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Gideon "Gidi" Markuszower (born 27 October 1977) is an Israeli–Dutch politician of the Party for Freedom (PVV). He became a member of the Netherlands Senate on 9 June 2015.[3] In the 2017 Dutch general election he was elected to the House of Representatives, and gave up his Senate seat. He was fourth on the Party for Freedom list in the 2023 Dutch general election, and therefore continued his term as a member of the House of Representatives.[4]

Political career

He was a spokesperson for Likud Netherlands between 1999 and 2005 and board member between 1999 and 2015, when he resigned from the party to become a member of the Senate. He also served as political advisor to Member of Parliament Anton van Schijndel (VVD) until 1 December 2006.[5] Markuszower was arrested in 2008 for illegally carrying a firearm while performing security work at a celebration of Israel's 60–year existence. He stated that he had violated transportation restrictions of his firearms license, but charges were later dropped by the prosecution.[6][7]

Markuszower was placed on the Party for Freedom list for the 2010 general election. However, he withdrew himself as a candidate after party leader Geert Wilders had been informed of findings by the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD). It had concluded that Markuszower was involved in an organization that had shared information with "a foreign power" and that he had been in contact with a foreign intelligence agency, suspected to be the Israeli Mossad.[8][9][6]

In the 2015 Dutch Senate election Markuszower, who was in fifth place on the Party for Freedom's candidate list, was elected to the Senate. He took his seat on 9 June 2015. He become the chairman for committee for Immigration and Asylum, and for Justice and Home Affairs.

In 2017, Markuszower was elected to the House of Representative, after being placed fourth on the Party for Freedom's candidate list. As a consequence he stepped down from the Senate. In November 2017, Markuszower called for the general public to be able to appoint judges, a task for House of Representatives and council members. In 2018, Markuszower took over the co-defense of a private member's bill from Geert Wilders concerning the detention of suspects in the interest of national security. He was supported by Machiel de Graaf and Sietse Fritsma.

In 2021, Markuszower referred to the Dutch immigration policy as a "major crime against the Dutch people," for which those politicians responsible should be tried by a tribunal. When Ukrainian refugees entered the Netherlands following Russia's invasion of the country, he complained that the Netherlands was paying their rent and utilities.[10] Markuszower has voiced his support of a proposed Israeli annexation of the West Bank, and he has met with Yossi Dagan, chair of the Shomron Regional Council. He has advocated ending money transfers of the European Union to Palestinian organizations in the West Bank.[6]

Markuszower received a third House term in the 2023 general election, and he has since served as the PVV's spokesperson for migration, asylum and terrorism.[11] He was selected to serve as Minister of Asylum and Migration and as First Deputy Prime Minister in June 2024 as part of the Schoof cabinet, but Geert Wilders withdrew his nomination shortly after as a result of his background check by the AIVD. Markuszower called his situation Kafkaesque.[12][13]

Personal life

Markuszower is a descendant of a prominent Jewish family that held many administrative positions within the Jewish community in the Netherlands. For example, his father was chairman of Jewish Special Education for many years, and his brother was chairman of the Nieuw Israëlitisch Weekblad. Markuszower has family in Israel and visits the country often. He speaks fluent Hebrew.[citation needed]

Markuszower has also devoted many years to serving the Jewish community in the Netherlands. For example, he has been administratively involved in The Jewish Community of Amsterdam (NIHS) and Bij Leven en Welzijn. Additionally, he has been a member of the Centraal Joods Overleg, a spokesperson for Likud Netherlands, director of Jewish youth organizations such as Bnei Akiva and various student associations, and treasurer of the Dutch Israelite Denomination.[citation needed]

In the period 2014-2018, there was a fierce direction battle within that Denomination, which Markuszower had to deal with as a director. In 2024, the Denomination apologized for the allegations made against him at the time and praised him for his efforts and merits for the Denomination.[14][15][unreliable source]

Electoral history

Electoral history of Gidi Markuszower
Year Body Party Pos. Votes Result Ref.
Party seats Individual
2017 House of Representatives Party for Freedom 4 1,101 20 Won [16]
2021 House of Representatives Party for Freedom 3 1,245 17 Won [17]
2023 House of Representatives Party for Freedom 4 2,845 37 Won [18]

References

  1. ^ "Open brief Geert Wilders en Gidi Markuszower: 'Israël heeft genoeg vijanden, laten we vriendschap tonen' - NieuwRechts.nl".
  2. ^ "Mr. G. (Gidi) Markuszower".
  3. ^ (in Dutch) Omstreden PVV'er terug op de lijst, NOS, 24 March 2015
  4. ^ "Mr. G. (Gidi) Markuszower". www.parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  5. ^ "Biografie, onderwijs en loopbaan van Gidi Markuszower | Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal". 2023-11-23. Archived from the original on 2023-11-23. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  6. ^ a b c Van de Ven, Liam (13 June 2024). "Pijnlijke aftocht van Markuszower voedt de twijfels over de PVV als stabiele regeringspartij" [Painful withdrawal of Markuszower fuels doubts about the PVV being a stable governing party] (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  7. ^ Dool, Pim van den (2024-06-06). "Eerder in opspraak geraakte Markuszower kandidaat-senator PVV". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  8. ^ "AIVD onderzocht Israëlische contacten Wilders". 2 December 2016.
  9. ^ "PVV'er ging weg na waarschuwing AIVD". 22 May 2010.
  10. ^ "Markuszower, Keijzer op nieuwe ministeries, worden ook vervangers premier" [Markuszower and Keijzer for new ministries, they will also serve as deputy prime ministers]. NOS (in Dutch). 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Tweede Kamerfractie" [House of Representatives group]. Party for Freedom (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  12. ^ "PVV'er Markuszower na veiligheidscheck geen vicepremier en minister" [Markuszower (PVV) no deputy prime minister and minister after background check]. NOS (in Dutch). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  13. ^ "De Jonge: AIVD vond belastende informatie over Markuszower" [De Jonge: AIVD discovered damaging information about Markuszower]. NOS (in Dutch). 14 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  14. ^ NIK apologies to Markuszower page 1. 2024-01-31.
  15. ^ Apologies NIK to Markuszower Page 2. 2024-01-31.
  16. ^ "Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2017 (getekend exemplaar)" [Results House of Representatives 2017 (signed example)] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 21 March 2017. pp. 64–65. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Proces-verbaal verkiezingsuitslag Tweede Kamer 2021" [Report of the election results House of Representatives 2021] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 29 March 2021. pp. 18–19. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Proces-verbaal van de uitslag van de verkiezing van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal 2023 d.d. 4 december 2023" [Report of the results of the election of the House of Representatives on 4 December 2023] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 4 December 2023. pp. 33–34. Retrieved 21 December 2023.

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