{{Short description|Dutch politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Robert Baljeu | office1 = Member of the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]] | term_start1 = 15 December 2020 | term_end1 = 14 February 2021 | predecessor1 = [[Hugo Berkhout]] | successor1 = [[Annabel Nanninga]] | office2 = Member of the [[States of North Holland]] | term_start2 = 28 March 2019 | term_end2 = 29 March 2023 | birth_name = R.J.P. Baljeu | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|6|19|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Velsen]], Netherlands | alma_mater = [[University of Amsterdam]] | party = [[Group Otten]] | other_party = [[Forum for Democracy]] (until 2019) }} '''Robert Jan P. Baljeu''' (born 19 June 1969) is a Dutch politician, who served as a temporary member of the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]] and as a member of the [[States of North Holland]] between 2019 and 2023. After he was expelled from the right-wing populist party [[Forum for Democracy]] (FvD) shortly after his election, he became a member of the splinter party [[Group Otten]].
== Education and career == Baljeu was born in 1969 in the [[North Holland]] municipality [[Velsen]].<ref name="EK"/> He studied psychology at the [[University of Amsterdam]] in the years 1992–95, but did not finish his studies.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.noord-holland.nl/Bestuur/Provinciale_Staten/Statenleden/Baljeu_R_J_P |title = R.J.P. Baljeu (Robert Jan) |website = [[North Holland|Provincie Noord-Holland]] |access-date = 19 December 2020 |language = nl }}</ref><ref name="EK">{{Cite web |url = https://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/r_j_p_baljeu_fractie_otten_2 |title = R.J.P. Baljeu (Fractie-Otten) |website = [[Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal]] |language = nl |access-date = 17 January 2021 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Subsequently, he worked for three years as an account manager at textile company Sikkes International and for two years as a field manager at [[International Computers Limited]]. In 2000, he took at job as a manager at ICT services company [[Getronics]], but left to work as an account manager for HR software company Raet between 2003 and 2010.<ref name="EK"/>
Baljeu has been an independent [[Human resource management|HRM]] and ICT consultant since 2010, owning his own company called Turning Point.<ref name="EK"/><ref name="EW"/>
== Politics == After joining Forum for Democracy, he became responsible for recruiting and training political candidates, especially for the [[2019 Dutch provincial elections|2019 provincial elections]], in 2016.<ref name="EW">{{Cite magazine |title = De 100 van Thierry Baudet |trans-title = The 100 of Thierry Baudet |language = nl |magazine = [[Elsevier Weekblad]] |date = 27 March 2019 |last = Joosten |first = Carla }}</ref><ref name="nrc">{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2019/05/14/vertrek-statenlid-ruzie-binnen-statenfratie-fvd-noord-holland-a3960235 |title = Ruzie binnen Statenfractie FVD Noord-Holland |trans-title = Members of the North Holland States Provincial FvD caucus at odds |language = nl |url-access = subscription |website = [[nrc.nl]] |date = 14 May 2019 |last = De Witt Wijnen |first = Philip |access-date = 15 December 2020 }}</ref> The following year, he also became the director of Forum for Democracy's party office.<ref name="nrc"/> Baljeu himself also participated in the March 2019 provincial election as the second candidate on the FvD's [[party list]] in North Holland, and he was elected to the [[States of North Holland]] with 7,779 [[open list|preferential votes]].<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.noordhollandsdagblad.nl/cnt/dmf20190515_93173913 |title = Forum voor Democratie dreigt zetel kwijt te raken na wegsturen van Robert Baljeu |trans-title = Forum for Democracy in danger of losing a seat after dismissing Robert Baljeu |website = [[Noordhollands Dagblad]] |access-date = 15 December 2020 |language = nl |date = 15 May 2019 |last = Van Leeuwen |first = Roel }}</ref>
=== Expulsion and Senate election === On 14 May 2019 – less than two months after joining the States of North Holland – he was expelled from the Forum for Democracy caucus after all other members had lost confidence in Baljeu. The caucus leader said the reason was an internal matter.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/statenlid-forum-voor-democratie-in-noord-holland-uit-fractie-gezet~b56ba08f/ |title = Statenlid Forum voor Democratie in Noord-Holland uit fractie gezet |trans-title = States Provincial member Forum for Democracy expelled from the caucus in North Holland |access-date = 15 December 2020 |language = nl |date = 15 May 2019 |website = [[Trouw]] }}</ref> His paid position as recruiter had come to an end shortly before. Baljeu had been an ally of Forum for Democracy co-founder [[Henk Otten]], who had been sidelined a few weeks earlier. In an interview after his expulsion, Baljeu said Forum for Democracy had a "culture of fear" and criticized a group within the party that according to him was flirting with the [[alt-right]]. He decided to keep his seat in the States of North Holland and continued as a one-man caucus, causing Forum for Democracy to lose its position as the largest party in the province.<ref name="vk">{{Cite news |url = https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/verstoten-fvd-kopstuk-robert-baljeu-binnen-de-partij-heerst-een-enorme-angstcultuur~bbfad466/ |url-access = subscription |title = Verstoten FvD-kopstuk Robert Baljeu: 'Binnen de partij heerst een enorme angstcultuur' |trans-title = Expelled FvD leadership member Robert Baljeu: 'There is a culture of fear within the party' |website = [[De Volkskrant]] |language = nl |date = 15 May 2020 |last1 = Hendrickx |first1 = Frank |last2 = Mebius |first2 = Dion |access-date = 15 December 2020 }}</ref>
Baljeu appeared fifteenth on the Forum for Democracy party list for the [[2019 Dutch Senate election|Senate election held on 29 May]]. His candidacy had already been finalized before his expulsion.<ref name="vk"/> Forum for Democracy received twelve seats, and Baljeu was not elected. He had voted for Henk Otten, while all FvD members from North Holland had voted for the sixteenth candidate, [[Hugo Berkhout]]. [[NH (media company)|NH]] reported that this was probably an attempt to prevent Baljeu from winning a seat.<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 Nieuws]] |access-date = 15 December 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>
=== Group Otten and senator === When Henk Otten, then a senator, was being expelled from Forum for Democracy in July 2019, the party released a press release saying, among other things, that it suspected that Otten had tried to commit fraud. Baljeu's consultancy company supposedly charged €29,000 for activities that had not occurred to claim government subsidies. Otten, who confirmed that the payment had happened, said that the claims constituted [[defamation]] as Baljeu had done work for that money.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2019/07/24/forum-royeert-henk-otten-a3968130 |title = Forum royeert Henk Otten |trans-title = Forum expels Henk Otten |url-access = subscription |date = 24 July 2019 |access-date = 16 December 2020 |language = nl |website = nrc.nl |last1 = Boon |first1 = Floor |last2 = Rutten |first2 = Rik }}</ref> Baljeu subsequently joined Otten's splinter party [[Group Otten]] and became a staffer of the Senate caucus and a board member.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://fd.nl/economie-politiek/1312995/forum-voor-democratie-raakt-twee-senatoren-kwijt |url-access = subscription |language = nl |website = [[Het Financieele Dagblad]] |access-date = 16 December 2020 |last = Knoop |first = Bas |date = 19 August 2019 |title = Verzet tegen koers van Forum lijkt groter dan Baudet wil toegeven |trans-title = Protest against course Forum seems larger than Baudet wants to admit }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.parlement.com/id/vlemayjh7ota/r_j_p_robert_baljeu |title = R.J.P. (Robert) Baljeu |access-date = 19 December 2020 |language = Dutch |website = Parlement.com |publisher = Parlementair Documentatie Centrum }}</ref> That party merged with the [[Party for the Future]] in June 2020, but continued again under the name Group Otten after [[Henk Krol]] had left the party in October.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/artikel/2352788-henk-krol-na-ruzie-met-henk-otten-weg-bij-partij-voor-de-toekomst.html |website = [[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]] |language = nl |access-date = 16 December 2020 |date = 18 October 2020 |title = Henk Krol na ruzie met Henk Otten weg bij Partij voor de Toekomst |trans-title = Henk Krol leaves Party for the Future after quarrel with Henk Otten }}</ref> Baljeu remained a member of the board throughout this period.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.ad.nl/politiek/henk-otten-ontketent-nieuwe-strijd-binnen-partij-voor-de-toekomst~a2b17c74/ |website = [[Algemeen Dagblad|AD]] |language = nl |access-date = 19 December 2020 |date = 15 October 2020 |last1 = Van der Aa |first = Edwin |last2 = Winterman |first2 = Peter |title = Henk Otten ontketent nieuwe strijd binnen Partij voor de Toekomst |trans-title = Henk Otten unleashes new fight with the Party for the Future }}</ref>
Baljeu was sworn in as senator on 15 December 2020 as [[Hugo Berkhout]]'s replacement. Berkhout had served as a temporary senator during [[Annabel Nanninga]]'s maternity leave, but became the permanent replacement of [[Paul Cliteur]] after his resignation, leaving a vacant seat for Baljeu.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.nd.nl/nieuws/varia/1007329/tijdelijk-derde-senaatszetel-voor-fractie-otten |website = [[Nederlands Dagblad]] |access-date = 19 December 2020 |language = nl |date = 9 December 2020 |agency = [[Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau|ANP]] |title = Tijdelijk derde senaatszetel voor fractie-Otten |trans-title = Temporary third Senate seat for Group Otten }}</ref> He was a member of the Committees for Education, Culture, and Science and for Health, Welfare, and Sport.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.eerstekamer.nl/commissies?lid=vl2gcdxxmwpw |title = Lidmaatschappen R.J.P. Baljeu |trans-title = Memberships R.J.P. Baljeu |language = nl |access-date = 19 December 2020 |website = Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal }}</ref> Nanninga returned from her leave on 15 February 2021, bringing an end to Baljeu's term.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/r_j_p_baljeu_fractie_otten_7 |website = Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal |title = R.J.P. Baljeu (Fractie-Otten) |language = nl |access-date = 16 February 2021 }}</ref> He still had his seat in the States of North Holland until the [[2023 Dutch provincial elections|2023 provincial elections]], when Group Otten did not participate.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2023/3/27/proces-verbaal-uitslag-verkiezing-provinciale-staten-noord-holland-2023 |language = nl |access-date = 4 August 2023 |date = 27 March 2023 |website = Kiesraad |title = Proces-verbaal uitslag verkiezing Provinciale Staten Noord-Holland 2023 |trans-title = Records of the election results States of North Holland 2023 }}</ref> Near the end of the term, [[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]] and regional broadcasters featured Baljeu in an article about the most absent members of provincial councils. The article noted that Baljeu had been absent during 20 out of 50 meetings, making him the second most absent provincial council member in the country.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://nos.nl/collectie/13923/artikel/2463059-statenleden-van-forum-en-afsplitsingen-veruit-het-meest-afwezig-bij-vergaderingen |website = NOS |language = nl |access-date = 19 February 2023 |date = 9 February 2023 |title = Statenleden van Forum en afsplitsingen veruit het meest afwezig bij vergaderingen |trans-title = Provincial council members of Forum and splinter parties by far the most absent at meetings |last = Van der Parre |first = Hugo }}</ref>
He ran for the Amsterdam [[municipal council (Netherlands)|municipal council]] as the second candidate of Group Otten in the [[2022 Dutch municipal elections|2022 municipal elections]], but the party did not win any seats.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://onderzoek.amsterdam.nl/dataset/verkiezingen-gemeenteraad-2022 |website = Gemeente [[Amsterdam]] |title = Dataset Verkiezingen gemeenteraad 2022 |access-date = 24 March 2022 |language = nl |date = 21 March 2022 |trans-title = Data set 2022 municipal election }}</ref>
== Personal life == Baljeu was a resident of the Dutch capital [[Amsterdam]] during his term in the Senate.<ref name="EK"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2019–2023|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baljeu, Robert}} [[Category:1969 births]] [[Category:21st-century Dutch politicians]] [[Category:Forum for Democracy (Netherlands) politicians]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:University of Amsterdam alumni]] [[Category:Members of the Senate (Netherlands)]]