Paul Meijer (politician)

Paul Meijer (25 October 1967) is a Dutch politician who was the leader and chairman of the regional Forza! Netherlands party. Since 2021 he has been a member of Belang van Nederland.

Paul Meijer
Personal details
Born (1967-10-25) 25 October 1967 (age 57)
Dronten, Netherlands
Political partyPim Fortuyn List (2002-2004)
Forza! Netherlands (2003-2021)
Party for the Netherlands (2006)
Belang van Nederland (since 2021)
Alma materBell College Maastricht (defunct)
OccupationPolitician

In November 2022, the court of North Holland ordered Paul Meijer to repay more than €32,691.95 to his former party Forza!. The judge considered it proven that Meijer had systematically embezzled party funds between 2017 and 2020 and spent it on private matters.[1]

Political career

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Pim Fortuyn List

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Meijer began his political in the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF). He was elected as a councilor in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer for the LPF and represented the local government sector on the party's national council.

Forza! Netherlands

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Meijer left the LPF after its loss in the 2003 general election and founded Forza! Netherlands with fellow former LPF politician Fleur Agema, who was elected to the North Holland provincial council. Forza! claims to be based on the core principles of the LPF.[2][3][4] Agema subsequently joined the newly formed Party for Freedom in 2006.[5] Meijer remained party chairman and a councilor for Forza! Netherlands in Haarlemmermeer.[6][7] He spoke at the official commemoration for the murdered Theo van Gogh in 2004.

In 2017, Meijer filed a police report over homophobic expressions.[8] In 2018, he filed a police report after the wheels of his car had been loosened.[9] In 2021, Meijer was expelled from the Forza! Haarlemmermeer faction over disputes with its new chairman Erik Vermeulen.[10][11][12][13]

Party for the Netherlands

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In 2006, Meijer was on the Tweede Kamer elections list of Party for the Netherlands, led by Hilbrand Nawijn. The party, another spinoff of the LPF, was not elected into the national parliament.

Belang van Nederland

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In 2021, Meijer joined the Belang van Nederland party founded by Wybren van Haga.[14][15]

References

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  1. ^ "Raadslid Paul Meijer veroordeeld tot terugbetalen 32.692 euro" [Council member Paul Meijer sentenced to repay 32,692 euros]. HCnieuws.nl (in Dutch). Haarlemmermeer. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Kernwaarden Fortuyn" (in Dutch). 15 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Paul Meijer" (in Dutch). Forza! Haarlemmermeer. Archived from the original on 2020-10-27.
  4. ^ "Verkiezingsonderzoek 2006 - Kafka" (in Dutch). Anti-fascist research group Kafka. 11 November 2006. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  5. ^ "M. (Fleur) Agema" (in Dutch). Parlement.com. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  6. ^ "Verkiezingsonderzoek 2006 - Kafka" (in Dutch). Anti-fascist research group Kafka. 11 November 2006. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  7. ^ Bakker, Jouri (2 July 2021). "Forza!-oprichter haalt bakzeil in strijd om voorzitterschap, wel 'verheugd' over vonnis" [Forza! founder backs down in battle for presidency, yet 'delighted' with verdict]. NH Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  8. ^ "'Integratie is totaal mislukt'" [Integration totally failed] (video). De Telegraaf. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Raadslid naar politie om losgedraaide wielen" [Councilor to police over loosened wheels] (Paywall). De Telegraaf. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  10. ^ Meershoek, Patrick (16 November 2020). "Haarlemmermeers Forza!-fractievoorzitter 'leefde op kosten van belastingbetaler'" [Haarlemmermeers Forza!-fraction chairman 'lived at the expense of the taxpayer']. Algemeen Dagblad. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  11. ^ Meershoek, Patrick (13 January 2021). "Oprichter Forza! Haarlemmermeer uit fractie gezet, doet live beklag op Facebook" [Founder Forza! Haarlemmermeer expelled from faction, complaints live on Facebook]. Algemeen Dagblad. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  12. ^ Boele, Bart (2 July 2021). "Rechter: Forza Haarlemmermeer is niet van Paul Meijer" [Forza Harlemmermeer does not belong to Paul Meijer]. Noordhollands Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  13. ^ Bakker, Jouri (10 June 2021). "Wil de echte Forza!-voorzitter opstaan? Oprichter eist via rechter hamer terug". NH Nieuws. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  14. ^ Boele, Bart (17 October 2021). "Paul Meijer (ex-Forza) gaat raadsverkiezingen Haarlemmermeer in voor BVNL" [Paul Meijer (ex-Forza) enters Haarlemmermeer council elections for BVNL]. Noordhollands Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  15. ^ Brannan, Nicolai (18 October 2021). "Paul Meijer verder als lijsttrekker van partij van Haga 'BVNL' in Haarlemmermeer". NH Nieuws. Retrieved 8 January 2022.