Peter van Heemst

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Erik Peter (Peter) van Heemst (born in Rotterdam, 10 July 1952) is a Dutch politician. From 1991 to 2006 he was a member of the lower house of parliament (called 'Tweede Kamer') for the Partij van de Arbeid (the Dutch Labour Party, often abbreviated as PvdA). Since the municipal elections of 2006 he has been the leader of the PvdA in Rotterdam.

Van Heemst studied law in Rotterdam, after which he became personal assistant to Hans Kombrink, member of parliament for the PvdA at that time. He was also a public housing staff member for the PvdA. From 1978 to 1991 he was a member of the 'Provinciale Staten' (provincial parliament) of Zuid Holland (South Holland) for the PvdA, and in 1987 he became a 'gedeputeerde' (delegate member of the 'Provinciale Staten') for urban renewal, recreation, nature and landscaping. In 1991 he became a member of the lower house of parliament for the PvdA.

When he left his post in 2006 to become leader of the PvdA in Rotterdam he was the longest sitting member of the PvdA in the Tweede Kamer.

[edit] Tweede Kamer

In 1996, Peter van Heemst, together with his Democrats 66 colleague Scheltema, blocked the dividing of Rotterdam to create a so called 'stadsprovincie' (city province). After that the Dutch government withdrew the entire plan.

Also in 1996 he helped create, together with fellow-townsman Korthals (VVD) the 'Victor-act', which obliged owners of buildings in which drugs were being sold and/or used to renovate, redevelop and re-rent such buildings on the penalty of expropriation.

In the 2003 Peter van Heemst was the only one of the PvdA lower parliament members to oppose the compromise that the PvdA and the CDA agreed upon concerning the invasion of Iraq. He insisted that the PvdA broke off the ongoing negotiations between both parties regarding the formation of a new government.

[edit] Rotterdam

In October 2005 van Heemst was chosen by his party members to lead the PvdA in the upcoming municipal elections in Rotterdam in 2006. He won the elections by receiving 60% of the votes. Other candidates were Dominic Schrijer, Matthijs van Muijen, and Bert Cremers. It was the first time that party members could directly choose their leader in a referendum.

Van Heemst stunned public opinion by defending the view of local Rotterdam political right winger Marco Pastors that Muslims use Islam to defend criminal acts, a statement for which Pastors received widespread criticism and on account of which he was almost forced to resign his commission as a municipal alderman.

On March 7, 2006, the PvdA and its leader van Heemst recorded a landslide victory in Rotterdam. In the municipal elections they recorded an increase in member seats from 11 to 18 (out of a total of 45). This was the biggest growth in the history of the PvdA in Rotterdam. A coalition with Leefbaar Rotterdam (Marco Pastors' party, which received 14 member seats) was however out of the question due to Pastors' unwillingness. Therefore van Heemst needed to create a coalition with the much smaller parties of CDA, VVD, and Groen Links. Van Heemst himself became head of the PvdA in the municipal council. On May 16, 2006, he resigned his commission as a a member of the lower house of parliament to be able to concentrate fully on his new function.