Kees van der Staaij facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kees van der Staaij
Leader of the Reformed Political Party
In office 27 March 2010 – 25 August 2023
Preceded by	Bas van der Vlies
Succeeded by	Chris Stoffer
Leader of the Reformed Political Party in the House of Representatives
In office 10 May 2010 – 25 August 2023
Preceded by	Bas van der Vlies
Succeeded by	Chris Stoffer
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 19 May 1998 – 5 December 2023
Personal details
Born	Cornelis Gerrit van der Staaij (1968-09-12) 12 September 1968 (age 56) Vlaardingen, Netherlands
Political party	Reformed Political Party
Spouse	Marlies van Ree ​ (m. 1994)​
Residence	Benthuizen
Alma mater	Leiden University (LLM)
Occupation	Politician civil servant
Website	Official website: http://www.sgp.nl/Page/sp729/ml1/from_sp_id=674/nctrue/system_id=1979/so_id=956/Index.html

Cornelis Gerrit "Kees" van der Staaij (born 12 September 1968) is a Dutch politician. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1998 to 2023. He also led the Reformed Political Party (SGP) from 2010 to 2023. As a parliament member, he worked on topics like law, home affairs, and foreign policy. He also focused on the European Union, defense, public health, and immigration. Van der Staaij was the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives from 2017 until 2023.

Early Life and Education

Kees van der Staaij was born in Vlaardingen, a city in the South Holland province. His father worked for the local government in Maartensdijk.

School Days

He attended two Reformed primary schools. One was in Vlaardingen (1974–1979) and the other in Geldermalsen (1979–1980). He then went to a Reformed secondary school in Amersfoort (1980–1986).

University Studies

After secondary school, he studied law at Leiden University. He chose to specialize in constitutional law and administrative law. These areas of law deal with how governments are set up and how they make decisions.

Political Career

Kees van der Staaij became interested in politics at a young age. He joined the Reformed Political Party in 1986.

Joining the House of Representatives

He worked at the Council of State for several years. This is an important advisory body to the Dutch government. In 1998, he was elected to the House of Representatives. This is where laws are made in the Netherlands.

Leading the Party

In 2010, he became the leader of his party. He also became the leader of his party's group in the House of Representatives. He took over these roles from Bas van der Vlies. Van der Staaij led his party in the general elections of 2010, 2012, and 2017.

Key Political Views

Kees van der Staaij is known for his conservative views in Dutch politics. He believes that faith and community are very important for society. He often spoke about these values during his time in parliament.

Recent Activities

Van der Staaij led the SGP again in the 2021 general election. His party won 3 out of 150 seats in the House of Representatives. He announced that he would not run for re-election in November 2023.

In February 2024, he became a special envoy for the maritime industry. In this role, he advises the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. In June 2024, he returned to the Council of State. He now serves as a state councilor in its advisory division.

Electoral History

Kees van der Staaij participated in several elections during his career. Here is a summary of his results: