The SP Parliamentary Group in the Dutch Senate
The Dutch Parliament (States-General) consists of two ‘Chambers’ or Houses: the First Chamber (Upper House, 75 Senators) and the Second Chamber (Lower House, 150 Members of Parliament), the latter being the more political body – the country's main legislative body, the former the “chamber of reflection”. All laws have to pass both Houses. The Senate is elected every four years by the Members of the 12 provincial assemblies of the Netherlands. The Group of the Socialist Party now has four Senators.
Rik Janssen
Chair of the SP group in the Senate, Justice, Infrastructure and Regional Planning, Agriculture, Environment, Culture
Rik Janssen (1957) has been a member of the Senate for the SP since 2019. In the Senate, he mainly focuses on Justice, Infrastructure and Regional Planning, Agriculture, Environment, Culture
Tiny Kox
Domestic Affairs, Social Affairs, Immigration and Asylum
Tiny Kox (1953) lives in Tilburg and since 2003 has been part of the SP group in the Senate.
Arda Gerkens
Economic Affairs, Public Health, Relations within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Arda Gerkens (1965) lives in Haarlem. Since May, 2013 she has represented the SP in the Senate.
Bastiaan van Apeldoorn
Finance, European Affairs, Education, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development cooperation
Bastiaan van Apeldoorn (1970) lives in Haarlem and has been a member of the Senate since 2015.
