Peter Valstar
{{Short description|Dutch politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Peter Valstar
| image = Peter valstar-1630950156.jpeg
| office1 = Member of the House of Representatives
| term_start1 = 31 March 2021
| term_end1 = 5 December 2023
| birth_name = Peter Johannes Valstar{{Cite web |url = https://www.parlement.com/id/vjdamga2f7xq/p_j_peter_valstar |website = Parlement.com |language = nl |access-date = 19 September 2022 |title = P.J. (Peter) Valstar }}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|3|27|df=yes}}
| birth_place = 's-Gravenzande, Netherlands
| party = People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
| alma_mater = Inholland University of Applied Sciences
| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|political staffer}}
| website = {{URL|petervalstar.nl}}
}}
Peter Johannes "Peter" Valstar (born 27 March 1985) is a Dutch politician of the conservative liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He worked as a press officer for the VVD, as the political assistant of Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and as a spokesperson at the Ministry of Defence before being elected to the House of Representatives in March 2021. He lost his bid for re-election in November 2023.
Early life and education
Valstar was born in the South Holland town of 's-Gravenzande and grew up in nearby Ter Heijde with his sister. He followed secondary education at havo level at the Zandevelt and Gasthuislaan locations of the Interconfessionele Scholengemeenschap Westland in 's-Gravenzande. He subsequently started studying Management, Economics, and Law but quit after two months. Valstar later studied communication studies at the Inholland University of Applied Sciences in The Hague between 2005 and 2009 and interned at early-evening talk show {{lang|nl|De wereld draait door}}.
Career
File:Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and Peter Valstar.jpg (middle)]]
Valstar started his career in 2009 as a communications advisor for the VVD, where he worked on its social media strategy, and he became a press officer of its parliamentary group in the House of Representatives in 2011. He stayed in that position until he took a job as political advisor of Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert in 2016. Another year later, Valstar became a senior spokesperson at the Ministry of Defence, serving under her successor Ank Bijleveld and Defence State Secretary Barbara Visser.{{Cite web |url = https://www.tweedekamer.nl/node/8070/biografie |website = Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2021 |title = Biografie, onderwijs en loopbaan van Peter Valstar |trans-title = Biography, education, and career of Peter Valstar }} While still in that position, he twice served as temporary political advisor of Prime Minister Mark Rutte at the Ministry of General Affairs because of maternity leaves, the first time from August 2018 to January 2019 and the second time from March to August 2020.{{Cite magazine |title = Mensen |trans-title = People |language = nl |date = 8 September 2018 |magazine = Elsevier Weekblad |page = 80 |volume = 74 |number = 36 |last = Joosten |first = Carla }}{{Cite web |url = https://www.parlement.com/id/vjdamga2f7xq/p_j_peter_valstar |website = Parlement.com |title = P.J. (Peter) Valstar |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2021 }}
He participated in the 2018 municipal elections as the VVD's fourth candidate in Westland, but his party came one seat short for Valstar to be elected to the municipal council.{{Cite news |title = Corné van Zeijl op lijst van VVD |trans-title = Corné van Zeijl on VVD list |language = nl |date = 8 November 2017 |last = Vermeer |first = Fred |newspaper = AD/Haagsche Courant |page = 5 }} He was offered a seat in the council a month later after someone had stepped down to become an alderman, but Valstar declined it.{{Cite news |url = https://www.ad.nl/westland/niet-zien-aankomen-wel-zin-in~a5eee491/ |last = Lelieveld |first = Bart |title = 'Niet zien aankomen, wel zin in' |trans-title = 'Did not see it coming, but I am excited' |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2021 |url-access = subscription |website = AD |date = 7 May 2018 }} He did assist the VVD's group in the council next to his job in the period 2019–21.{{Cite web |url = https://www.tweedekamer.nl/node/8070/nevenactiviteiten |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2021 |title = Nevenactiviteiten van Peter Valstar |trans-title = Secondary activities of Peter Valstar |website = Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal }} From that position, he proposed to name more streets in the municipality after local soldiers and resistance fighters in World War II.{{Cite news |url = https://www.ad.nl/westland/westland-verdient-een-verzetsheldenbuurt~a52c5e4a/ |website = AD |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2021 |date = 4 October 2019 |last = De Zeeuw |first = Rianne |title = 'Westland verdient een verzetsheldenbuurt' |trans-title = 'Westland deserves a resistance fighters neighborhood' }}
Valstar ran for the House of Representatives in the 2021 general election, being placed 21st on the VVD's party list.{{Cite news |url = https://www.ad.nl/westland/westlander-peter-valstar-35-krijgt-prominente-plek-op-vvd-lijst-voor-tweede-kamer~a89839ef/ |date = 1 December 2020 |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2021 |website = AD |title = Westlander Peter Valstar (35) krijgt prominente plek op VVD-lijst voor Tweede Kamer |trans-title = Peter Valstar (35) from Westland receives high place on VVD list for the House of Representatives |last = De Zeeuw |first = Rianne |url-access = subscription }} He was elected and received 4,102 preference votes.{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2021/03/26/uitslag-tweede-kamerverkiezing-17-maart-2021 |format = PDF |title = Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 17 maart 2021 Proces-verbaal |trans-title = Results general election 17 March 2021 Report |page = 157 |access-date = 21 December 2021 |date = 29 March 2021 |website = Kiesraad |language = nl }} He was sworn into office on 31 March 2021 and left his job at the defence ministry. Valstar is on the contact group Belgium and on the Committees for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality; for Defence (vice chair); for Digital Affairs (chair); for Foreign Affairs; and for Justice and Security.{{Cite web |url = https://www.houseofrepresentatives.nl/members_of_parliament/members_of_parliament/valstar-pj-vvd |access-date = 19 November 2023 |website = Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal |title = Peter Valstar |date = 31 March 2021 }} He became his party's spokesperson for fishery, nature, horticulture (a major industry in Westland), the countryside, animal welfare, war victims, and resistance fighters.{{Cite web |url = https://www.vvd.nl/portefeuilleverdeling/ |archive-date = 17 April 2021 |access-date = 21 December 2021 |language = nl |website = VVD |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210417193350/https://www.vvd.nl/portefeuilleverdeling/ |title = Portefeuilleverdeling |trans-title = Division of roles |url-status = unfit }} However, later in 2021, his portfolio changed to nature, horticulture, and immigration (excluding migrant workers) before changing to defense, nature, and horticulture in early 2022.{{Cite web |url = https://www.vvd.nl/profielen/peter-valstar/ |title = Peter Valstar |website = VVD |language = nl |access-date = 19 September 2022 }} Valstar co-filed motions to arm MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles, to allow tastings of cultured meat, and to call on the government to aid the greenhouse horticulture sector in cooperation with banks in a time of high natural gas prices. All three were carried by the House.{{Cite news |url = https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel/5294251/kweekvlees-ontwikkeling-tweede-kamer-proeverijen-motie-vvd-en-d66 |website = RTL Nieuws |language = nl |access-date = 7 May 2022 |date = 15 March 2022 |title = Kweekvlees is hard op weg naar jouw bord: Tweede Kamer wil proeverijen toestaan |trans-title = Cultured meat is coming to your plate with high speed: House of Representatives wants to allow tastings }}{{Cite news |title = Tweede Kamer wil crisisaanpak voor glastuinbouw |trans-title = House of Representatives wants crisis management for greenhouse horticulture |newspaper = Reformatorisch Dagblad |language = nl |page = 19 |date = 16 March 2022 }}{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2022/04/18/onderzoeker-jessica-dorseymet-drones-zet-je-vaker-wapens-in-de-kans-is-groter-dat-het-misgaat-a4114885 |website = NRC |language = nl |access-date = 7 May 2022 |last = Berkhout |first = Karel |date = 18 April 2022 |title = Nederland bestelt drones, 'misverstand dat drones zorgen voor nette oorlog' |trans-title = The Netherlands orders drones, 'misconception that drones will make wars tidy' }} In September 2022 – during the Russian invasion of Ukraine – he joined Chris Stoffer (SGP) in the drafting of a bill to make sure defense spending would be at least 2% of Dutch GDP in accordance to a NATO norm.{{Cite news |url = https://www.rd.nl/artikel/992164-ook-vvd-en-cda-willen-navo-norm-voor-defensie-in-de-wet |url-access = subscription |access-date = 26 November 2022 |language = nl |website = Reformatorisch Dagblad |date = 27 September 2022 |title = Ook VVD en CDA willen NAVO-norm voor Defensie in de wet |trans-title = VVD and CDA also want NATO norm for defense spending in the law }}
Personal life
Valstar has a wife named Larissa and two children, and he is a resident of his birthplace of 's-Gravenzande.{{Cite web |url = https://petervalstar.nl |website = petervalstar.nl |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2021 |title = Kies Westlands, stem Valstar |trans-title = Choose for Westland, vote for Valstar }} He has also lived in Monster, Ter Heijde, Wateringen, and Naaldwijk, all located in the region of Westland. Valstar's hobbies include genealogy, and he has digitized his family tree together with a family member.{{Cite news |url = https://www.ad.nl/dossier-verkiezingen-2021-den-haag-en-omstreken/peter-valstar-wil-comfortabele-tweede-ring-uit-meedingen-naar-portefeuilles-tuinbouw-of-defensie~a38b78f5/ |website = AD |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2021 |date = 3 March 2021 |last = De Zeeuw |first = Rianne |title = Peter Valstar wil 'comfortabele tweede ring uit': 'Meedingen naar portefeuilles tuinbouw of defensie' |trans-title = Peter Valstar wants 'to leave comfortable second ring': 'Compete for specialties horticulture or defence' }}
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 Peter Valstar}} ! 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" | 2021
| style="background-color:{{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}};"| | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | style=text-align:right | 21 | style=text-align:right | 4,102 | style=text-align:right | 34 | {{yes2|Won}} |
| scope="row" | 2023
| House of Representatives | style="background-color:{{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}};"| | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy | style=text-align:right | 26 | style=text-align:right | 3,611 | style=text-align:right | 24 | {{no2|Lost}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://petervalstar.nl Campaign website] {{in lang|nl}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2021–2023}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valstar, Peter}}
Category:People's Party for Freedom and Democracy politicians
Category:21st-century Dutch civil servants