{{Short description|Member of the Dutch Senate}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Hugo Berkhout | office = Member of the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]] | term_start = 26 October 2020 | term_end = 13 June 2023 | predecessor = [[Annabel Nanninga]] | successor = | office2 = {{lang|nl|[[Duoraadslid]]}} in the Amsterdam municipal council | term_start2 = 27 June 2018<ref name="gemeenteraad"/> | term_end2 = 1 April 2019<ref name="gemeenteraad2"/> | birth_name = H.A. Berkhout | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|4|9|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Beesd]], Netherlands | party = [[JA21]] | other_party = [[Forum for Democracy]] (until November 2020) | children = 1 }} '''Hugo A. Berkhout''' (born 9 April 1974) is a Dutch currency specialist and politician. He served as a member of the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]] between October 2020 and June 2023. There, he represented the conservative and right-wing populist party [[Forum for Democracy]] until he stepped out of the party the following month amidst an internal crisis. He later joined the splinter party [[JA21]].
== Non-political career == Berkhout was born in the [[Gelderland]] village of [[Beesd]] and studied at an Amsterdam university. He subsequently worked for [[Delta Lloyd Group|Delta Lloyd Bank]] as a fixed income manager and [[Foreign exchange market|FX]] trader.<ref name="ek"/><ref name="kylla">{{Cite interview |url = https://kylla.com/2020/12/16/new-treasury-services-operation-for-kylla-clients/ |website = Kylla |access-date = 7 January 2021 |date = 16 December 2020 |title = New treasury services operation for Kylla clients |last = Berkhout |first = Hugo }}</ref><ref name="aci">{{Cite web |url = http://acinetherlands.nl/wp-content/uploads/20111103-ACI-minutes.pdf |website = ACI The Netherlands |title = Notulen ALV 3 november 2011 te Amsterdam |trans-title = Minutes general meeting 3 November 2011 in Amsterdam |language = Dutch |access-date = 15 November 2020 }}</ref> Beside his job, he served as treasurer of the Dutch chapter of the industry body ACI Financial Markets Association and as head of the treasury committee of the self-regulatory organization Dutch Securities Institute, both in the years 2011–19.<ref name="aci"/><ref name="parlement"/>
Between February 2017 and March 2019, he was [[Asset and liability management|ALM]]/liquidity/FX trade director at [[Amsterdam Trade Bank]], a subsidiary of [[Alfa-Bank]]. Thereafter, he moved to the [[Cyprus|Cypriot]] municipality [[Strovolos]] to lead the treasury and financial institutions department of financial technology company iSignthis at their operations center.<ref name="parlement">{{Cite web |url = https://www.parlement.com/id/vkyv9rrdswog/h_a_hugo_berkhout |title = H.A. (Hugo) Berkhout |access-date = 15 November 2020 |language = Dutch |website = Parlement.com |publisher = Parlementair Documentatie Centrum }}</ref> In November 2020, he took a job as partner investments and treasury services at Kylla Corporate Transactions in Amsterdam.<ref name="ek">{{Cite web |url = https://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/h_a_berkhout_fractie_van_pareren |title = H.A. Berkhout (Fractie-Van Pareren) |website = [[Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal]] |language = nl |access-date = 24 September 2021 }}</ref><ref name="kylla"/>
== Politics == A member of Forum for Democracy, Berkhout was on an advisory council to select candidates for the [[2017 Dutch general election|2017 general election]] and also was on the [[party list]] himself (place 21).<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/11/03/voor-je-het-weet-zit-je-bij-de-partij-13835298-a1579887 |url-access = subscription |website = [[nrc.nl]] |date = 3 November 2017 |title = Op dit zorgvuldig opgebouwde netwerk steunt Baudet |trans-title = Baudet is supported by this carefully constructed network |access-date = 15 November 2020 |language = Dutch |last1 = Lievisse Adriaanse |first1 = Mark |last2 = De Witt Wijnen |first2 = Philip }}</ref><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 |format = PDF |access-date = 15 November 2020 |language = Dutch |page = 152 |website = Kiesraad |title = Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 2017 (getekend exemplaar) |trans-title = Results 2017 general election (signed example) |date = 21 March 2017 }}</ref> During the [[2018 Dutch municipal elections|2018 Amsterdam municipal election]], he appeared on place eleven on the party list, but he did not receive a seat.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://data.amsterdam.nl/publicaties/publicatie/uitslag-verkiezingen-gemeenteraad-2018/d0fc75b3-0c53-4bee-875c-a0f703168c50/ |website = Gemeente Amsterdam |format = PDF |title = Verkiezingen Gemeenteraad, 21 maart 2018 |trans-title = Municipal Elections, 21 March 2018 |page = 20 |date = March 2018 |language = Dutch |access-date = 15 November 2020 }}</ref> Berkhout was appointed {{lang|nl|[[duoraadslid]]}} in the Amsterdam municipal council by his party in June 2018. He was on the finances and economic affairs committee and continued to serve in that position until April 2019.<ref name="gemeenteraad">{{Cite web |url = https://amsterdam.raadsinformatie.nl/document/6704322/1/20180627_Amsterdam_Raad_Middag |language = Dutch |access-date = 15 November 2020 |title = Openbare vergadering op woensdag 27 juni 2018 |trans-title = Public assembly on Wednesday 27 June 2018 |format = PDF |date = 11 July 2018 |website = [[Amsterdam|Gemeente Amsterdam]] Raadsinformatie |pages = 19 and 22 }}</ref><ref name="gemeenteraad2">{{Cite web |url = https://amsterdam.raadsinformatie.nl/document/7649641/1/20190403_Amsterdam_Raad_Middag |language = Dutch |access-date = 15 November 2020 |title = Openbare vergadering op woensdag 3 april 2019 |trans-title = Public assembly on Wednesday 3 April 2019 |format = PDF |date = 30 April 2019 |website = Gemeente Amsterdam Raadsinformatie |page = 10 }}</ref>
Berkhout was placed sixteenth on the party list of Forum for Democracy in the [[2019 Dutch Senate election|2019 Senate election]].<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2019/pvs-eerste-kamerverkiezing/zitting-bekendmaking-uitslag-ek-2019-door-csb/proces-verbaal-uitslag-eerste-kamerverkiezing-zitting-kiesraad-31-mei-2019 |format = PDF |title = Uitslag Eerste Kamerverkiezingen 2019 |trans-title = Results 2019 Senate election |access-date = 15 November 2020 |language = Dutch |website = Kiesraad |pages = 64 and 66 |date = 31 May 2019 }}</ref> His party won twelve seats, and Berkhout was elected because he received eight [[open list|preferential votes]].<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl/verkiezingen/detail/EK20190527 |title = Eerste Kamer 27 mei 2019 |trans-title = Senate 27 May 2019 |website = Databank Verkiezingsuitslagen |publisher = Kiesraad |language = Dutch |access-date = 15 November 2020 }}</ref> However, Berkhout declined the seat. All of his votes came from the Forum for Democracy members of the [[States of North Holland]]. Broadcasting station [[NH (media company)|NH]] reported that they probably voted for him to prevent the fifteenth candidate, [[Robert Baljeu]], from being elected, as he had been expelled from the party.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.nhnieuws.nl/nieuws/246595/forum-voor-democratie-lijkt-weggestuurd-statenlid-uit-eerste-kamer-te-willen-houden |date = 27 May 2019 |website = [[NH (media company)|NH]] |access-date = 15 November 2020 |language = Dutch |title = Forum voor Democratie lijkt weggestuurd Statenlid uit Eerste Kamer te weren |trans-title = Forum for Democracy seemingly wants to keep expelled Provincial States member out of the Senate }}</ref>
=== Senator (2020–2023) === When Senator [[Annabel Nanninga]] went on parental leave in 2020, Berkhout was installed as temporary senator on 26 October.<ref>{{Cite press release |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/actueel/nieuws/2020/10/27/benoeming-j.e.e.-keunen-en-tijdelijke-benoeming-h.a.-berkhout-tot-lid-van-de-eerste-kamer |website = Kiesraad |title = Benoeming J.E.E. Keunen en tijdelijke benoeming H.A. Berkhout tot lid van de Eerste Kamer |trans-title = Appointment J.E.E. Keunen and temporary appointment H.A. Berkhout to the Senate |access-date = 15 November 2020 |language = Dutch |date = 27 October 2020 }}</ref> A crisis broke out within Forum for Democracy in late November, when newspaper ''[[Het Parool]]'' published an article about extremist messages in [[WhatsApp]] groups of the party's youth organization.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/artikel/2358095-crisisdagen-bij-forum-voor-democratie-wat-er-tot-nu-toe-gebeurde.html |website = [[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]] |language = Dutch |access-date = 28 November 2020 |date = 25 November 2020 |title = Crisisdagen bij Forum voor Democratie, wat er tot nu toe gebeurde |trans-title = Days of crisis at Forum for Democracy, what has happened so far }}</ref> On 27 November, fellow Forum for Democracy Senator [[Bob van Pareren]] posted a statement on [[Twitter]] on behalf of himself and three other senators including Berkhout, in which they announced that they would leave the party. They said they did not want to be part of "a party that does not distance itself from racism, antisemitism, and Nazism and that does not listen to criticism".<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/fvd-senatoren-en-statenleden-keren-baudet-massaal-de-rug-toe~b5182be0/ |website = [[De Volkskrant]] |language = Dutch |access-date = 28 November 2020 |date = 27 November 2020 |last = Du Pré |first = Raoul |title = FvD-senatoren en Statenleden keren Baudet massaal de rug toe |trans-title = FvD senators and state members turn their back on Baudet in large numbers }}</ref> Berkhout officially left the Forum for Democracy caucus on 29 November and joined Fractie-Van Pareren (renamed Fractie-Nanninga in February 2021).<ref>{{Cite press release |url = https://www.eerstekamer.nl/nieuws/20201130/vijf_senatoren_stappen_uit_fvd |title = Vijf senatoren stappen uit FVD-fractie |trans-title = Five senators leave FvD caucus |language = nl |access-date = 30 November 2020 |date = 30 November 2020 |website = Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal }}</ref> He also became the treasurer of his caucus.<ref name="ek"/>
Berkhout became a permanent senator – as opposed to a temporary senator – on 15 December 2020, replacing [[Paul Cliteur]], who had resigned due to the crisis at Forum for Democracy.<ref name="ek"/> Fractie-Van Pareren announced on 24 December that they would join the new party [[JA21]], that had been founded by two politicians who had left Forum for Democracy.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.trouw.nl/politiek/senatoren-fractie-van-pareren-sluiten-zich-aan-bij-ja21~b540bc64/ |website = [[Trouw]] |language = nl |access-date = 7 January 2021 |date = 24 December 2020 |title = Senatoren fractie Van Pareren sluiten zich aan bij JA21 |trans-title = Senators Fractie-Van Pareren join JA21 |last = Boersema |first = Wendelmoet }}</ref> Berkhout ran for [[2023 Dutch Senate election|re-election in 2023]] as the 18th candidate of JA21. The party won three seats, causing Berkhout's membership of the Senate to end on 13 June.<ref name="ek"/><ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2023/6/1/proces-verbaal-uitslag-eerste-kamerverkiezing-2023 |website = Dutch Electoral Council |title = Proces-verbaal uitslag Eerste Kamerverkiezing 2023 |trans-title = Records of the results of the 2023 Senate election |date = 1 June 2023 |language = nl |access-date = 1 October 2023 |format = PDF |pages = 68–70 }}</ref>
=== Parliamentary committees === While a temporary senator:<ref name="member">{{Cite web |url = https://www.eerstekamer.nl/commissies?lid=vld3i8ipjayl |website = Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal |access-date = 12 October 2022 |language = Dutch |title = Lidmaatschappen H.A. Berkhout |trans-title = Memberships H.A. Berkhout }}</ref> * Committee for Immigration and Asylum/[[Justice and Home Affairs Council]] * Committee for Infrastructure, Water Management, and Environment * Committee for Kingdom Relations * Committee for Education, Culture, and Science
While a permanent senator:<ref name="member"/> * Committee for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy/Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality * Committee for Finances * Committee for Kingdom Relations * Committee for Social Affairs and Employment
== Personal life == He lives in [[The Hague]], is married, and has a daughter.<ref name="ek"/><ref name="kylla"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2019–23|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berkhout, Hugo}} [[Category:1974 births]] [[Category:21st-century Dutch politicians]] [[Category:Currency traders]] [[Category:Businesspeople from Amsterdam]] [[Category:Forum for Democracy (Netherlands) politicians]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:JA21 politicians]] [[Category:Members of the Senate (Netherlands)]] [[Category:Politicians from Amsterdam]] [[Category:Dutch bankers]] [[Category:Dutch expatriates in Cyprus]]