View source for Martin Bosma

{{Short description|Dutch politician (born 1964)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Martin Bosma
| image               = Martin-Bosma (cropped).jpg
| office              = [[Speaker of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Speaker of the House of Representatives]]
| term_start          = 14 December 2023
| term_end            = 
| predecessor         = [[Vera Bergkamp]]
| successor           = 
| office1             = Member of the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| term_start1         = 30 November 2006
| term_end1           = 
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1964|07|16|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Wormer]], [[Netherlands]]
| death_date          = 
| nationality         = Dutch
| party               = [[Party for Freedom]] (2006–present)
| alma_mater          = [[University of Amsterdam]]<br />[[The New School|New School of Social Research]]
| birth_name          = 
| caption             = Bosma in 2023
}}
'''Martin Bosma''' (born 16 July 1964) is a Dutch politician and former journalist who has been serving as the [[Speaker of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Speaker of the House of Representatives]] since 14 December 2023. He entered the House of Representatives for the [[Party for Freedom]] (PVV) on 30 November 2006, and served as his party's spokesperson on matters of [[higher education]], [[mass media]] and [[culture]]. He also served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2010 until 2023. On 14 December 2023, he was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.

==Early years and education==
Born in [[Wormer]], Bosma studied [[political science]] with a specialisation in [[public administration]] at the [[University of Amsterdam]] and [[sociology]] at the [[The New School|New School of Social Research]] in [[New York City]]. He has been pursuing a doctorate at the University of Amsterdam, but his [[dissertation]] about the Dutch involvement in the [[Foreign relations of South Africa during apartheid|anti-apartheid movement]] was rejected for a second time in 2024. His initial supervisor was [[Meindert Fennema]].<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/negatieve-beoordeling-proefschrift-nekt-martin-bosma-s-academische-ambitie~b9628540/ |url-access = subscription |date = 23 September 2024 |last = Meijer |first = Remco |access-date = 23 September 2024 |language = nl |website = [[de Volkskrant]] |title = Negatieve beoordeling proefschrift nekt Martin Bosma's academische ambitie |trans-title = Negative assessment of dissertation ruins Martins Bosma's academic ambition }}</ref>

He worked many years for several news media, first as a reporter for one of his local papers, ''[[De Zaanlander]]'', and as one of the principal anchormen for ''Hoeksteen Live'', a monthly cable TV programme in the 1990s described as a "political programme with a cultural supplement",<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vn.nl/Archief/Politiek/Artikel-Politiek/Martin-Bosma-van-de-PVV.htm|title=Martin Bosma van de PVV|last=Derkzen|first=Sophie|date=27 June 2009|work=[[Vrij Nederland]]|access-date=13 March 2012}}</ref> and subsequently for outlets including [[CNN|CNN Business News]], [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[Nightline]]'' and [[NOS Journaal]]. From 2002 to 2004 he was director of Nederlandse Radiogroep and from 2004 to 2006 he was active as a [[political consultant]] for the PVV's predecessor ''Groep Wilders''.

==Politics==
===Member of parliament===
Since 2004, Bosma worked for the 'Wilders Group' and later for the [[Party for Freedom]] (PVV) that emerged from it, including as campaign manager. He also wrote many of [[Geert Wilders]]' speeches.<ref>[https://www.vn.nl/Wad-mediabank-pagina/Jekyll-Hide.htm Jekyll & Hyde] ''[[Vrij Nederland]]'', (in Dutch) 18 september 2009</ref> Bosma was first elected to the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]] in the [[2006 Dutch general election|2006 general election]].

For the PVV, Bosma was spokesperson for media and culture and secretary of the PVV party. He has been highly critical of public broadcasting, usually referred to by him as the "state broadcaster". Bosma is a declared opponent of the [[Dutch public broadcasting system]]. He has often spoken of what he considers the left-wing character of public broadcasting, which he considers in violation of the Dutch Media Act. He is also an opponent of subsidies to the arts. In March 2009, Bosma submitted a motion to limit the number of current affairs programs on Dutch public broadcasters [[Omroepvereniging VARA|VARA]] and NPS starting in 2010. This should reduce the "leftist character" of public broadcasting.<ref>[https://www.pvv.nl/index.php/in-de-media/interviews/2348.html Bosma: Te veel actualiteitenprogramma’s bij VARA en NPS], PVV, (in Dutch) 19 maart 2009</ref> In September 2009, he submitted parliamentary questions about "Islam propaganda" in public broadcasting children's programs. The parliamentary questions were submitted in response to a preschool program on public TV about [[Eid al-Fitr]].<ref>[https://www.pvv.nl/index.php/in-de-media/interviews/2380-islampropaganda-voor-peuters-op-publieke-omroep Islampropaganda voor peuters op publieke omroep] PVV, (in Dutch) 24 september 2009</ref>

Bosma has put in doubt the impartiality of the [[Judiciary of the Netherlands]], claiming that "judges in the Netherlands are independent but not impartial; we see that many rulings resemble [[Democrats 66|D66]]'s program". Opposition leader [[Jesse Klaver]] of [[GroenLinks]] confronted him during his 2023 candidacy for Speaker of the House of Representatives with his claim. In his reply, Bosma defended that position stating he did so in his role as member of the House of Representatives, and that as Speaker of the House of Representatives, he will guard the Dutch [[separation of powers]] and do so neutrally.<ref>[https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/plenaire_verslagen/detail/2023-2024/25 Plenary Report House of Representatives, 25th session, 14 December 2023] 14 December, 2023</ref>

Bosma regularly argues that there is "repopulation" in the Netherlands.<ref>[https://www.ad.nl/politiek/vvd-en-nsc-twijfelen-over-voorzitterschap-bosma-heb-grote-moeite-met-zijn-omvolkingstheorie~a459d7ae/ VVD and NSC doubt presidency Bosma: 'Have great difficulty with his repopulation theory'], Algemeen Dagblad, (in Dutch) 14 December 2014</ref> According to that controversial theory, the original Dutch population is being replaced by a new population. The Dutch [[National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism]] (NCTV) has identified this theory as one of the focus areas of the Dutch right-wing extremist scene to normalise their extremists ideology.<ref>[https://www.nctv.nl/onderwerpen/dtn/rechts-terrorisme-en--extremisme Right-wing terrorism and extremism], NCTV (in Dutch)</ref><ref>[https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/plenaire_verslagen/detail/2022-2023/9 Plenary Report House of Representatives, 9th session, October 6, 2022] (in Dutch) October 6, 2023</ref>

During the [[2010 Dutch cabinet formation|2010 cabinet formation]], Bosma was active as a negotiator. Together with his party colleague Tony van Dijck, he spent six weeks at the [[Ministry of Finance (Netherlands)|Ministry of Finance]] in order to find 18 billion euros in budget cuts with Minister [[Jan Kees de Jager]] ([[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]]) and State Secretary [[Frans Weekers]] ([[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]]).

===Speaker of the House===
Bosma became a member of the Presidium of the House of Representatives on 30 June 2010, serving as the Second Deputy Speaker. As such, when [[Gerdi Verbeet]] resigned as Speaker on 20 September 2012, Bosma served as Acting [[Speaker of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Speaker of the House of Representatives]] until 25 September 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.parlement.com/id/vhfw2rplymlk/m_martin_bosma |title=Drs. M. (Martin) Bosma |website=Parlement & Politiek |language=nl |access-date=1 August 2017}}</ref> He attempted to become Speaker in the [[2016 Speaker of the House of Representatives (Netherlands) election|2016 election]], but he came fourth, obtaining sixteen votes in the first round of voting.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nos.nl/artikel/2080337-pvda-kamerlid-arib-is-de-nieuwe-voorzitter-van-de-tweede-kamer.html |title=PvdA-Kamerlid Arib is de nieuwe voorzitter van de Tweede Kamer |website=NOS |date=13 January 2016 |language=nl |access-date=1 August 2017}}</ref> He retained his position of Second Deputy Speaker. In April 2021, he made another attempt to become Speaker. On 14 December 2023, he finally succeeded with 75 votes out of 148 cast in total.<ref>[https://nos.nl/artikel/2501602-martin-bosma-pvv-nieuwe-voorzitter-van-de-tweede-kamer Martin Bosma (PVV) new Speaker of the House of Representatives], NOS.nl, 14 december 2023.</ref> He had been [[2023 Dutch general election|re-elected the month before]], and he became his party's spokesperson for the interior.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.pvv.nl/tweede-kamerfractie.html |access-date = 31 March 2024 |language = nl |website = [[Party for Freedom]] |title = Tweede Kamerfractie |trans-title = House of Representatives group }}</ref>

As speaker, Bosma opened meetings of the House of Representatives by reciting different poems.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.ad.nl/politiek/vriend-en-vijand-roemen-gezag-van-knetterneutrale-martin-bosma-sfeer-verbeterd-kramp-lijkt-eruit~a87ad481/ |url-access = subscription |date = 3 May 2024 |last = Hoedeman |first = Jan |access-date = 4 May 2024 |language = nl |website = [[Algemeen Dagblad]] |title = Vriend en vijand roemen gezag van 'knetterneutrale' Martin Bosma, sfeer verbeterd: 'Kramp lijkt eruit' |trans-title = Friends and foes praise authority of 'crazy neutral' Martin Bosma, atmosphere improves: 'Hostility is seemingly gone' }}</ref> During the [[Gaza war]], pro-Palestinian protesters entered the building of the House on several occasions despite the parliament's ban on demonstrations indoor. Bosma decided to file criminal complaints.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.ad.nl/den-haag/pro-palestijnse-demonstranten-onderbreken-kamerdebat-nogmaals~a437b0c1/ |url-access = subscription |date = 25 April 2024 |access-date = 25 April 2024 |language = nl |website = [[Algemeen Dagblad]] |title = Pro-Palestijnse demonstranten onderbreken Kamerdebat nogmaals |trans-title = Pro-Palestinian demonstrators again interrupt House debate }}</ref>

In May 2024, shortly after the agreement between [[Party for Freedom|PVV]], [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]], [[New Social Contract|NSC]] and [[Farmer–Citizen Movement|BBB]] to form a new Dutch government was presented, Bosma interrupted [[Laurens Dassen]] of [[Volt Netherlands]] in a plenary debate for using the word ''extreemrechts'' ("extreme right") when referring to the Party for Freedom. According to Bosma, parties or members of the House should not be referred to as extreme right, as it is a [[Nazism|Nazi]] comparison. A number of members rallied around Dassen, arguing Bosma compromised his independence with this intervention. Bosma did not retract his words, despite members' requests.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/artikel/2520702-kamervoorzitter-bosma-botst-over-etiket-extreemrechts-nazi-vergelijking|date = 16 May 2024 |access-date = 17 May 2024 |language = nl |website = [[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting]] |title = Kamervoorzitter Bosma botst over etiket 'extreemrechts': 'Nazi-vergelijking' |trans-title = Speaker of the House Bosma clashes over 'far-right' label: 'Nazi comparison' }}</ref> Later that year, Bosma's invitation to the national slavery remembrance on {{lang|nl|[[Ketikoti]]}} was withdrawn because of statements he made before becoming speaker.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/artikel/2526883-haagse-delegatie-in-amsterdam-voor-keti-koti-bosma-grote-afwezige |date = 1 July 2024 |access-date = 1 July 2024 |language = nl |website = [[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]] |title = Haagse delegatie in Amsterdam voor Keti Koti, Bosma grote afwezige |trans-title = Delegation from The Hague for ''Ketikoti'', Bosma's the notable absentee }}</ref>

== 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 Martin Bosma}}
! 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" | [[2006 Dutch general election|2006]]
| [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| style="background-color:{{party color|Party for Freedom}};"|
| [[Party for Freedom]]
| style=text-align:right | [[List of Party for Freedom candidates in the 2006 Dutch general election|5]]
| style=text-align:right | 391
| style=text-align:right | 9
| {{yes2|Won}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2006/11/27/proces-verbaal-zitting-kiesraad-uitslag-tweede-kamerverkiezing-2006 |website = Dutch Electoral Council |language = nl |access-date = 22 December 2023 |format = PDF |date = 27 November 2006 |title = Proces-verbaal zitting Kiesraad uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2006 |trans-title = Records meeting Duch Electoral Council results 2006 general election |pages = 131–132 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | [[2010 Dutch general election|2010]]
| House of Representatives
| style="background-color:{{party color|Party for Freedom}};"|
| Party for Freedom
| style=text-align:right | [[List of Party for Freedom candidates in the 2010 Dutch general election|5]]
| style=text-align:right | 1,955
| style=text-align:right | 24
| {{yes2|Won}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2010/06/16/proces-verbaal-tweede-kamer-2010-kopie |website = Dutch Electoral Council |language = nl |access-date = 22 December 2023 |format = PDF |date = 16 June 2010 |title = Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2010 |trans-title = Results 2010 general election |pages = 31 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | [[2012 Dutch general election|2012]]
| House of Representatives
| style="background-color:{{party color|Party for Freedom}};"|
| Party for Freedom
| style=text-align:right | [[List of Party for Freedom candidates in the 2012 Dutch general election|3]]
| style=text-align:right | 3,808
| style=text-align:right | 15
| {{yes2|Won}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2012/09/19/proces-verbaal-zitting-uitslag-tweede-kamerverkiezing-2012 |website = Dutch Electoral Council |language = nl |access-date = 22 December 2023 |format = PDF |date = 17 September 2012 |title = Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2012 |trans-title = Results 2012 general election |pages = 60–61 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | [[2017 Dutch general election|2017]]
| House of Representatives
| style="background-color:{{party color|Party for Freedom}};"|
| Party for Freedom
| style=text-align:right | [[List of Party for Freedom candidates in the 2017 Dutch general election|6]]
| style=text-align:right | 6,430
| style=text-align:right | 20
| {{yes2|Won}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2017/3/proces-verbaal-zitting-kiesraad-uitslag-tweede-kamerverkiezing-2017/getekend-proces-verbaal-zitting-bekendmaking-uitslag-tweede-kamer-22-03-2017 |website = Dutch Electoral Council |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2023 |format = PDF |date = 21 March 2017 |title = Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2017 (getekend exemplaar) |trans-title = Results House of Representatives 2017 (signed example) |pages = 64–65 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | [[2021 Dutch general election|2021]]
| House of Representatives
| style="background-color:{{party color|Party for Freedom}};"|
| Party for Freedom
| style=text-align:right | [[List of Party for Freedom candidates in the 2021 Dutch general election|7]]
| style=text-align:right | 22,781
| style=text-align:right | 17
| {{yes2|Won}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2021/03/26/uitslag-tweede-kamerverkiezing-17-maart-2021 |website = Dutch Electoral Council |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2023 |format = PDF |date = 29 March 2021 |title = Proces-verbaal verkiezingsuitslag Tweede Kamer 2021 |trans-title = Report of the election results House of Representatives 2021 |pages = 18–19 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | [[2023 Dutch general election|2023]]
| House of Representatives
| style="background-color:{{party color|Party for Freedom}};"|
| Party for Freedom
| style=text-align:right | [[List of Party for Freedom candidates in the 2023 Dutch general election|5]]
| style=text-align:right | 47,189
| style=text-align:right | 37
| {{yes2|Won}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2023/12/04/proces-verbaal-van-de-uitslag-van-de-tweede-kamerverkiezing-2023 |website = Dutch Electoral Council |language = nl |access-date = 21 December 2023 |format = PDF |date = 4 December 2023 |title = Proces-verbaal van de uitslag van de verkiezing van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 2023 d.d. 4 december 2023 |trans-title = Report of the results of the election of the House of Representatives on 4 December 2023 |pages = 33–34 }}</ref>
|}

== Honours ==
* {{flag|Spain}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Civil Merit]] (9 April 2024)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2024-7090|title=Real Decreto 377/2024, de 9 de abril, por el que se concede la Gran Cruz de la Orden del Mérito Civil a las personalidades neerlandesas que se citan.|lang=es|trans-title=Royal Decree 377/2024, of April 9, by which the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit is awarded to the Dutch personalities mentioned.|date=9 April 2024}}</ref>

== Bibliography ==
* ''De schijn-élite van de valse munters'' (Prometheus, 2010). {{ISBN|978-90-3513604-5}}
* ''Minderheid in eigen land'' (Bibliotheca Africana Formicae, 2015). {{ISBN|978-90-8591202-6}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerleden_en_commissies/alle_kamerleden/bosma-m-pvv House of Representatives biography]
* [https://www.pvv.nl/index.php/fracties/tweede-kamer/martin-bosma Party for Freedom biography]

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{{s-bef|before=[[Vera Bergkamp]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Speaker of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Speaker of the House of Representatives]]|years=2023–present}}
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{{s-end}}

{{Speakers of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2023–present}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2021–2023}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2017–2021}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2012–2017}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2010–2012}}
{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2006–2010}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bosma, Martin}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Dutch journalists]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch journalists]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Dutch campaign managers]]
[[Category:Dutch political consultants]]
[[Category:Dutch political journalists]]
[[Category:Dutch speechwriters]]
[[Category:Dutch language activists]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Dutch MPs 2023–]]
[[Category:Speakers of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Party for Freedom politicians]]
[[Category:People from Wormerland]]
[[Category:The New School alumni]]
[[Category:University of Amsterdam alumni]]
[[Category:Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit]]
[[Category:Dutch MPs 2006–2010]]
[[Category:Dutch MPs 2010–2012]]
[[Category:Dutch MPs 2012–2017]]
[[Category:Dutch MPs 2017–2021]]
[[Category:Dutch MPs 2021–2023]]
[[Category:Party for Freedom MPs]]