Mark Strolenberg

Mark Strolenberg
Strolenberg in 2020
Member of the House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 September 2021
Preceded by	Tamara van Ark
Member of the Hoogeveen municipal council
In office 10 September 2009 – 23 September 2021
Preceded by	Ewout Klok
Succeeded by	Wilco Kramer
Personal details
Born	Mark Frans Strolenberg[1] (1979-04-05) 5 April 1979 (age 45) Hoogeveen, Netherlands
Political party	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
Children	2
Occupation	Politician IT professional entrepreneur
Website	markstrolenberg.vvd.nl

Mark Frans Strolenberg (born 5 April 1979) is a Dutch politician of the conservative liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He founded an Internet company at the age of eighteen and later worked as an IT professional for different companies. Strolenberg, born and raised in Hoogeveen, served on the town's municipal council next to his job between 2009 and 2021, and he has been a member of his local water authority in the years 2004–23 with a short hiatus. He unsuccessfully ran for member of the House of Representatives in the March 2021 general election, but he was appointed to that body in September after the resignation of Tamara van Ark.

Early life and career

Strolenberg was born and raised in Hoogeveen, and he has a brother. His father was a primary school teacher and union leader, while his mother worked as a dental assistant.^[2][3] After completing his junior secondary commercial education (leao), Strolenberg started vocational training at Alfa-college to become a bookkeeper.^[3][4] In 1997, he and fellow student Sander Drooglever founded the Hoogeveen Internet company DiM Media, when they were both eighteen years old.^[4][5] The company registered domain names and designed and maintained websites for small and medium-sized enterprises and for the municipality of Hoogeveen.^[5][6] They dropped out of school in September 1999 to pursue their company, and Strolenberg became its commercial director, while Drooglever served as its technical director.^[4] Newspaper Dagblad van het Noorden described DiM Media as the largest service provider in the northern part of the Netherlands in 2001, when it had six full-time employees and several hundred customers.^[4][5] It was taken over by soft- and hardware supplier Rovecom in January 2003, when it still employed six people, and Strolenberg continued to work at the company.^[7] He later worked for several other companies while a municipal councilor. He was an online manager for utility company Engie until his appointment to the House in 2021.^[8][9]

Strolenberg has also served on the board of his local water authority next to his job. He was first elected to the 25-member board of the Reest en Wieden water authority in the 2004 election, when candidates were still unaffiliated with political parties.^[10] Strolenberg unsuccessfully ran for re-election in 2008 as a member of the VVD, but he did join the board at some point during the new term.^[11][12][13] As a board member, he supported a merger with the Groot Salland water authority, saying it could lead to over €3 million in savings.^[14] Strolenberg was re-elected to the water board in 2015 as the VVD's lead candidate and kept his seat on the board after the merger of the Reest en Wieden and Groot Salland water authorities into Drents Overijsselse Delta in 2016.^[15][16][17] He was re-elected once more in 2019 as lead candidate.^[18][19] He gave up his position as leader of the VVD on the board upon his appointment to the House of Representatives in 2021, but he retained his seat until the next election in 2023.^[20]

Local politics

He became a member of the municipal council of Hoogeveen on 10 September 2009, when VVD group leader Ewout Klok vacated his seat due to his moving out of the municipality.^[21] He was placed third on the VVD's Hoogeveen party list in the 2010 municipal elections and was re-elected.^[22] He pled for the town to be connected to the Internet with fiber-optic cables, and he sent a letter to national VVD leader Halbe Zijlstra opposing plans to close a prison and a mental institution in the area, citing a high unemployment rate.^[23][24][25] Strolenberg was named Hoogeveen councilor of the year in 2013, and he received a new term after his participation in the 2014 municipal elections as the VVD's third candidate.^[9][26] In the council, he proposed to extend retailers' possibilities to open on Sundays beyond eight designated days per year. However, all of Strolenberg's alternatives failed to gain enough support except for one that still retained the eight days.^[27] He also wanted to experiment with free parking on Saturdays to draw more visitors to the town center.^[28]

Strolenberg became the VVD's parliamentary group leader in the council in July 2016, when his predecessor Arjan van der Haar stepped down for health reasons.^[9] He was his party's lead candidate in Hoogeveen in the March 2018 municipal elections and won his bid for re-election.^[29] The VVD, meanwhile, had become the largest opposition party in the council.^[30] Strolenberg left the post of parliamentary leader at the start of May to spend more time with his family and on his other positions, and he said that he wanted to be more focused on employment and economic affairs in the council.^[31] Following a government report, he also addressed nuisances by inhabitants of a local asylum seekers' center with a ward for people requiring additional supervision, and he unsuccessfully called on the municipality to step out of the local waste collection cooperative Area in favor of a larger and cheaper one.^[32][33] Strolenberg left the Hoogeveen municipal on 23 September 2021 due to his appointment to the House of Representatives.^[34]

House of Representatives

Strolenberg was the VVD's 38th candidate in the March 2021 general election. He campaigned in his home province with the slogan "Stem een liberale Drent in het parlement" (Vote a liberal from Drenthe into parliament), and he tried to promote the technology industry in his province by, for example, calling for tests with self-driving cars.^[35][36] He received 4,743 preference votes, three quarters of which were cast in Drenthe, but he was not elected due to the VVD winning 34 seats.^[37] Strolenberg was sworn into the House of Representatives on 7 September 2021 following the resignation of Tamara van Ark for health reasons.^[20] He became the VVD's spokesperson for fisheries, animal welfare, countryside, relations with and financing of lower governments, municipal mergers, government transparency, working conditions in the public sector, legal position of political office holders, and nobility. Four months later, his specialties of fisheries, animal welfare, and countryside were replaced by constitutional affairs (including privacy), elections, political finance, the Electoral Council, High Councils of State, and the Dutch Whistleblowers Authority before being changed again by social affairs.^[38] Strolenberg is on the Committees for the Interior; for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality; and for Social Affairs and Employment.^[39] When the collapse of the fourth Rutte cabinet triggered a snap election in November 2023, Strolenberg announced he would not run for re-election, saying he believed he could not provide the most added value in the House. He also cited a bleak political climate in the body.^[40]

Personal life

Strolenberg has two daughters. He divorced his wife Miranda, whom he had met at the age of 17, in the late 2010s and came out around that same time.^{[3][31][41][42]} He lives in the town center of Hoogeveen, and he also has an apartment in The Hague's center because of his membership of the House.^[39][43]

Electoral history

Electoral history of Mark Strolenberg

Year	Body	Party		Pos.	Votes	Result		Ref.
						Party seats	Individual
2021	House of Representatives		People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	38	4,743	34	Lost[a]	[44]

Notes

1. Strolenberg was appointed to the body later during the term due to a vacancy.

References

1. "M.F. (Mark) Strolenberg". Parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 September 2022.
2. "Lijsttrekker Mark Strolenberg van de VVD hoopt op zes zetels" [VVD lead candidate Mark Strolenberg aims for six seats]. Hoogeveensche Courant (in Dutch). 19 March 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
3. "Kies een liberale Drent in het parlement" [Vote a liberal from Drenthe into parliament] (PDF) (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 December 2021 – via Google Cloud Storage.
4. Buit, Harald (13 September 2001). "Een loopbaan die leest als een spannend jongensboek" [A career that reads like an exciting boy's book]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch).
5. "Grootste service-provider heeft personeelstekort" [Largest service provider suffers from personnel shortage]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 16 January 2001.
6. De Roo, Robert (1 February 2000). "Noorden dupe van internet-activiteiten Westen" [North is the victim of Internet activities West]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch).
7. Knijff, Hans (1 February 2003). "Hoogeveense automatiseerders groeien, malaise of niet" [Hoogeveen automation companies grow, no matter the slump]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch).
8. Benak, Margriet (6 March 2021). "Uitzending van zaterdag 6 maart 2021 om 12:15" [Broadcast of Saturday 6 March 2021 at 12:15]. Cassata (in Dutch). Radio Drenthe. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
9. "Strolenberg nieuwe fractievoorzitter VVD" [Strolenberg new VVD group leader]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 20 July 2016. p. 26.
10. "Reest en Wieden heeft een nieuw bestuur" [Reest and Wieden has a new board]. De Stentor/Zwolse Courant (in Dutch). 19 November 2004.
11. "Chaos rond stembiljetten waterschap" [Chaos around ballots water board]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 20 November 2008.
12. "Nieuw bestuur Reest en Wieden" [New board Reest en Wieden]. De Stentor/Zwolse Courant (in Dutch). 5 December 2008. p. 26.
13. "Het Algemeen Bestuur" [The board]. Reest en Wieden (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
14. "VVD wil fusie tussen waterschappen" [VVD wants merger of water authorities]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 15 May 2014. p. 14.
15. Polman, Hildbrand (16 February 2015). "VVD strijdt tegen tarieven waterschap" [VVD fights against water board fees]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). p. 18.
16. "Waterschap 18 maart 2015" [Water board 18 March 2015]. Databank Verkiezingsuitslagen (in Dutch). Kiesraad. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
17. Van Schilt, Jon (15 October 2015). "Drenthe buigt weer voor 'Zwolle'" [Drenthe bows again to 'Zwolle']. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). p. 26.
18. "Mark Strolenberg is VVD-lijsttrekker bij waterschap Drents Overijsselse Delta" [Mark Strolenberg is the VVD's lead candidate for the Drents Overijsselse Delta water authority]. Hoogeveensche Courant (in Dutch). 17 December 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
19. "Nieuw bestuur Waterschap Drents Overijsselse Delta geïnstalleerd" [New board Drents Overijsselse Delta water authority]. RTV Oost (in Dutch). 28 March 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
20. "Mark Strolenberg alsnog Tweede Kamerlid namens de VVD" [Mark Strolenberg member of the House of Representatives on behalf of the VVD after all]. RTV Drenthe (in Dutch). 6 September 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
21. Buit, Harald (24 August 2009). "VVD mikt op acht zetels en rol in college" [VVD aims for eight seats and a role in the executive]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). p. 9.
22. "Arend Steenbergen nieuwe lijsttrekker VVD Hoogeveen" [Arend Steenbergen new lead candidate of the Hoogeveen VVD]. VVD Afdeling Hoogeveen (Press release) (in Dutch). 3 December 2009. Archived from the original on 14 December 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
23. Buit, Harald (16 September 2013). "Roep om glasvezel" [Calls for optical fiber]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). p. 16.
24. "VVD zoekt steun in Den Haag" [VVD seeks support in The Hague]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 5 April 2013. p. 30.
25. "VVD Hoogeveen zoekt landelijke steun voor openhouden gevangenis" [Hoogeveen VVD seeks national support for keeping open prison]. RTV Drenthe (in Dutch). 3 April 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
26. "Welkom" [Welcome]. VVD Afdeling Hoogeveen (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
27. Buit, Harald (5 February 2016). "Geen extra koopzondagen" [No additional shopping Sundays]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). p. 30.
28. "VVD Hoogeveen wil experimenteren met gratis parkeren" [Hoogeveen VVD wants to experiment with free parking]. RTV Drenthe (in Dutch). 1 March 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
29. "Mark Strolenberg nieuwe lijsttrekker VVD Hoogeveen" [Mark Strolenberg new VVD lead candidate Hoogeveen]. RTV Drenthe (in Dutch). 14 September 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
30. Buit, Harald (25 June 2021). "Cultuur in Hoogeveen op de korrel: 'Het kan wel een tandje minder'" [Culture in Hoogeveen criticized: 'It could be a little less']. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 December 2021.
31. Buit, Harald (23 April 2018). "Nieuwkomer bij VVD in Hoogeveen meteen fractievoorzitter" [VVD newcomer in Hoogeveen immediately parliamentary group leader]. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 December 2021.
32. "VVD eist debat over 'aso-azc' in Hoogeveen" [VVD demands debate about 'asylum seekers' center for antisocial people' in Hoogeveen]. RTV Drenthe (in Dutch). 29 January 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
33. Buit, Harald (15 May 2021). "Voor de VVD is de maat vol: 'Hoogeveen moet uit Area Reiniging stappen'" [The VVD has had enough: 'Hoogeveen has to step out of Area Reiniging']. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 December 2021.
34. "Vergadering Raadsavond 23-09-2021" [Meeting council evening 23-09-2021]. Gemeente Hoogeveen (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 December 2021.
35. "CDA'er Agnes Mulder krijgt in Drenthe meeste voorkeursstemmen" [Agnes Mulder of CDA receives most preference votes in Drenthe]. RTV Drenthe (in Dutch). 22 March 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
36. "Mark Strolenberg (VVD) wil proef met zelfrijdende auto's in Drenthe" [Mark Strolenberg wants pilot with self-driving cars in Drenthe]. RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 5 March 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
37. "Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 17 maart 2021 Proces-verbaal" [Results general election 17 March 2021 Report] (PDF). Kiesraad (in Dutch). 29 March 2021. pp. 14–15. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
38. "Mark Strolenberg". VVD (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 March 2022.
39. "Mark Strolenberg". Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
40. Buit, Harald (24 July 2023). "Kamerlid Mark Strolenberg uit Hoogeveen kondigt vertrek uit 'grimmig' Den Haag aan. 'Bedreigingen waren niet doorslaggevend'" [House member Mark Strolenberg announces departure from 'grim' The Hague. 'Threats were not the determining factor']. Hoogeveensche Courant (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 September 2023.
41. "Mark Strolenberg". Rainbowvote.nu (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 December 2021.
42. "Tweede Kamer, 41e vergadering Dinsdag 25 januari 2022" [House of Representatives, 41st meeting Tuesday 25 January 2022]. Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 February 2022.
43. De Vries, Leonora (7 September 2021). "Hoogevener Mark Strolenberg neemt vandaag plaats op het Haagse pluche: 'Toch nog sneller dan verwacht" [Mark Strolenberg from Hoogeveen enters the House today: 'Still earlier than expected']. Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 December 2021.
44. "Proces-verbaal verkiezingsuitslag Tweede Kamer 2021" [Report of the election results House of Representatives 2021] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 29 March 2021.

External links

• Personal website (in Dutch)