Mirjam Bikker
{{Short description|Dutch politician (born 1982)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Mirjam Bikker
| image = Portrait Mirjam Bikker 2023 (3) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Bikker in 2023
| office = Leader of the Christian Union
| term_start = 17 January 2023
| term_end =
| predecessor = Gert-Jan Segers
| successor =
| office1 = Member of the House of Representatives
| term_start1 = 31 March 2021
| office2 = Leader of the Christian Union in the Senate
| term_start2 = 11 June 2019
| term_end2 = 31 March 2021
| predecessor2 = Roel Kuiper
| successor2 = Tineke Huizinga
| office3 = Senator of the Netherlands
| term_start3 = 22 December 2016
| term_end3 = 31 March 2021
| term_start4 = 9 June 2015
| term_end4 = 1 September 2016
| office5 = Municipal councillor of Utrecht
| term_start5 = 16 March 2006
| term_end5 = 24 January 2013
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|09|08|df=y}}
| birth_place = Gouda, Netherlands
| death_date =
| death_place =
| birthname = Mirjam Hannah Bikker
| nationality = Dutch
| party = Christian Union
| spouse =
| residence = Utrecht
| alma_mater = Utrecht University (LLM, law)
| occupation = Politician
| signature =
| children = 3
| website =
}}
Mirjam Hannah Bikker (born 8 September 1982) is a Dutch politician who has served as the leader of the Christian Union since January 2023. She is also a member of the House of Representatives since 2021. She was previously elected to the municipal council of Utrecht in 2006 and Senate in 2015.
Biography
Bikker grew up in Moordrecht and Nunspeet; she attended her secondary education in Elburg. She studied law at Utrecht University and specialised in constitutional and administrative law. As a student she was also chairwoman of Sola Scriptura, a local student society belonging to the Reformed CSFR.
From 2006 to 2013, she was a member of the municipal council of the city of Utrecht, as well as also group chairwoman. In 2007, she received national attention by protesting against a woman in a golden bikini on a big poster in the centre of Utrecht.{{in lang|nl}} [http://vorige.nrc.nl/binnenland/article1785266.ece/ChristenUnie_tegen_poster_met_bikini "ChristenUnie tegen poster met bikini"], NRC Handelsblad, 4 April 2007. From 2008 to 2010 and again from 2013 to 2015, she was a policy assistant to the Christian Union group in the House of Representatives. In 2015, she joined the Senate. In 2019, she became group chairwoman, succeeding Roel Kuiper.
= House of Representatives =
In 2021, she was elected to the House of Representatives. She was mentioned as a potential minister in the formation phase of the Fourth Rutte cabinet.{{in lang|nl}} [https://www.trouw.nl/politiek/zijn-er-frisse-gezichten-te-vinden-voor-het-nieuwe-kabinet~b18ade0a/ "Zijn er ‘frisse’ gezichten te vinden voor het nieuwe kabinet?"], Trouw, 4 November 2021. On 17 January 2023 Bikker became the leader of the Christian Union,{{Cite web |date=2023-01-13 |title=Wie is Mirjam Bikker, de nieuwe ChristenUnie-leider? 'Slim en betrouwbaar' |url=https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/5359143/wie-mirjam-bikker-de-opvolger-van-gert-jan-segers-bij-christenunie |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=RTL Nieuws |language=nl}} becoming the first female leader of the party.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-17 |title=Mirjam Bikker officieel fractievoorzitter van de ChristenUnie |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2460172-mirjam-bikker-officieel-fractievoorzitter-van-de-christenunie |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}} She was re-elected to the House in November 2023. Next to her role as parliamentary leader, Bikker served as her party's spokesperson for health, welfare, sport, justice, security, the interior, Dutch royal family, and gas extraction in Groningen.{{Cite web |url = https://www.christenunie.nl/nl/mirjambikker |website = Christian Union |title = Mirjam Bikker |access-date = 30 June 2024 |language = nl }}
A motion by Bikker was passed in early 2024 compelling Minister Franc Weerwind to make a spending cap on online gambling more stringent, after the practice was legalized in 2021.{{Cite news |url = https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/5434745/kabinet-moet-voor-zomer-online-gokken-aan-banden-leggen |date = 13 February 2024 |access-date = 19 February 2024 |language = nl |website = RTL Nieuws |title = Kamer wil dat kabinet voor zomer online gokken aan banden legt |trans-title = House wants cabinet to impose restraints on online gambling before summer }} Along with Michiel van Nispen (SP), she announced a bill with several measures to tackle online gambling issues, including a ban on advertisements and credit card payments and increased contributions from operators toward addiction prevention. Her party favored prohibiting online gambling, but such a proposal was unlikely to pass the House.{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/artikel/2545172-sp-en-cu-komen-met-initiatiefwetsvoorstel-om-online-gokken-aan-banden-te-leggen |last1 = Bolsius |first1 = Roel |last2 = Jackson |first2 = Emma |date = 20 November 2024 |access-date = 21 November 2024 |language = nl |website = NOS |title = SP en CU komen met initiatiefwetsvoorstel om online gokken aan banden te leggen |trans-title = SP and CU will introduce initiative bill to restrict online gambling }} Bikker also spoke out against antisemitism during the Gaza war. At Bikker's initiative, a statement was signed by most political parties speaking out against it, and a session about the topic was held at the prime minister's official residence amongst industry leaders.{{Cite news |url = https://www.nd.nl/nieuws/politiek/1222529/is-de-christenunie-te-eenzijdig-over-israel-en-de-palestijnen |url-access = subscription |date = 2 May 2024 |last = Van den Bovenkamp |first = Niels |access-date = 4 May 2024 |language = nl |website = Nederlands Dagblad |title = Is de ChristenUnie te eenzijdig over Israël en de Palestijnen? 'Het onderwerp raakt ons zó diep' |trans-title = Is the Christian Union too one-sided about Israel and the Palestinians: 'The subject moves us profoundly' }} Along with Frans Timmermans of GroenLinks–PvdA, she carried forward a bill to impose harsher penalties in cases of hate crimes, including acts of violence or insults motivated by discrimination. It was passed by an overwhelming majority of the House in December 2024.{{Cite news |url = https://www.nu.nl/politiek/6339706/tweede-kamer-neemt-wetsvoorstel-aan-om-haatmisdrijven-harder-te-straffen.html |date = 19 December 2024 |access-date = 19 December 2024 |language = nl |website = NU.nl |title = Tweede Kamer neemt wetsvoorstel aan om haatmisdrijven harder te straffen |trans-title = House of Representatives approves proposal to impose harsher punishment for hate crimes }}{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/artikel/2548904-ruime-kamermeerderheid-voor-zwaarder-straffen-hate-crimes |date = 19 December 2024 |access-date = 19 December 2024 |language = nl |website = NOS |title = Ruime Kamermeerderheid voor zwaarder straffen 'hate-crimes' |trans-title = Large House majority in favor of harsher punishment for hate crimes }}
When the right-wing Schoof cabinet presented its 2025 budget that included €2 billion in education cuts, Bikker joined the self-named "unholy alliance" with centrist and conservative opposition parties. To gain support in the Senate, the governing coalition agreed in December 2024 to reverse €750 million of the cuts. Bikker did not embrace the revised budget, declaring that they had made "a bad budget less bad".{{Cite news |url = https://www.volkskrant.nl/politiek/coalitie-en-vier-oppositiepartijen-eens-over-afgezwakte-bezuinigingen-op-onderwijsbegroting~b8d6ee63/ |url-access = subscription |date = 11 December 2024 |last = Meijer |first = Remco |access-date = 14 December 2024 |language = nl |website = de Volkskrant |title = Coalitie en vier oppositiepartijen eens over afgezwakte bezuinigingen op onderwijsbegroting |trans-title = Coalition and four opposition parties in agreement on watered-down cuts in education budget }}{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/12/12/oppositie-zegt-dat-ze-slechte-begroting-minder-slecht-heeft-gemaakt-a4876404 |url-access = subscription |date = 12 December 2024 |last1 = Kammer |first1 = Claudia |last2 = De Haan |first2 = Marko |access-date = 14 December 2024 |language = nl |website = NRC |title = Oppositie zegt dat ze 'slechte begroting minder slecht' heeft gemaakt |trans-title = Opposition says it has made 'bad budget less bad' }}
Political positions
Bikker is in favor of stricter regulations on social media, and she wants to ban online gambling in order to improve mental health among young people. She supports the civilian service that was introduced in 2020.{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/artikel/2536563-christenunie-bezint-zich-op-koers-toekomst-kinderen-centraal |date = 10 September 2024 |access-date = 10 September 2024 |language = nl |website = NOS |title = ChristenUnie bezint zich op koers: toekomst kinderen centraal |trans-title = Christian Union reflects on its direction: Future of children at the center }}
Personal life
Mirjam Bikker is married, has three children and lives in Gouda.{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2023-11-02 |title=Bikker M.H. (CU) |url=https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerleden_en_commissies/alle_kamerleden/bikker-mh-cu |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=www.tweedekamer.nl |language=nl}} She is a member of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN).{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}
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 Mirjam Bikker}} ! 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" | 2010
| style="background-color:{{party color|Christian Union (Netherlands)}};"| | style=text-align:right | 19 | style=text-align:right | 297 | style=text-align:right | 5 | {{no2|Lost}} |
| scope="row" | 2012
| House of Representatives | style="background-color:{{party color|Christian Union (Netherlands)}};"| | Christian Union | style=text-align:right | 31 | style=text-align:right | 298 | style=text-align:right | 5 | {{no2|Lost}} |
| scope="row" | 2021
| House of Representatives | style="background-color:{{party color|Christian Union (Netherlands)}};"| | Christian Union | style=text-align:right | 3 | style=text-align:right | 8,519 | style=text-align:right | 5 | {{yes2|Won}} |
| scope="row" | 2023
| House of Representatives | style="background-color:{{party color|Christian Union (Netherlands)}};"| | Christian Union | style=text-align:right | 1 | style=text-align:right | 158,057 | style=text-align:right | 3 | {{yes2|Won}} |
References
External links
- {{in lang|nl}} [http://www.parlement.com/id/vjrwexet40gc/m_h_mirjam_bikker Parlement.com biography]
- {{in lang|nl}} [http://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/mr_m_h_bikker_christenunie Senate biography]
- (in Dutch) [https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerleden_en_commissies/alle_kamerleden/bikker-mh-cu/biografie House of Representatives biography]
{{Members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2015–2019}}
{{Members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2019–2023}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2021–2023}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2023–present}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bikker, Mirjam}}
Category:21st-century Dutch women politicians
Category:Christian Union (Netherlands) politicians
Category:Members of the Senate (Netherlands)
Category:Municipal councillors of Utrecht (city)
Category:People from Gouda, South Holland
Category:Protestant Church Christians from the Netherlands
Category:Utrecht University alumni