voters. Thus on election day Nawijn received enough individual votes to once again enter the House of Representatives.
Despite still being a member of the LPF, Nawijn often was at odds with the party. In January 2005, he left the fragmented LPF with the eventual goal of founding his own political party. He also maintained good relations with the increasingly powerful Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
party Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang is a Belgian far-right political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels that advocates the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration, whereby immigrants would be obliged to adopt Flemish culture and language...
.http://www.vlaamsbelangvlaamsparlement.org/index.php?p=persmededelingen&id=197. In the Dutch municipal elections of 2006
Dutch municipal elections, 2006
The Dutch municipal elections of 2006 were held on March 7, 2006. About 11.8 million people could vote in 419 municipalities. Due to local redistricting, 15 municipalities have already held elections in January 2006 and 24 municipalities will hold elections in November 2006...
, Nawijn managed, with his own new party, to gather 5 out of 39 seats in his hometown Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 37.06 km² . A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950...
. http://www.zoetermeer.nl/index.php?mediumid=31&pagid=2010. He entered later that year the 2006 Dutch elections
Dutch general election, 2006
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
with a new party, the Partij voor Nederland
Party for the Netherlands
Party for the Netherlands is a Dutch right-wing Fortuynist political party founded in August 2006 by Hilbrand Nawijn, a member of the Dutch House of Representatives....
(Party for the Netherlands), but obtained no seats.