Paul Smeulders
Paul Smeulders | |
|---|---|
 Smeulders in 2020 | |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office 6 June 2018 – 30 March 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Linda Voortman |
| Alderman of Arnhem | |
| Assumed office 2022 | |
| Alderman of Helmond | |
| In office 2014–2018 | |
| Member of the Provincial Council of North Brabant | |
| In office 2011–2014 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Paul Smeulders 15 July 1987 Helmond, Netherlands |
| Political party | GroenLinks |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Politician |
Paul Smeulders (Dutch pronunciation: [pʌul ˈsmøːldərs]; born 15 July 1987) is a Dutch politician of GroenLinks.
Education and career
Born in Helmond, Smeulders studied public administration successively at the Avans University of Applied Sciences and Tilburg University between 2004 and 2010. He worked as a public affairs adviser at Vereniging Natuurmonumenten, and he became a member of the Provincial Council of North Brabant in 2011, serving as GroenLinks's parliamentary leader.[1] Smeulders left the council in 2014 to become alderman for finances, sustainability, and land in Helmond.[1][2]
He did not secure a seat in the House of Representatives in the 2017 general election, but he was appointed to the body in June 2018 to succeed Linda Voortman.[3] Smeulders lost his bid for re-election in 2021, bringing his membership of the House to an end on 30 March.[4][5] He was appointed alderman for finances, housing, and refugees in Arnhem the following year after having formed the municipality's executive as (in)formateur.[2][6] He announced in 2024 that Arnhem would house 1,700 asylum seekers for the next 30 years – 980 more than required by the national government – and he signaled that refugees were welcome.[7]
References
- ^ a b "Biografie, onderwijs en loopbaan van Paul Smeulders" [Biography, education, and career of Paul Smeulders]. House of Representatives (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 24 January 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b "Paul Smeulders". Municipality of Arnhem (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2 December 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ Van Otterdijk, Frits (24 April 2018). "Jongensdroom van Paul Smeulders komt uit, hij wordt Tweede Kamerlid: 'Brabant op de kaart zetten'" ['Boyhood dream of Paul Smeulders materializes, he will become a member of parliament: 'Putting Brabant on the map']. Omroep Brabant (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ Van der Venne, Freek (23 March 2021). "Voorkeursstemmen geteld, Paul Smeulders nu echt weg uit Tweede Kamer" [Preference votes counted, Paul Smeulders will definitively depart from the House of Representatives]. Omroep Brabant (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Tweede Kamerleden nemen afscheid" [House of Representatives members say farewell]. House of Representatives (Press release) (in Dutch). 29 March 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ Veth, Huibert (1 June 2022). "Het is rond: Arnhem heeft een uiterst linkse coalitie met zes partijen" [It is finished: Arnhem has a far-left coalition with six parties]. Omroep Gelderland (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ Smeulders, Paul (7 May 2024). "Minder asielzoekers? Arnhem wil er juist veel meer. 'Vreselijk zoals ze in Den Haag spreken over vluchtelingen'" [Fewer asylum seekers? Arnhem wants more. 'It is terrible how refugees are being talked about in The Hague']. Trouw (in Dutch). Interviewed by Johan van Heerde. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
