Gert-Jan Segers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gert-Jan Segers
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![]() Segers in 2016
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Leader of the Christian Union | |
In office 10 November 2015 – 17 January 2023 |
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Preceded by | Arie Slob |
Succeeded by | Mirjam Bikker |
Leader of the Christian Union in the House of Representatives |
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In office 10 November 2015 – 17 January 2023 |
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Preceded by | Arie Slob |
Succeeded by | Mirjam Bikker |
Member of the House of Representatives | |
In office 20 September 2012 – 20 January 2023 |
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Personal details | |
Born | Lisse, Netherlands |
9 July 1969
Political party | Christian Union |
Other political affiliations |
Reformatory Political Federation (until 2001) |
Relations | Married |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | Leiden University (BSc, MSc) Johns Hopkins University (MIPP) |
Gert-Jan Segers is a Dutch politician. He was born on July 9, 1969. From 2015 to 2023, he was the leader of a political party called the Christian Union. He also served as a member of the Dutch Parliament from 2012 to 2023. During his time in parliament, he was also the leader of his party's group there.
Early Life and Career
Gert-Jan Segers grew up in Lisse, a town in the Netherlands. He went to Leiden University to study political science. This is the study of how governments work and how people make decisions in society. He earned a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University. There, he focused on how Western countries and Islamic cultures relate to each other.
From 2000 to 2007, Segers worked as a Christian missionary in Egypt. A missionary is someone who travels to another country to share their religious beliefs. After that, from 2008 to 2012, he led a special group. This group was a "think tank" for the Christian Union party. A think tank is a group of experts who do research and suggest ideas for a political party. He also wrote articles for a Dutch newspaper called Nederlands Dagblad. He wrote books about politics and also two novels.
Political Journey
Segers became a member of the Dutch Parliament after the 2012 national election. The House of Representatives is where laws are made in the Netherlands. In 2015, he took over as the leader of the Christian Union party. He also became the leader of the party's group in parliament. He took over these roles from Arie Slob.
In the 2017 national election, the Christian Union kept its five seats in parliament. After this election, the Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, tried to form a new government. He first talked with another party, but they could not agree on policies. Then, he asked the Christian Union to join the government. The Christian Union agreed. Two members of their party became ministers in the new government. These were Carola Schouten and Arie Slob.
On January 13, 2023, Segers announced that he would step down as the leader of the Christian Union. He left his position on January 17, 2023. Mirjam Bikker became the new leader of the party.
Personal Life
Gert-Jan Segers is married and has three children. His cousin, Theo Segers, has also been involved in politics. Theo Segers was a mayor of two different towns in the Netherlands.