Jimmy Dijk
{{Short description|Dutch politician (born 1985)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Jimmy Dijk
| image = File:Prinsjesdagprotest SP 20230917 133956 (cropped 3).jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Dijk in September 2023
| office = Leader of the Socialist Party
| term_start = 13 December 2023
| term_end =
| predecessor = Lilian Marijnissen
| successor =
| office1 = Leader of the Socialist Party in the House of Representatives
| term_start1 = 13 December 2023
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 = Lilian Marijnissen
| successor1 =
| office2 = Member of the House of Representatives
| term_start2 = 20 April 2023
| term_end2 =
| birthname = Jimmy Pieter Dijk
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|11|03|df=y}}
| birth_place = Oldenzijl, Netherlands
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Socialist Party
| residence = Groningen, Netherlands
| alma_mater = University of Groningen
| occupation = Politician, facilitator
| signature =
| website =
}}
Jimmy Pieter Dijk (born 3 November 1985) is a Dutch politician of the Socialist Party (SP). Since 20 April 2023, he has been a member of the House of Representatives. On 13 December 2023, he succeeded Lilian Marijnissen as party leader of the SP. Dijk previously served as a member of the municipal council of Groningen from 2010 to 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-12 |title=Is Jimmy Dijk uit Groningen klaar om de SP te leiden? Dit zeggen zijn voor- en tegenstanders {{!}} profiel |url=https://dvhn.nl/groningen/Jimmy-is-voor-niets-en-niemand-bang-28798756.html |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Dagblad van het Noorden |language=nl-NL}}
Biography
Dijk was born and raised in Oldenzijl, Groningen with his two older brothers and one older sister. His father worked as a furniture maker, and his mother, who was from France, worked as a French teacher.{{Cite interview |url = https://www.ad.nl/politiek/br-jimmy-dijk-over-eerste-jaar-als-sp-leider-ik-zoek-wilders-ook-op-in-het-debat~a30bac8b/ |interviewer = Jan Hoedeman |url-access = subscription |date = 13 January 2025 |last = Dijk |first = Jimmy |access-date = 13 January 2025 |language = nl |website = Algemeen Dagblad |title = Jimmy Dijk over eerste jaar als SP-leider: 'Ik zoek Wilders ook op in het debat' |trans-title = Jimmy Dijk about first year as SP leader: 'I'm also engaging with Wilders in the debate' }} He attended {{Ill|Het Hogeland College|nl}} in Warffum and studied sociology at the University of Groningen, while working at a cardboard factory. After his graduation, he worked as a bartender.
In September 2010, Dijk became a member of the municipal council of Groningen as a temporary replacement for the departing {{Ill|Peter Verschuren (politician)|nl|Peter Verschuren|lt=Peter Verschuren}}. In January 2013, he succeeded {{Ill|Eelco Eikenaar|nl}} as the leader of the SP group in the municipal council.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-05 |title=SP fractievoorzitter Groningen verlaat gemeenteraad |url=https://gic.nl/nieuws/sp-fractievoorzitter-groningen-verlaat-gemeenteraad |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=SP fractievoorzitter Groningen verlaat gemeenteraad |language=nl}} Among other achievenments, he strengthened the position of tenants living in poor conditions.{{Cite web |date=2018-05-09 |title=Anti-schimmelbrigade om problemen in Groningen op te lossen |url=https://dvhn.nl/groningen/Anti-schimmelbrigade-om-problemen-in-Groningen-op-te-lossen-23167010.html |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Dagblad van het Noorden |language=nl-NL}}
Next to his council work, Dijk had also been active for the SP as a campaign leader and a member of the party board.{{Cite web |title=Jimmy Dijk (SP) verruilt Groningse raad na 12,5 jaar voor Tweede Kamer |url=https://www.oogtv.nl/2023/04/jimmy-dijk-sp-verruilt-groningse-raad-na-tien-jaar-voor-tweede-kamer/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |language=nl-NL}} In the 2021 Dutch general election, he was listed tenth on the candidate list of the SP. The party only received votes for nine seats, and he was therefore not elected into the House of Representatives. In April 2023, Dijk joined the House of Representatives after Maarten Hijink vacated his seat, becoming the party spokesperson for health.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-18 |title=SP-Kamerlid Maarten Hijink stopt ermee vanwege wissel op gezinsleven |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2471885-sp-kamerlid-maarten-hijink-stopt-ermee-vanwege-wissel-op-gezinsleven |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}} After taking office, he committed to preventing the closure of hospitals, such as those in Zutphen and Heerlen.{{Cite web |title=De Stentor |url=https://www.destentor.nl/zutphen/zorgen-in-tweede-kamer-over-ziekenhuis-in-zutphen-ik-roep-mensen-op-naar-den-haag-te-komen~a642a79c/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=De Stentor}}
Dijk succeeded Lilian Marijnissen as leader of the SP when she stepped down in December 2023 due to disappointing election results. In his first speech as party leader, Dijk said the party's focus would be on class struggle, opining that it is necessary to combat tension and division resulting from the dominance of neoliberal thought in the Netherlands since the 1990s.{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/artikel/2511126-sp-richt-zich-onder-jimmy-dijk-weer-helemaal-op-de-klassenstrijd |date = 2 March 2024 |access-date = 3 March 2024 |language = nl |website = NOS |title = SP richt zich onder Jimmy Dijk weer helemaal op de klassenstrijd |trans-title = SP will again be fully focused on class struggle under Jimmy Dijk }} Besides serving as the SP's parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives, he is the party's spokesperson for healthcare, finances, and Europe.{{Cite web |url = https://www.sp.nl/onze-mensen/gekozen |website = Socialist Party |access-date = 23 June 2024 |language = nl |title = Kamerleden |trans-title = Members of parliament }} A House majority supported a motion by Dijk to ban private equity firms from investing in the Dutch healthcare sector, similar to motions passed during previous cabinets. Minister Fleur Agema advised against the measure.{{Cite news |url = https://www.volkskrant.nl/politiek/kamer-vraagt-opnieuw-om-verbod-op-private-equity-in-de-zorg-pvv-tegenover-eigen-minister~badadc3e/ |url-access = subscription |date = 10 September 2024 |last = Von Piekartz |first = Hessel |access-date = 10 September 2024 |language = nl |website = de Volkskrant |title = Kamer vraagt opnieuw om verbod op private equity in de zorg, PVV tegenover eigen minister |trans-title = House asks again for ban on private equity in healthcare, PVV against own minister }}
Personal life
In January 2025, Dijk announced his engagement to Mechteld, a fellow SP member whom he had met twelve years earlier. He is a supporter of FC Groningen.
Electoral history
{{Incomplete list|date=December 2023}}
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" border=2 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="border: 1px #aaa solid; font-size: 90%; text-align:center;"
|+ {{sronly|Electoral history of Jimmy Dijk}} ! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Year ! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Body ! scope="col" colspan=2 rowspan=2 |Party ! scope="col" rowspan=2 |{{abbr|2=Position on the party list|Pos.}} ! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Votes ! scope="colgroup" colspan=2 |Result ! scope="col" rowspan=2 class="unsortable" |{{abbr|2=References|Ref}}. |
| scope="col" |Party seats
! scope="col" |Individual |
|---|
| scope="row" | 2017
| style="background-color:{{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}};"| | style=text-align:right | 35 | style=text-align:right | 1,086 | style=text-align:right | 14 | {{no2|Lost}} |
| scope="row" | 2021
| House of Representatives | style="background-color:{{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}};"| | Socialist Party | style=text-align:right | 10 | style=text-align:right | 1,757 | style=text-align:right | 9 | {{no2|Lost}}{{efn|Dijk was appointed to the body later during the term due to a vacancy.}} |
| scope="row" | 2023
| House of Representatives | style="background-color:{{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}};"| | Socialist Party | style=text-align:right | 4 | style=text-align:right | 2,633 | style=text-align:right | 5 | {{yes2|Won}} |
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2023–present}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2021–2023}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dijk, Jimmy}}
Category:Dutch people of French descent
Category:Leaders of the Socialist Party (Netherlands)
Category:Municipal councillors of Groningen (city)
Category:People from Het Hogeland